Official PCF Whisk(e)y Thread (57 Viewers)

This Thirsty Thursday we will be revisiting Rye. Not the Canadian staple, however. Tonight, off the recommendation of my Whisky Neighbour, I am sampling some Sazerac Straight Rye, bottled at 45% abv. Now, in case you've forgotten, "straight" means that there is at least 51% Rye in the mashbill. This spirit is aged six years before bottling, and the tears are microscopic inside the glass.

Aaaahh, Rye . . . welcome back. Floral notes greet the nose right away, but they are followed by peaches, which is a new aroma for me. But it's the only thing that makes sense citrus and pith, with a touch of sweetness. Finally, the baking aromas come to the fore . . . bread, nutmeg, and a hint of pepper. It all sets up nicely for that first sip . . .

Wow . . . while most of the aromas are familiar, the first sip took me by surprise. The pithiness of the nose bursts on the palate, only to be pushed aside by cinnamon and pepper notes. The pepper's spicy tingle starts to take firm hold, but starts to lose ground as caramel and fruit flavours come back. Not so much peaches, as on the nose, more like canned fruit cocktail, syrupy sweet. Interestingly, the Rye spice that is so familiar in Canadian Whisky returns for a medium length finish, along with notes of clove and nutmeg.

Water really seems to tame this spirit. Less heat, more sweet. Vanilla notes make an appearance, as does a hint of bitter chocolate. The floral character of the Rye takes the stage for a shorter finish.

This just has to be a high Rye Whisky, I am guessing far more than just 51%. This spirit is sometimes referred to as "Baby Saz" because it's longer aged cousin is part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. This version has me VERY interested in sourcing a bottle of that. This younger version is more than enough to keep me happy until I do.

SazRYE.jpg
 
Milo013 said:
This just has to be a high Rye Whisky, I am guessing far more than just 51%. This spirit is sometimes referred to as "Baby Saz" because it's longer aged cousin is part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. This version has me VERY interested in sourcing a bottle of that. This younger version is more than enough to keep me happy until I do.
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The 18yr old Sazerac was one of the best bottles I ever bought! Never was able to track another one down.

I don't follow whiskey as much as I used to, but I think the more recent releases of the BTAC Sazerac are supposed to be the new batch made by Buffalo Trace. The older stuff was sourced whiskey stored in stainless steel tanks and was amazing stuff. I would love to taste the new batch as I'm a huge fan of the baby Saz too! It's hard to imagine a 18yr old version of it being bad. :)
 
I do not disagree. My closest experience would be 12 YO Wiser's Lot 40 Cask Strength. Somehow, Canadian Rye is not quite as "floral" as American ones. Mind you, I have only ever reviewed the Saz and some Jack Daniels Single Barrel, so it's a small sample size.
 
From the Whisky Advocate:

The Whisky Lover’s Guide to Rum

August 14, 2017 | Jack Bettridge | From Spring 2017
Aged rums have a lot to offer the seasoned whisky lover. (Photo by Shalith/iStock)

Perhaps it’s futile to predict trends—especially when it comes to taste—but the one drinking vogue that should be happening, for some reason hasn’t quite arrived. It’s aged rum. With a bounty of rich and rewarding examples on the market at mainly bang-for-the-buck prices, the category seems set for a boom of the caliber that American whiskey is enjoying. You might scratch your head, but for savvy spirits enthusiasts a better reaction is to take advantage of it before the popular palate catches up.

If you’re a whisky lover, aged rum offers a lot to relate to. Both are brown spirits with depths of character and spectra of flavors that make them ideal for unending hours of enjoyment and reflection. And while there are marked differences, much of the knowledge it takes to understand whisky can easily be applied to rum.

The basics of both processes are the same: you make a fermented liquid, distill it to higher proof, and mature it in casks. The main difference is the raw material. Rum starts with sugarcane, not grain, which makes the fermentation stage simpler. The juices that are squeezed out of the cane in a crushing process are already teeming with sugar, so the malting stage used to coax sugar from grain to make whisky is unnecessary. Just add yeast and water, and it starts to foam on its own. In fact, rum can be fermented with airborne yeast. But because the spirit’s character is developed by yeast (e.g. Bacardi uses a fast-acting yeast to get its light character and Jamaica’s Appleton Estate develops a fuller body from a slower variety), volunteer organisms aren’t usually encouraged.

While whisky can be made from a number of grain types, rum makers choose only between sugarcane juice and molasses, a byproduct of making crystalized sugar. Recommended examples of the former type include Guatemala’s Botran Solera 1893, Martinique’s Rhum J.M X.O and Rhum Clément and Haiti’s Rhum Barbancourt Estate Reserve 15. This method showcases the grassy/earthy/spicy qualities of sugarcane. While it sounds like that would be the seminal approach to rum production, it was developed only in the late 19th century. Molasses, with its round vanilla and caramel notes, has been employed for some 400 years.

The distillation choices are basically the same for both whisky and rum: pot still or column still. The stills also have very similar effects on the spirits. Pot stills—as well as other alembics borrowed from the Cognac world—are less efficient, but are capable of a wider range of flavor notes. More convenient column stills eliminate impurities found in pot still rums that transform into rich flavors only with extended maturation. For that reason, light rums of little age are usually column-stilled. That’s not to say that full body can’t come from a column. Consider such choices as Guatemala’s Ron Zacapa Sistema Solera 23 year old, Venezuela’s Ron Añejo Pampero Aniversario, Nicaragua’s Flor de Caña Centenario 25, and Puerto Rico’s Exquisito (part of Bacardi’s Facundo Collection). Since rum is often a blender’s art form, makers such as Mount Gay of Barbados and Appleton Estate use both still types and mix the results, aiming for the best of both worlds to craft gems like Mount Gay Black Barrel and Appleton Estate 21.

Like whisky, aged rum takes most of its flavor from the wood in which it rests. As with scotch, the maturation vehicle is often a bourbon barrel. But horizons are widening, as rum—never really tied to tradition—has discovered wood finishing. Panama’s Ron Abuelo, for instance, makes its XV Finish Collection, which includes separate expressions with extra aging in Oloroso sherry, Napoleon Cognac, and tawny port casks.

Where a whisky lover must take rum with a grain of salt is in the age statement. You’re likely used to assuming the year on the label defines the youngest spirit in the bottle. This could be true, but likely isn’t. Made across the globe, rum is largely unregulated, and the age statement may only define a loose average in the blend. The good news is that because rum is so often made in the heat of the Caribbean, it needn’t be particularly long in the tooth to become exquisite. That’s why $25 can purchase a bottle possessing the quality that might cost four times that in another category.

Rum is not immune to the trend that is crossing almost every spirits category, from tequila to vodka to whisky: flavored expressions. The difference with rum is it’s not exactly new. For centuries rum has been the basis for fascinating artisanal admixtures such as Plantation’s Stiggins’ Fancy, infused with pineapple skins.

If that’s not enough to entice you to the rum side, think of something that whisky does not offer. International travelers can now return to the U.S. with a long-forbidden spirit: Cuban rum.

5 Sipping Rums to Try
ST. CROIX: Cruzan Single Barrel Distiller’s Collection—40% ABV, $30
Creamy orange of triple sec, with cinnamon and licorice
VENEZUELA: Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva—40% ABV, $40
Butterscotch, vanilla, and tutti-frutti
PUERTO RICO: Eximo Facundo—40% ABV, $60
Vanilla and maple overlaid with walnut and pralines
PANAMA: Ron Abuelo XV Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish—40% ABV, $70
Melds maple, caramel, coffee, and nutmeg
PANAMA: Zafra 30 Master Series—40% ABV, $200
Highly complex with molasses, Christmas spice, banana, licorice, and cinnamon
 
This Whisky Wednesday finds me sampling another American Rye. This time out it's Bulleit Rye, made from a mashbill of 95% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley. Bottled at 45% abv, it is oily and viscous in the glass, with tears showing slowly.

Nosing brings out spicy notes, as well as citrus and other fruity aromas. There is pepper, apricot, and green apple peels. There is really not much else of note. It is very straightforward in it's approach.

Similarly, the first sip is no nonsense, as well. Right off the bat one tastes black pepper, with the sharpness of green apple following closely behind. Underneath is a sweetness of fruit . . . cherries, and the earlier mentioned apricots. As the Rye warmth rises in your chest, a mild vanilla quality comes with it and, finally, the baking spices which are the hallmark of the grain. The finish is not long, ending with oak/leather tannins.

The addition of a little water really ramps up the sweet fruit flavours, leaving the pepper spice notes as a mere tickle on the tongue. Other than this change, there really is no other effect to be gained by it's presence.

So, what to make of this? This is a very approachable whisky, and a great introduction to Rye as a primary ingredient. But it is very basic in it's profile, and left me hoping for more, especially after last week's experience. That said, it is an excellent value for the dollar, and would likely do nicely in your favourite cocktail, as well.

BullRYE.jpg
 
@Milo013 i think Bulleit Rye is the best value for money rye out there

But tonight I’m drinking Jameson Cooper’s Croze. First tried it at the Middleton distillery in Cork last year and while it’s fine stuff, I think the nostalgia adds that little extra oomph
 
Darson said:
@Milo013 i think Bulleit Rye is the best value for money rye out there

But tonight I’m drinking Jameson Cooper’s Croze. First tried it at the Middleton distillery in Cork last year and while it’s fine stuff, I think the nostalgia adds that little extra oomph
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I feel the same way! I picked up a few different bottles from the Jameson distillery on my vacation to Ireland and thatakes it taste better!
 
This Thirsty Thursday sees a return to Canadian soil for some local Whisky. Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve is a blend of Corn, Rye, and Barley whiskies that are aged separately in seasoned oak, but then blended before being put into ex-Bourbon casks for finishing. The whisky is bottled at 40% abv and is rather unusually thin inside my glencairn. Tears bead slowly and run into the bowl in thick streaks.

Nosing brings caramel and vanilla bean. Brown sugar is to be found, as well as some almond paste. A hint of citrus mixes with rye spices, and there is a leathery quality to be found underlying those spicy notes.

The first sip is creamy and smooth, butterscotch ripple ice cream. Vanillin notes start to make their presence felt next, but they become subdued by warming spice notes . . . pepper, cloves. Just as the vanilla begins to return, soft oak tannins come forward, along with more caramel toffee notes. That caramel sweetness lingers, drying with the tannins, until a drawn breath brings a sharp citrus peel finale to a medium long finish.

Unusually for me, a second pour was required in order to see what water does to this spirit. Even before sipping the nose has become a sweet explosion of sugar, butterscotch candies, and candy apples. The taste now leans more heavily towards bourbon, sweet corn and toffee, with undertones of vanilla. the spiciness is subdued but still noted.

If you have friends who are reluctant to drink their hard liquor neat, pour them two fingers of this, and add a tablespoon of water. Or just throw in an ice cube. That will set them up for a wonderful experience, and might be a gateway for them to expand their horizons a little. This whisky suffers not one little bit from it's standard strength bottling. Though I cannot help but wonder what a stronger version might hold for the enthusiast.

40C2BBL.jpg
 
detroitdad said:
View attachment 203714View attachment 203715
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Love talisker. The sea and salty notes in it make me fall in love with it all over again every time I pick up a glass. Value wise I think the 10 is a good deal. I also have bottles of the DE and 18. The DE might be worth the difference, but I don't think the 18 has a deep enough flavor profile to justify the difference.
 
Talisker 10 is almost my favourite Scotch. It IS my favourite among standard bottlings. I prefer the Lagavulin 8 to the 16, but adore the cask strength 12. Cannot stand Monkey Shoulder. That Glendronach is very nice.
 
Milo013 said:
Talisker 10 is almost my favourite Scotch. It IS my favourite among standard bottlings. I prefer the Lagavulin 8 to the 16, but adore the cask strength 12. Cannot stand Monkey Shoulder. That Glendronach is very nice.
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I just had a glass of the Lag 8 a few nights ago. Heavenly, especially as the weather is starting to cool off just a bit here in Memphis.
 
Whisky Wednesday has me back on Islay for a sampling of Port Charlotte Scottish Barley Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt. That's a bit of a mouthful, but explains exactly what's in the bottle, which is a 50% abv spirit with NAS, aged in Euro oak and ex-Bourbon casks. The whisky is oily, thick on the glass, and forms slow tears.

The nosing is smoky and peaty, as befits a whisky with 40 ppm worth of peat phenols. There is also the salt air to be found here. A little citrus brightens things if you wait, then ashes. It's like each waft of smoke heralds a new aroma. There is caramel and an earthiness waiting to be discovered. Finally some oak lingers long enough for me to find it.

The first sip is sweeter than expected, with little of the salinity common to Islays of my experience. The candied sweetness belies the smoke that is the bedrock on the palate. There is iodine, too, followed by vanillins. And then comes the maritime character so indicative of Islay. Salt and smoke take hold in the middle and remind you that this is still a traditional Islay malt. Moving towards the finish, there is apple and orange peel, spicy pepper notes, and tannic leather feel. Through it all, that smoke lingers, like the aftermath of a raging bonfire, seeping it way into everything about this spirit. Delicious.

Water now, and the spirit is now butter smooth caramel, with hints of cocoa powder. Less fruitiness to be found, and the medicinal qualities are more subdued. Through it all the peat smoke remains and, as it finishes, a lingering burnt rubber note that catches the breath.

Bruichladdich is moving towards a more provenance oriented usage of the term "Islay". If this bottling is an indication of where they want to lead, then I think I will follow. They are putting the more traditional Islay brands on notice, and it's hard to argue with their message, particularly when it arrives like this.
 
pltrgyst said:
From the Whisky Advocate:

The Whisky Lover’s Guide to Rum

August 14, 2017 | Jack Bettridge | From Spring 2017
Aged rums have a lot to offer the seasoned whisky lover. (Photo by Shalith/iStock)

Perhaps it’s futile to predict trends—especially when it comes to taste—but the one drinking vogue that should be happening, for some reason hasn’t quite arrived. It’s aged rum. With a bounty of rich and rewarding examples on the market at mainly bang-for-the-buck prices, the category seems set for a boom of the caliber that American whiskey is enjoying. You might scratch your head, but for savvy spirits enthusiasts a better reaction is to take advantage of it before the popular palate catches up.

If you’re a whisky lover, aged rum offers a lot to relate to. Both are brown spirits with depths of character and spectra of flavors that make them ideal for unending hours of enjoyment and reflection. And while there are marked differences, much of the knowledge it takes to understand whisky can easily be applied to rum.

The basics of both processes are the same: you make a fermented liquid, distill it to higher proof, and mature it in casks. The main difference is the raw material. Rum starts with sugarcane, not grain, which makes the fermentation stage simpler. The juices that are squeezed out of the cane in a crushing process are already teeming with sugar, so the malting stage used to coax sugar from grain to make whisky is unnecessary. Just add yeast and water, and it starts to foam on its own. In fact, rum can be fermented with airborne yeast. But because the spirit’s character is developed by yeast (e.g. Bacardi uses a fast-acting yeast to get its light character and Jamaica’s Appleton Estate develops a fuller body from a slower variety), volunteer organisms aren’t usually encouraged.

While whisky can be made from a number of grain types, rum makers choose only between sugarcane juice and molasses, a byproduct of making crystalized sugar. Recommended examples of the former type include Guatemala’s Botran Solera 1893, Martinique’s Rhum J.M X.O and Rhum Clément and Haiti’s Rhum Barbancourt Estate Reserve 15. This method showcases the grassy/earthy/spicy qualities of sugarcane. While it sounds like that would be the seminal approach to rum production, it was developed only in the late 19th century. Molasses, with its round vanilla and caramel notes, has been employed for some 400 years.

The distillation choices are basically the same for both whisky and rum: pot still or column still. The stills also have very similar effects on the spirits. Pot stills—as well as other alembics borrowed from the Cognac world—are less efficient, but are capable of a wider range of flavor notes. More convenient column stills eliminate impurities found in pot still rums that transform into rich flavors only with extended maturation. For that reason, light rums of little age are usually column-stilled. That’s not to say that full body can’t come from a column. Consider such choices as Guatemala’s Ron Zacapa Sistema Solera 23 year old, Venezuela’s Ron Añejo Pampero Aniversario, Nicaragua’s Flor de Caña Centenario 25, and Puerto Rico’s Exquisito (part of Bacardi’s Facundo Collection). Since rum is often a blender’s art form, makers such as Mount Gay of Barbados and Appleton Estate use both still types and mix the results, aiming for the best of both worlds to craft gems like Mount Gay Black Barrel and Appleton Estate 21.

Like whisky, aged rum takes most of its flavor from the wood in which it rests. As with scotch, the maturation vehicle is often a bourbon barrel. But horizons are widening, as rum—never really tied to tradition—has discovered wood finishing. Panama’s Ron Abuelo, for instance, makes its XV Finish Collection, which includes separate expressions with extra aging in Oloroso sherry, Napoleon Cognac, and tawny port casks.

Where a whisky lover must take rum with a grain of salt is in the age statement. You’re likely used to assuming the year on the label defines the youngest spirit in the bottle. This could be true, but likely isn’t. Made across the globe, rum is largely unregulated, and the age statement may only define a loose average in the blend. The good news is that because rum is so often made in the heat of the Caribbean, it needn’t be particularly long in the tooth to become exquisite. That’s why $25 can purchase a bottle possessing the quality that might cost four times that in another category.

Rum is not immune to the trend that is crossing almost every spirits category, from tequila to vodka to whisky: flavored expressions. The difference with rum is it’s not exactly new. For centuries rum has been the basis for fascinating artisanal admixtures such as Plantation’s Stiggins’ Fancy, infused with pineapple skins.

If that’s not enough to entice you to the rum side, think of something that whisky does not offer. International travelers can now return to the U.S. with a long-forbidden spirit: Cuban rum.

5 Sipping Rums to Try
ST. CROIX: Cruzan Single Barrel Distiller’s Collection—40% ABV, $30
Creamy orange of triple sec, with cinnamon and licorice
VENEZUELA: Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva—40% ABV, $40
Butterscotch, vanilla, and tutti-frutti
PUERTO RICO: Eximo Facundo—40% ABV, $60
Vanilla and maple overlaid with walnut and pralines
PANAMA: Ron Abuelo XV Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish—40% ABV, $70
Melds maple, caramel, coffee, and nutmeg
PANAMA: Zafra 30 Master Series—40% ABV, $200
Highly complex with molasses, Christmas spice, banana, licorice, and cinnamon
Click to expand...

I have a bottle of that Plantation's Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum and it is delicious. Makes a fantastic classic daiquiri. Rum is a spirit that intrigues me, but I find it very confusing given there are so many variations and countries of origin.

Thanks for the post/link.
 
Sometimes, you just get lucky . . .

One of the most enjoyable things about this little hobby is the interesting opportunities that arise with respect to unique bottlings or tastings. I have been lucky enough to experience a few, and happy to have been able to include some friends along the way. Whisky, after all, is meant to be enjoyed with others.
Last night my wife and I had friends over for drinks, as part of Thanksgiving weekend. One of our friends is Bob. Bob's grandfather was a General Manager for Corby's Distillery, in Corbyville, ON. He retired in 1977 and, upon his retirement, he was gifted a single barrel of Rye whisky, dating back to his year of hiring (1942). These bottles (I'm told there were 216) were shared among family and close friend over the years. Fast forward a few decades, and Bob's Father passes away earlier this year. At the reception after the funeral, some of the last bottles of this collection are brought out to celebrate the life of the family patriarch.
Last night, Bob brought over the last shot of his bottle, and I was allowed to partake in something truly unique. Collectors talk about "unicorn bottles", or rare casks, but how many people ever get to sample whisky that was never put out for commercial sale? Well, last night, my friend Dave and I did just that. We drank the last ounce of a completely unique Rye Whisky, and this is what we found.
The whisky was a deep amber in the glass, like brass or red gold. It was fairly viscous, too, sticking to the inside of my glencairn before running back down the sides.
The nose did not present the expected floral characteristics of Rye. Whether this was the result of oxidation over a few months, or from the long aging in the barrel I do not know. What did present was a waft of brown sugar and toffee, with a fair bit of oak backing it up. There was a lingering spicy quality in the air as well.
On the palate, I was treated to caramel (think MacCormick's hard toffee candy), followed by a slowly building note of white pepper to warm the chest. The oak tannins lead into a short drying finish that is highlighted by a note of dill. There was not enough left to bother with water, but this whisky was so smooth as to render the idea superfluous. It was truly wonderful to taste. One last note, the pictures will not show you what proof this whisky was bottled at, another nod to it's provenance as a truly "private" barrel. It was a rare treat to be given the opportunity to sample it before it was gone.

bob2.jpg
bob1.jpg
003.jpg
 
Milo013 said:
Sometimes, you just get lucky . . .

One of the most enjoyable things about this little hobby is the interesting opportunities that arise with respect to unique bottlings or tastings. I have been lucky enough to experience a few, and happy to have been able to include some friends along the way. Whisky, after all, is meant to be enjoyed with others.
Last night my wife and I had friends over for drinks, as part of Thanksgiving weekend. One of our friends is Bob. Bob's grandfather was a General Manager for Corby's Distillery, in Corbyville, ON. He retired in 1977 and, upon his retirement, he was gifted a single barrel of Rye whisky, dating back to his year of hiring (1942). These bottles (I'm told there were 216) were shared among family and close friend over the years. Fast forward a few decades, and Bob's Father passes away earlier this year. At the reception after the funeral, some of the last bottles of this collection are brought out to celebrate the life of the family patriarch.
Last night, Bob brought over the last shot of his bottle, and I was allowed to partake in something truly unique. Collectors talk about "unicorn bottles", or rare casks, but how many people ever get to sample whisky that was never put out for commercial sale? Well, last night, my friend Dave and I did just that. We drank the last ounce of a completely unique Rye Whisky, and this is what we found.
The whisky was a deep amber in the glass, like brass or red gold. It was fairly viscous, too, sticking to the inside of my glencairn before running back down the sides.
The nose did not present the expected floral characteristics of Rye. Whether this was the result of oxidation over a few months, or from the long aging in the barrel I do not know. What did present was a waft of brown sugar and toffee, with a fair bit of oak backing it up. There was a lingering spicy quality in the air as well.
On the palate, I was treated to caramel (think MacCormick's hard toffee candy), followed by a slowly building note of white pepper to warm the chest. The oak tannins lead into a short drying finish that is highlighted by a note of dill. There was not enough left to bother with water, but this whisky was so smooth as to render the idea superfluous. It was truly wonderful to taste. One last note, the pictures will not show you what proof this whisky was bottled at, another nod to it's provenance as a truly "private" barrel. It was a rare treat to be given the opportunity to sample it before it was gone.

View attachment 205616View attachment 205617View attachment 205619
Click to expand...

Fantastic. Thanks for sharing
 
This Malted Monday has me back in harness with a review of Tomintoul's Peated Single Malt Scotch Whisky. It is not common for Speyside Glenlivet Malt's to be peated, so this NAS bottling will be an interesting departure. ,It is bottled at 40% abv and the tears develop slowly and thinly in the bowl.

The peat is immediately present on the nose, as one would expect, but it is not as heavy as, say, in an Islay Malt. The peat here is part of an ensemble cast, rather than given top billing. The sweetness of the malted barley comes through easily, like warm cereal after a chill night. There is a touch of treacle, too. There is also a floral presence here. It's very well balanced, if somewhat laid back.

The first sip has the typical peaty flavours comingling with the sweet treacle from the nose, neither getting an upper hand. The smokiness of the nose is a nice presence on the palate, while the barley keeps everything in check until some of the other flavours can manifest. There is a pepper note underlying things, and oak tannins curling in with the smoky peat. There is an earthy nut quality towards the finish, which is longer than expected. Through it all, the smoke never leaves or fades, staying with you to the very end of a long finish. For a NAS Scotch, this is surprisingly flavourful, even at 40% abv.

Water now, and the smokiness retreats somewhat, leaving the more medicinal qualities of the peat to struggle with the sweeter notes. It tends to lose the balance it had when served neat, and so I would not recommend it other than as such.

I was not honestly expecting too much from this bottle, and I have to admit to some chagrin at the quality on offer. Further, if you are already a Scotch enthusiast looking to find a way into the mysteries of peated Malts, this would be a fine introduction.

Tomnas.jpg
 
Milo013 said:
Whisky Wednesday has me back on Islay for a sampling of Port Charlotte Scottish Barley Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt. That's a bit of a mouthful, but explains exactly what's in the bottle, which is a 50% abv spirit with NAS, aged in Euro oak and ex-Bourbon casks. The whisky is oily, thick on the glass, and forms slow tears.

The nosing is smoky and peaty, as befits a whisky with 40 ppm worth of peat phenols. There is also the salt air to be found here. A little citrus brightens things if you wait, then ashes. It's like each waft of smoke heralds a new aroma. There is caramel and an earthiness waiting to be discovered. Finally some oak lingers long enough for me to find it.

The first sip is sweeter than expected, with little of the salinity common to Islays of my experience. The candied sweetness belies the smoke that is the bedrock on the palate. There is iodine, too, followed by vanillins. And then comes the maritime character so indicative of Islay. Salt and smoke take hold in the middle and remind you that this is still a traditional Islay malt. Moving towards the finish, there is apple and orange peel, spicy pepper notes, and tannic leather feel. Through it all, that smoke lingers, like the aftermath of a raging bonfire, seeping it way into everything about this spirit. Delicious.

Water now, and the spirit is now butter smooth caramel, with hints of cocoa powder. Less fruitiness to be found, and the medicinal qualities are more subdued. Through it all the peat smoke remains and, as it finishes, a lingering burnt rubber note that catches the breath.

Bruichladdich is moving towards a more provenance oriented usage of the term "Islay". If this bottling is an indication of where they want to lead, then I think I will follow. They are putting the more traditional Islay brands on notice, and it's hard to argue with their message, particularly when it arrives like this.
Click to expand...

I had a chance to pick this up (duty free) last week, but I passed since I hadn't had it before. I wish I'd read your review sooner.
 
CdnBeerLover said:
Mmmm...The Balvenie. I haven't had the triple cask yet, but their doublewood is one of my favourites.
Click to expand...

I'm also a big fan of the Doublewood, and I bought this one for that reason. It's a travel bottling, so it's only available in duty free shops and can't (AFAIK) be purchased in the States or Canada. I haven't opened it yet but I'll give a quick review when I do.
 
Schmendr1ck said:
I'm also a big fan of the Doublewood, and I bought this one for that reason. It's a travel bottling, so it's only available in duty free shops and can't (AFAIK) be purchased in the States or Canada. I haven't opened it yet but I'll give a quick review when I do.
Click to expand...
FYI I was able to buy Doublewood 12 in Total Wine. I think it's the triple cask that's travel only - not 100% sure though.
 
Darson said:
FYI I was able to buy Doublewood 12 in Total Wine. I think it's the triple cask that's travel only - not 100% sure though.
Click to expand...

Right - the Triple Cask is a travel bottling, not the Doublewood. Sorry if my previous post wasn't clear.
 

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