Scotch Tales

The not so accurate critiques and descriptions of recently sampled single malts. Brought to you by enthusiastic novices who just like drinking scotch!!

[scotchtales-blog]

An outing to dinner on a Wednesday finds a cool little place specializing in fondue, poutine and with a burger that one of the richest men in the world, Warren Buffet, said was the best he'd ever tasted.   Now what, you might ask, is the perfect way to finish an amazing meal and way too much chocolate fondue?

Light, sweet and smooth goodness

Macallan 14y - Tasted: 7th August 2012 - ~$10 per dram @ Laurier Lounge

Sweet currents and caramel on the nose. Shades of sherry or muscat in the rich colour and aroma. The palate is surprisingly light and clean, while still sweet and caramelly with a crisp finish that leaves almost no aftertaste at all.

This is smooth, light and tasty and would be a great introduction to top shelf single malts. However I fear this may be one of those examples where extra aging makes the scotch smoother, and probably more balanced, but in the process it loses some of its character and interest.  This is a nice scotch, but not one I would order for myself.

[scotchtales-blog]

Membership to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, the worlds foremost whisky club!

So having gone to the tasting on the Friday and knowing that only if I am a member of this society can I buy these amazing one of a kind scotches I decided to join up. Membership is quite expensive ($230 + tax) but you also get 4x100ml sample scotches which were recommended as amazing.

So what else to do on a brilliant Saturday night than taste these whiskies.

At this point it is worth stating that this is not a normal whisky week for me. I have cracked the 20 whisky mark by the end of this session, 19 of which I have never tasted before. Though my opinion might change in the future, I feel I may have to have a bit of a rest next week. Don't want to fall into the full blown alcoholic phase before the canadian winter hits.

Anyway enough of that, on to the whisky!

Official Desc: Suggestive of summer gardens

5.32 - Auchentoshan 12y, 55.5% - Tasted: 4th August 2012 - no longer available ever

I got melons and apples on the nose of this one, which was quite refreshing, and a touch of grass. The palate was simple,smooth and warming in the mouth and as it trickles down the throat. In fact the longer you let it roll around you mouth the hotter and hotter it gets till you’d swear there is chilli in it.

This will be an amazing scotch as a winter warmer. Not too overpowering in any respect but very smooth, simple and warm!

Official Desc: Power and scorched earth

29.99 - Laphroaig 20y, 59.6% - Tasted: 4th August 2012 - no longer available ever

Earthy and Islay peaty with a touch of rich sweet toffee on the nose. Indulgently sweet and warming on the front of the tongue, this scotch has a rich full body with light sweet honey and a touch of pepper towards the back of the mouth.

This has a very clean crisp finish, particularly for a big sweet scotch, which just leaves you with a magic feeling of wanting more.

Official Desc: Gunpowder green and lava rock

76.82 - Mortlach 15y, 56.7% - Tasted: 4th August 2012 - no longer available ever

Light nose with distinctive brown sugar,vanilla and caramel on the nose. Light body with lemon and orange zesty tones and leaves a spicy tingly feeling all over your mouth.

This scotch leaves your tongue tingling well after the taste has gone away. It’s nice, light and perfect for a little pick me up on a sunny day.

Official Desc: Expensive Swiss milk chocolate

125.52 - Glenmorangie 10y, 60% - Tasted: 4th August 2012 - no longer available ever

A rich yet subdued sweetness mellows to a creamy, overripe fruit sweetness on the nose. A rich fudgy taste and feel on the palate moves into a big warm finish at the bottom of the throat which lingers a long time.

An indulgent creamy and warming scotch that would go perfectly with a rich desert, like sticky date pudding, on a cold winters night.

[scotchtales-blog]

Taking Desert Scotch to a whole new level!

After the tasting I needed a little desert so Allee and I found an awesome little wine bar (Kensington Wine Bar) which provided the next whisky to be tasted for this blog. A different class yet still deserving of a review this whisky was used to wash down an amazing chocolate tasting platter.

Don't tell your whisky mates you had this!

Sortilege Maple Whisky (fortified goodness) - Tasted: 30th July 2012 - ~$13 per dram

Light and subtle maple sweetness on the nose. I'd love to say there are subtle undertones to this whisky but the truth is that it is like they mixed a 30y old smooth (and flavorless) single malt with Maple Syrup straight from the tree!

It is indulgent, sickly sweet without coating your mouth with a viscous aftertaste. The light dry caramelly maple finish lingers long on the palate. This would be amazing enjoyed late on a Canadian winters night, maybe even warmed... with a midnight snack of pancakes and bacon!

[scotchtales-blog]

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Tasting - 3rd August 2012

Now this may need a little introduction. There is a brilliant scotch store, the Kensington Wine Market right near our new apartment in Calgary, which hosts whisky tastings every month for a whisky association (which I will go into more detail about in a later post). I decided to try this tasting out, which included 7 special single cask releases only available at this store.

This was a brilliant night and the scotches were varied and amazing. Below are a mixture of the official tasting notes and my personal opinions. Enjoy!

Official Desc: Complex and Manly

76.88 - Mortlach 23y, 51.7%, bourbon cask - Tasted: 3rd August 2012 - ~$178 per bottle

Despite its light colour this scotch had a full bodied nose with toffee and rich fruity plums. It's when you take a sip however that the dram steps into the next threshold of scotches. Big, rich and sticky sweet, then dissolving in your mouth to a long hot lingering finish.

Imagine the best chocolate you've ever had, and how it disintegrates in your mouth just leaving you with a feeling of "Wow!". Add a tingling of chilli on the finish and the goodness of a big sweet scotch and your almost at this scotch! Amazing and my pick of the night.

Official Desc: A dram for Santa

105.18 - Tormore 28y, 55.5%, sherry cask - Tasted: 3rd August 2012 - ~$190 per bottle

Rich and mellow muscatels, cinnamon and fruit cake on the nose. The sherry comes through with a deep sweet richness on the palate along with a complex mix of toffee and spice that warms all the way down the throat.

This is a magic dram with the full body, sweetness and spice that I love. Aged 28 years it is smooth, rich, warming and bitey. Yum, Yum, Yum!

Official Desc: In a gentlemen’s club

4.160 - Highland Park 14y, 56.1%, sherry cask - Tasted: 3rd August 2012 - ~$133 per bottle

Great nose with wofts of buttermilk under caramel and bitey new leather. This is sweet rich and sherry infused, but finishes with a savory feel that is not quite right, but oh so good.

The finish really makes the scotch and adds a complexity that made it the crowd favorite non the night.

Official Desc: Smoker’s tooth powder

4.61 - Highland Park 16y, 55.1%, bourbon cask - Tasted: 3rd August 2012 - ~$140 per bottle

The nose was light with distinct tones of Eucalyptus, mint and toothpaste. These flavors continued through the palate and finished salty and with a whiff of smoke.

All in all... it's just not good! In my mind mint was never supposed to be in a scotch bottle and this was a perfect example of this. It also showed the difference in people's palates as some on my table raved about it while most didn't finish the glass.

Official Desc: Sugared almonds in a mattress factory

31.23 - Jura 23y, 51.7%, bourbon cask - Tasted: 3rd August 2012 - ~$170 per bottle

No nose on his scotch at all, despite it >50%. Very sugary on the tip of the tongue changed dramatically to a harsh biteyness and saltiness at the back of the throat in the finish.

I suppose distilleries try to make interesting and distinctive scotches to set themselves aside from the pack. This scotch is definitely interesting... just not good interesting!

Official Desc: Tic-tacs & tar-mac

3.159 - Bowmore 20y, 53.8%, bourbon cask - Tasted: 3rd August 2012 - ~$182 per bottle

Again another scotch with a fair bit of mint, and distinctive PVA glue on the nose. A very metallic and 'manufactured' taste comes through on the palate and a little bit of smoke right at the end.

The official description describes this one as one to drink while playing with toy electric cars. Unfortunately it tastes like the new toy got stuck on some glue and blew up. Not a big fan!

Official Desc: A changeling

29.113 - Laphroaig 10y, 57.7%, bourbon cask - Tasted: 3rd August 2012 - ~$116 per bottle

Wafts of strong metho on the nose. The palate shows this to be a Laphroaig with its smoky, peaty body. But this seems to try too hard and the salty, ashy finish leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Laphroaig scotches already have a lot of body and character but this one just tried too hard and stuffed it all up.

[scotchtales-blog]

A night out for Jazz and Scotch! - Thursday 2nd August 2012

An evening out on the town with my beautiful girl for dinner and a live jazz show gave me another opportunity to pick the brains of a scotch connoisseur behind the bar. With a preference to the lighter fruitier scotches he points me towards two scotches I've never even heard of before.

Light and sweet for after dinner

Stronachie 12 - Tasted: 2nd August 2012 - ~$11 per dram @ Wine'Ohs

Light dry honey sweetness on the nose which follows through into the palate with a pleasent smoothness and a lingering aftertaste.

There is not too much complexity to this scotch, though it does leave you in a great mood for kicking on, having another... maybe finishing the bottle and then hitting the town wanting another drink. Not one for the balcony session at the end of the night, more for a great little pick me up on the way out.

Names can be deceiving!

Auchentoshan 1998 - Tasted: 2nd August 2012 - ~$11 per dram @ Wine'Ohs

A little bit warmer and sweeter on the nose but still with that strong honey feel. A richer sweet honey comes through on the palate with light fruity citrus notes coming through.

It might sound a little German, in your face, and maybe a little bit evil, but this single malt is anything but. This scotch is perfect for when your in the mood for something a little lighter, and sweeter to put a smile on your dial.

[scotchtales-blog]

My whisky cabinet loves duty free!

This blog has introduced me to the concept of "dessert scotch." I'm in. What to do when there's 4 hours between a wedding ceremony nd the reception? Scotch time! More specifically, Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition, distilled 1991, bottled 2008, double matured, finished in Olorosso casks time! The Olorosso really shows through on the nose bringing a strong sherry aroma over aged orange peel. The Olorosso carries through to the palate and is joined by a little oak. It's a lighter style whisky with a delicious light warmth. It has a lingering finish still dominated by sherry. This whisky is kind of like drinking sherry with all the bad bits replaced by tasty, tasty scotch. (I really like some aspects of sherry, but I've never found a sherry I really like.) All in all a solid choice for a light-bodied scotch, though perhaps not with your Weetbix.

[scotchtales-blog]

Next we head to Buchannan's Chop House and Whisky Bar!  This place could definitely become a local haunt with North Americas largest range of single malts! :)

The reason to always listen to your barman!

Clynelish Double Matured 14 - Tasted 30th July 2012 - $14 per dram @ Buchanan’s

Even Allee liked the smell of this scotch!  Very rich, sweet caramel on the nose.  Full bodied, malty and toffee like on the palate, but not too sickly sweet.  Then finishing off with a nice amount of pepper and spice for an interesting finish.

The value of a good barman can not be underestimated.  When describing the scotches I like he didn’t even let me finish before pulling down this scotch that I had never even heard of.  A personal favorite that has not been available for last 5-10 years until last month or so.  

The rich toffee malty feel just puts a smile on your dial and would warm after the crappiest of days.  Then the nice little bite at the end reminds you that your still there, and you that should have another sip.  The pick of the scotches in this session, I like it!

Peaty Islay goodness at it’s best!

Lagavulin 16 - Tasted: 30th July 2012 - $13.50 per dram @ Buchanan’s

Rich and peaty on the nose like any good Islay malt should be.  It follows up with a smooth, sweet and caramelly feel on the palate.   Finishing off with a salty, and mildly spicy finish.

This scotch has that awesome salty finish as though the barrels were stored on top of a cliff overlooking the sea… which it probably was.  The sweet peaty, and slightly smoky flavor is beautifully smooth in this scotch, yet does have a nice little bite at the back of the throat.  Definitely one to come back to on a wintery Canadian evening.

Light and complex, yet holds it’s own!

Highland Park 15 - Tasted: 30th July 2012 - $12.50 per dram @ Buchanan’s

A very different feel to the other birthday scotches on the menu the Highland Park brings a lighter, more subtle malt to the table.  Very light on the nose with hints of smoke and citrus.  A light palate with complex undertones of lemon, smoke and pepper and a lightly salty finish.

The Highland Park provided a break from the rich malty scotches, and I was really impressed.   The lighter style requires a bit more to rank highly in my books not having the rich goodness to bind everything together, and this single steps up to the plate.   It has lots of things going on that still balance very nicely, and finishes with a crisp spicy salty wisp that calls out for another sip.

Dessert Scotch!!!  om, nom, nom, nom

The Glenrothes 12 - Tasted: 30th July 2012 - $9.25 per dram @ Buchanan’s

Sweet fruit cake on the nose.  Fully body, toffee, citrus and raisin sweetness on the palate.  Slight medicinal aftertaste so better follow it up with dark chocolate or sticky date pudding. :)

What better way to finish off the night but with a dessert scotch!  Thick, rich and with a distinct hint of Christmas cake on both the nose and palate this would be great with any dessert.   The thick aftertaste means you wouldn’t want too many in a row, but i can highly recommend as an awesome alternative to port or muscat at the end of any meal.

[scotchtales-blog]

First we start with my home tastings of two scotches I am very much looking forward to cracking open on a cold winters night to warm me up while sitting on the balcony overlooking the Canadian Rockies.

An oldie but a goodie!

Glenmorangie Original - Tasted: 29th July 2012 - ~$60 per bottle Canadian

A smooth, rich and malty scotch with just enough bite and pepper on the palate to make it interesting.  Sweet and malty on the nose and a nice amount of warming as it trickles down the throat. 

I must say I love this scotch.  It is a brilliant all rounder, not too sweet and not too spicy.  I can see this scotch becoming my stock standard quoffer… sitting on the balcony watching the sunset, spinning crap… Denny Crane style!

A deeper, more intriguing twist on Laphroaig!

Laphroaig Quarter Cask - Tasted: 30th July 2012 - ~$60 per bottle Canadian

On the nose is the familiar peat and smoke of Laphroaig, but with a distinctive sweetness.   On the palate it has a full peaty body, with a subtle taste of smoke, and a creaminess of honey and coconut.  A slightly spicy, peppery finish wouldn’t be complete without a light lingering smokiness.

Much more interesting that the stock standard Laphroaig 10, the smoke doesn’t completely take over this scotch.  I have to say this is an awesome scotch.  Really complex, with a nice sweetness through it (that allowed me to thoroughly enjoy this as a breakfast scotch) and still distinctly peaty and smokey like a Laphroaig should be.

[scotchtales-blog]

Birthday Scotches!!!

With special thanks to the whole Keillor family (A, B, J & D) I got to kick off this scotch blog with 6 birthday scotches!  Including a couple of bottles that I will be able to sample again on my Calgary balcony to my hearts content.

The sampling actually started with a sneaky celebration of my "Australian" birthday and a sampling of the Glenmorangie Original, thanks Judy, the night before my Canadian birthday.  The next morning started with a bacon and egg cook-up, thanks Allee, and moved very quickly to a breakfast scotch, the Laphroaig Double Cask, thanks Dennis.  And ended up with dinner and 4 more scotches at Buchanan's Chop House and Whisky Bar, big thanks Beej! 

Following this post are the tasting notes from these single malts.  Enjoy!

[scotchtales-blog]

Welcome to the Scotch Tales Blog!!

There are just too many scotches in the world to taste.   So I cant think of anything better to do than try!!!

As I have moved across to the other side of the world i have lost my scotch drinking partners so thought I would set up this blog as a location to post tasting notes, drinking stories, thoughts about the best malts and styles, to expand the scotches we have been tasting and share any gems we find in our travels.

I encourage you all to post your own notes and tastings as often as you feel the urge to sample and single.  

Welcome to Scotch Tales!!!   Let the tastings begin!!!