Producing WhiskyCast has given me the
opportunity to taste some really amazing whiskies!
I resisted rating whiskies or posting tasting notes in the past because I felt
there were others far more qualified to do so, but I've changed that
position on the grounds that it would be selfish of me to taste
these whiskies and not share my thoughts with you.
My scoring system is completely subjective, and I don't pretend that
it's anything else. I score based on my impressions of a whisky's
nose, taste, and finish. I want something discernible in all three
-- in other words, a whisky that noses and tastes well, but has a
flat finish will score less than what I consider a well-balanced
whisky that has all three elements in tune.
I apply the same standards to all varieties of whiskies, be they
single malts, blends, bourbons, Canadians, or from other parts of
the world. After all, when you're looking at the shelves of a bar or
retailer, the whiskies are almost always together anyway and you're
making your selection from the universe based on what you
like.
A couple of caveats: because of my original position on scoring
whiskies, I did not generally apply numerical scores to whiskies
until late 2007. Because of that, the whiskies I tasted before then
may not be listed here, since I will not go back and assign scores
retroactively based on old tasting notes. In addition, my notes are
based on whiskies I have either purchased on my own or samples sent
to me by industry sources. In some cases, my ratings are
based on public tastings at whisky festivals. Also, whiskies are
listed alphabetically by distillery.
Finally, please don't take these ratings as anything more than what
they are: the grade of one individual whisky lover. If you want to
use them as a guide, that's fine...but remember that everyone has
his or her own sense of what a great whisky should be, and these
scores are nothing more than my own academic exercise in that
pursuit.
Finally, I reserve the right to go back and re-taste whiskies again
at a later date and adjust scores if warranted.
Slainte!
Mark Gillespie
92 AND ABOVE
85-91
70-84
84
Bowmore 2009 Feis Ile Limited Edition
(Distillery bottling at 57.1% ABV, tasted 7/2010):
This 8-year-old Bowmore was finished in Limousin Oak barrels, and the
warm nose reflects some red wine heritage, along with almonds and a
touch of peat. The taste is full of cinnamon, smoke, and hints of oak
and brine. The finish is lingering with notes of brine and peat. A
little young.
George
Washington's Rye (Distillery bottling at 43% ABV, tasted 7/2010):
If you ever get a chance to taste this, go for it just for the
historical significance. Unaged rye spirit from the restored distillery
at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate in Virginia, this was
produced by hand using Washington's original recipe. The spirit is
clear, with a nose that is clean, light, and fruity with hints of pears.
The taste is sharp and tart with lemon and pear notes, while the rye
influence is barely noticeable. The finish is tart and clean.
Glann ar Mor Kornog "Taouarc'h
Kenton/First Peated One" (Distillery bottling at 57.1% ABV, tasted
2/2010): Just 244 bottles of this peated French single malt from
the Brittany coast were produced, and even though it's just three years
and four months old, it compares well to many young Islay malts. The
nose is full of peat, with tar and heathery notes. The taste starts off
peaty and peppery, then fades slowly to reveal notes of maple syrup The
finish is lingering, and this malt holds up well with a splash of water.
Glenfarclas 10 (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 4/2010):
The nose is sherried with subtle spices, apricots and dried figs. The
taste hits the top of the mouth and tip of the tongue with a cinnamon
prickliness and a good mouthfeel, notes of toffee, caramel, vanilla, and
burnt sugar. The finish is long and spicy with cinnamon notes that hit
the back of the throat.
Glen Grant 1955 (Bottled in 2008 by
Gordon & MacPhail for La Maison du Whisky at 50% ABV, tasted 11/2008):
The nose is sweet with dried figs and raisins, a touch of hazelnut, and
a kiss of cinnamon. The taste is sherried sweetness with a touch of tart
citrus flavors. A nice balance that leads to a toffee and caramel candy
finish with just a hint of saltiness. Complex and interesting.
Glenrothes Alba Reserve
(Distillery bottling at 40%, tasted
5/2009): This is a rarity from The Glenrothes: a kosher expression aged
in first-fill American Oak casks and certified as meeting Jewish dietary
laws. (Sherry cask-aged whiskies, which make up the entire Glenrothes
range, do not meet those standards). The nose is green apples and
fruity, with notes of honey and brown sugar. The taste is tart and
well-balanced, with notes of fresh wood and chili peppers. The finish is
spicy, lingering, and long. If you've ever wondered how The Glenrothes
would taste in a bourbon cask expression, seek out this one.
Kavalan Single Malt (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 4/2010):
This is the first expression from Taiwan's King Car Distillery, and it
shows promise for the future. The nose is clean with hints of tropical
fruits, floral notes, vanilla, and honey. The taste has a spicy start
that fades to show notes of mango and papaya that linger on the tongue.
The finish is sweet, but too short -- the only area where this malt
could be better.
Wemyss "Smoke Bluff" 12 YO Single Cask (Bottled by Wemyss from
undisclosed distillery at 46% ABV, tasted 3/1/2010): This Islay
single malt spent 12 years in a refill bourbon cask, and the nose is
classic Islay with notes of tar, creosote, dried leaves, and a slight
nuttiness. The taste is thick, oily, and peppery with cinnamon notes and
an understated peat that develops slowly. The finish is soft and smoky.
83
Balvenie Madeira Cask (Distillery
bottling at 43%, tasted 9/2009): This is the 2009 release in The
Balvenie's series of 17-year-old limited edition malts. The nose is
light and dry with notes of orange peel and lemon, and the taste is
thick and sweet with a large dose of maple syrup and a touch of cinnamon
to balance things out. The nose fades too quickly for me.
English Whisky Company "Chapter 6" (Distillery bottling at 46% ABV,
tasted 1/2010): This is one of the first official single malt
whisky releases from England's first distillery in at least 100 years,
and while this expression is barely three years old, I expect future
expressions to improve with age. The nose is light and fruity with notes
of green apples and pears. The taste starts off fruity, but develops a
spicy kick that fades to a slightly tart finish. The youth shows, but
again, this distillery has great potential for the future.
Isle of Skye 8 (Blended Scotch bottled at 43%, tasted 8/2009):
Ian MacLeod bottles this blend from a mix of Speyside and "Island"malts,
and that's clearly reflected in the nose. It has a coastal influence
with Talisker-like smokiness, along with heather and grassy notes. The
taste is smokier than the nose, and the peat influence shows itself
here, along with briny notes and a nutty touch of almonds and hazelnuts
that linger into the finish.
Lagavulin 21 (Distillery bottling in 2007 at 56.5% ABV, tasted
11/2008): The nose is dry and slightly spicy with a touch of pepper
and light citrus notes. The taste is smooth and balanced with a nice
blend of pepper and citrus notes. The lemon doesn't overwhelm the black
pepper, and provides a nice contrast on the finish.
Laphroaig 1999 (Cooper's Choice 2009 bottling at 46% ABV, tasted
3/2010): This single-cask bottling was aged in a refill butt, and
while it's the same age as the distillery's 10-year-old bottling, there
are differences. The color is lighter, and the nose is dry and peaty
with hints of oak and straw. The taste starts off slightly tart, then
develops a spicy peatiness that builds well into the finish, which
remains smoky and intense with just a hint of lemon.
Speyburn Solera 25 (Distillery bottling at 46%, tasted 5/2009):
The nose is nice and malty with dried grasses and straw, and the taste
starts off sweet and syrupy at first with good honey notes and a hint of
almonds and hazelnut. However, there's a black pepper kick that takes
away all of the balance and leaves the dram slightly bitter. It's not a
bad dram, but it could have been much more.
Teaninich 1973 Single Cask (Bottled by Berry Bros. & Rudd at 41.8%
ABV, tasted 6/2010): The nose is a nice mix of honey and lemon
zest, coconut and banana. The taste is tart and spicy with strong notes
of lemon and pepper. The pepper fades fast, but the lemon stays around
for the finish with a hint of green tea.
82
George Washington's Mount
Vernon Bourbon (Bottled by Mount Vernon at 60% ABV, tasted 7/2010):
This is a rare vatting of bourbons from most of America's largest
distillers to celebrate the restoration of Washington's distillery at
Mount Vernon. It's only sold at the Mount Vernon gift shop, and the nose
is classic vanilla, caramel, and oak. The taste is black pepper,
vanilla, oak, and honey, and the finish is honey and caramel. Lacks
overall balance, but remember that this was never intended to be a
mass-market product.
Karuizawa 1971 (Distillery bottling
for Number One Drinks Co. at 64.1% ABV, tasted 11/2008): The nose
has dried figs and raisins on top, with a hint of citrus undertones and
a touch of caramel candy. The citrus notes take over and dominate the
taste, with a lemon and lime tartness that tingles the tongue, but fades
to reveal a touch of caramel candy sweetness on the finish.
81
Balblair 1973 (Gordon & MacPhail
Private Collection 2006 bottling at 45% ABV, tasted 10/2008): Spicy
with a peppery kick, a hint of lemon, and a nice touch of toffee and
dark chocolate consistent with the nose. Smooth, long and sweet finish.
Glenturret 12 (Distilled in 1992,
bottled by Signatory at 43%, tasted 10/2007): The nose is light and
grassy with notes of goldenrod and wildflowers The taste is spicy and
floral balanced well with a touch of black pepper, and leads to a smooth
and lingering finish.
80
Longmorn 30 (Bottled by The Whisky Exchange for TWE Masterpieces at
58.1% ABV, tasted 11/2008): The nose is sweet with notes of honey,
figs, and raisins. The taste has a touch of pepper balanced by a hint of
honey. There's a lingering finish with a touch of molasses and figs.
79
Bowmore 1998 (Bottled by Queen of the Highlands as Kelting's Quarter
Cask Edition 21 at 53.9%, tasted 5/2010): There's no age statement
on this malt, which has a nose of smoke and vanilla with a slight
brininess and a hint of smoked herring. The taste is fiery and
young with an intense pepperiness that fades quickly to lingering
ashiness on the finish. Water smooths it out and adds notes of caramel
sweetness and brown sugar.
English Whisky Company "Chapter 4" (Distillery bottling at 46%,
tasted 1/2010): This technically isn't a whisky yet...it's an
18-month-old peated spirit that's a preview of the single malt whisky to
be released in mid-2010. The nose is peat and dried grass, while the
taste is thick and oily, syrupy-sweet with a touch of caramel candy,
peat, and creosote. The finish has a delayed spicy kick that lingers.
This spirit has great potential, but its youth shows in the lack of
overall balance.
Inchgower 26 (Bottled by Adelphi at 59.8% ABV, tasted 11/2009): The
nose is oak, old leather, and dry leaves, with a hint of dried apples
and pears. The taste is chewy and sweet, with green apples and
pears fading to reveal caramel candies and cola. The finish is slightly
sour, though.
Littlemill 1990 (Bottled by Signatory at 43% ABV, tasted 8/2009): This
Lowland malt has a very aromatic nose, with notes of green apples and
cinnamon and a bit of an alcohol burn. The taste is syrupy-thick and
spicy, with a strong peppery kick at first. Water tones down the spices
and reveals apple pie and nutmeg notes. The finish is dry and short, and
the dram lacks overall balance.
76
Celtique Connexion DM Highland
Monbazillac (Bottled by Celtic Whisky Compagnie at 46%, tasted 2/2010):
This is a unique whisky, starting out at an undisclosed Highland
distillery before it was purchased by Jean Donnay, who took it to
France's Brittany coast and transferrered it to a Monbazillac wine cask
for final maturation. The nose is warm and buttery with notes of
raisins, plums, and a hint of figs. The taste is spicy and tart with a
bit of lemon to go along with the cinnamon spice. The finish is tart and
lingering.
Wiser's 150th Anniversary Red Letter
(Distillery bottling at 45% ABV, tasted 10/2007): This
release celebrates the 150th anniversary of Wiser's, and the nose is
classic Canadian rye. The taste is rye bread with a touch of honey and
mint, but the finish is short.
75
Cragganmore Distiller's Edition 2008 (Distillery bottling at 40%,
tasted 4/18/2010): The nose is light and dry with hints of spices
and dried fruits. The taste has overly strong white wine notes, along
with a citrusy tartness that is sharp and astringent. Those notes
continue on the finish, and make it hard to tell whether this is a wine
or a whisky.
Old Crow Reserve (Distillery bottling at 43% ABV, tasted 3/1/2010):
This is Jim Beam's attempt to bring more cachet to the venerable Old
Crow bourbon brand, with 4 years in cask instead of the regular
version's 3. The nose has subtle spices and notes of vanilla, while the
taste adds in hints of oak, black pepper, vanilla, caramel, and cola.
The peppery notes linger on the slightly bitter finish. This bourbon is
still young and somewhat fiery...I'd like to try it aged for another
year or two.
74
Carsebridge 42 (Distilled in 1960,
bottled by Chieftain's Choice at 41.6% ABV, tasted 11/2008): This
single grain whisky has a sweet nose with figs, raisins and a hint of
caramel candy. The taste is fig cookies and frosted lemon loaf with a
slightly tart finish.
