Dear Whisky Customers
So what?s in store for you this month? Quiet a few of you seem to quiet like my musings or well are at least entertained by them, so I?ll not disappoint you this month. Tasting wise it?s been a bit of a peaty month with new bottlings of Benromach?s Peat smoke, Bowmore and Duncan Taylors wonderful Auld Reekie. There?s some new bottlings from Dewar Rattray and James McArthur plus Gordon Wright has once more dipped into his pension fund and releases his second cask of Port Charlotte along with two other new bottlings.
So first off, pour yourself a wee dram, sit back and let me entertain you!
SOAP BOX TIME AGAIN!
I have been musing about innovation in the whisky industry and apart from the perfusion of single cask offerings and the finishing in weird and wonderful wine casks, there is precious little that can be really called innovation. With the possible exception of John Glaser at Compass Box who seems intent on pushing boundaries and the wrath of the SWA, everyone else seems to be content with what they are doing.
As we know the wood of choice for the industry is North American Oak or
Quercus alba (White Oak), yet it is not the only oak grown in Northern America, there is also Northern Red Oak (Champion or Red Oak)
Quercus rubra which I believe is not considered useful for making casks as it has a very open grain. Meanwhile in Europe the main oak for the wine industry is Sessile oak
Quercus petraea which John Glaser was experimenting with the release of Spice Box and to a lesser extent with the Oak Cross, but there is its close relative Pedunculate oak
Quercus robur and the Holm oak (Holy or Evergreen oak)
Quercus ilex which is commonly found in the Mediterranean.
Wood can be divided into two large classes ? Ring-Porous and Diffuse-Porous. Oak is ring-porous, which basically means that the larger pores are localized in the part of the growth ring formed in spring, thus forming a region of more or less open and porous tissue, which allows the spirit to take up the character of the wood, but obviously this is only a relatively small part of the tree with the rest of the ring, produced in the summer months is made up of smaller vessels and a much greater proportion of wood fibers. In diffuse-porous woods, the pores are scattered through out the growth ring instead of being collected in a band or row.
So my question is why not experiment with other types of ring-porous woods such as ash, chestnut, elm, hickory and mulberry as well as the different varieties of oak. I think it would be an interesting experiment to try and although they would not be able to be marketed as whisky, I ask myself whether that would be a problem. I think that many whisky consumers would be intrigued by a spirit that had been aged in a different type of wood, and it would be interesting to see what sort of flavour characteristics these different types of wood would add. If those flavours are too say odd, then they could always be vatted with some oak aged sprit, which again would result in a different product. Also why not experiment with some diffuse-porous woods, such as birch, maple, walnut or cherry. Again I think it would be an interesting experiment to see how these woods react with a good spirit.
Yes I know that there is a financial implication to all this experimentation, but you could say the same thing with regard to the first experiments at finishing in different wine casks, but the early pioneers of this, like Glenmorangie had the necessary wherewithal to give it a go and trust that when the spirit was mature enough to be bottled there would be a market for this product. I for one believe that there is a market for this type of innovation, as I believe that whisky drinkers have become a lot more discerning. It begs to ask the question whether a distillery has the necessary will to give it ago no matter what the SWA may say, and lets face it there are a few in the industry that would have no problem about taking on the SWA.
Ok so not only do I propose one type of innovation, let?s look at the raw materials whisky is made from ? Barley. Why should it just be limited to Barley I ask? Take for example America. Here we find not only Bourbon, which by law has to be made from a mash of a minimum of 51% Corn and the rest being made up of Rye and malted Barley, but there is Wheat Bourbon, which again must be 51% Corn with Wheat replacing the Rye, and not forgetting Rye whisky which must be made with a minimum of 51% Rye.
So again my question is why aren?t Scottish whisky producers experimenting with the mix of their mash? I know that many use a combination of different varieties of Barley, but why not go one step further and follow the American approach. Who knows what new and potentially wonderful flavours might be unearthed. Now I know that the SWA would claim that it is not traditional and therefore not whisky, but why not have a completely new category of Scottish Rye Whisky or Scottish Wheat Whisky.
So who knows will we see in a few years the first Wheated Scotch whisky aged in Cherry Wood, or the first Scottish Rye whisky aged in say the worlds densest wood, Black Iron Wood? I can see it now Black Iron Bruichladdich ? Has a kind of ring to it don?t you think?
Ok enough talking and time for some drinking!
A GENERAL ROUND UP
Benromach Peat Smoke 46% ?27.95
A light nose of grassy, citrus lemon fruits, herbs, late peat smoke, creosote, earthy dunnage floors, orange and a touch of oily/ creamy vanilla. Quiet complex for all its youth with a lovely soft balance. Again light on the palate, maybe a touch watery initially, but the delicate oily citrus fruit evolves along with herbs, grass and light spice. There is less peat than the nose suggests, it is more in the background. Finishes dry and crisp with a touch of gentle late spice and lingering peat notes. A nice delicate Speysider with a touch of peat!
Duncan Taylor Auld Reekie 10 year old (2007 Bottling) 46% ?TBC
Yum, rich, oily orange fruit and intense bog myrtle-peat. Very deep and very good with that classic stinky Islay cow pat aromas! Oily on the palate with oodles of earthy orange fruit along with waves of earthy-peat and wood tannins. It?s intensely peaty and definitely takes no prisoners as the peat, peat and more peat verily bludgeons the palate. It definitely does what it says on the tin! Great length with hints of coal and garden fruit on the finish. A little drop of water actual makes it a bit less one-dimensional and brings out crisp garden fruits, peas manure, vanilla and herbs. On the palate it knocks back the sheer intensity but be in no doubt ? the peat is still there, but it seems like it is in its purest form and literally crumbles on the tongue! Damn this is good!
Alchemist Bruichladdich 12 year old 46% ?TBC
A clean, textbook young Laddie nose. Distinctly old school with crisp apples, coastal apricot fruit and barley. Nicely aromatic with a touch of cereal and practically no wood influence. It?s all distillery character here! Light oiled palate, soft and fruity showing more maturity than the nose suggests. Again classic coastal apricot, apple and barley with a very salty middle. Lovely length with a touch of soft spice. It reminds me of the old distillery 10 year old.
Alchemist Auchtentoshan 16 year old 46% ?TBC
A very oily nose, which seems to me about half it?s age. Light, honied orange fruit, cereal and malt. Like the Laddie there is no real cask influence here, it?s all pure distillery character. There is a slightly floral top note along with some perfume and sawdust. On the palate it is quiet oily and again seems a lot younger than 16 years old, with a distinct cerealy character. It reminds me a bit of Tequilla. It has a pleasant length with a touch of coal smoke and quiet a dry finish.
As an aside Gordon has decided to bottle the last of his Port Charlotte pension fund, so if you missed out first time around I have six bottles of it available. At the time of writing the price has yet to be confirmed. Although I have not had the opportunity to taste this bottling which I imagine will be 6 years old. I am assured that it is very much like the first bottling, of which the tasting notes are below.
Port Charlotte 5 year old 46%
Clean, smoky aromas. Very fruity with loads of iodine and Laphroaig-esque peat. Lovely sweet fruit and a touch of cereal. Very much the equal of the Ardbeg still young ? possibly better. Lovely sweet entry, with soft apricot and honeysuckle, a touch of ?off the still? cereal with surprisingly gentle Laphroaig-esque peat building to a tangy finish. This is incredibly sweet, not cloying sweet, just fruit sweet with a late salt and coal dust note drifting in. Unlike the distillery bottling this is 100% Bourbon cask and is far closer to the almost new make sample I tried awhile ago.
Dewar Rattray Glencadam 1990 (16 year old) 59.7% ?43.95
Bourbon
Quiet oily aromas with a whiff of diesel and smoke. Extremely fresh with tangerine and orange citrus fruit, candy, earth and a floral top note. On the palate it is soft and oily opening with a touch of smoke followed by oily vanilla, orange and a touch of salt. Finishes dry with alcohol dominating. A drop of water softens the nose and brings out a leafy/ bark note and emphasizes the creaminess and floral character. Again it is more creamy on the palate. Very smooth with a lovely background of smoke and a touch of peat. Delightfully soft and fruity with a lovely length and a dry finish.
James MacArthur Clynelish 10 year old 58.9% ?TBC
Finding an interesting bottling of Clynelish has become something like a search for the Holy Grail. Many of them vary between innocuous blending fodder and down right unpleasant. Yet every now and again one comes upon an excellent bottling. I think the best I can remember tasting was a 1983 (20 year old) Mission Series 3 bottling which was sublime, of which I still have some lurking in the whisky cupboard at home! So whenever I see a private bottling of Clynelish I jump at the chance to get a sample and wait with anticipation as I pour it into the tasting glass wondering whether it will be a hit or a miss!
So first impressions of this one were????..
Initially a touch spirity, but that passed quickly to reveal a nose of youthful, rich, delicately sherried orange fruit, flowers, earthy dunnage floors, coffee and spice with a slight perfumed note and a touch of cream. On the palate it is very intense with the alcohol dominating the palate along with sherry fruit, earth, soft wood tannins and coffee. A drop of water softens the nose and removes the spirity edge. It allows the aromas to become more succulent with a lovely softness and brings out some honey and vanilla notes. Whilst on the palate it has become like the nose, soft, juicy and succulent with a lovely sweetness along with a coffee/ chocolate note. It magnifies the length and a smidge of peat and distant smoke can now be detected.
In conclusion this is a very nice expression. I would have liked to see it with a few more years on the proverbial clock, but I wonder if the sherry would overwhelm the distillery character. Definitely worth it!
NOT A GOOD MONTH FOR BOWMORE
It is an interesting fact but finding an interesting private bottling of this wonderful Islay distillery is surprisingly difficult. Some I have tasted have been down right awful (as I?ve said many times in the past!). So whilst these following three bottlings were not bad in terms of quality, the just left me rather cold, and wondering if Bowmore really needs some sherry, especially with some age on the clock, as the only really good bottling of young, Bourbon. And with the two bottlings from Dewar Rattray retailing at just over ?50.00 I thought that they didn?t offer good value for money. This was quiet surprising because previous bottling from them had been rather good. I think this aptly demonstrated how different two casks of the same spirit can turn out.
Murray McDavid Bowmore 1995 (11 year old) 46% ?NOT STOCKING
Bourbon/ Viognier
A delicately smoked nose with a touch of peat, winey white fruit, tropical fruit and a touch of heather. Very youthful, only just out of it?s nappy (figuratively speaking) with a late Bourbon note. The palate begins with a delicate coastal entry and you are waiting for the peat and smoke to evolve on the palate, but it doesn?t. It?s all a bit flat and simple. I know every Islay malt should not have to boom with peat and smoke (see Bruichladdich and Bunnahbhain for example) but this bottling just lacks character. I even tried adding some water to see if that would help and it brought out a pleasant bog myrtle note on the nose and made the palate a whole lot juicier. So in essence it is not a bad malt, I just don?t think it adds anything to our range.
Dewar Rattray Bowmore 1989 (17 year old) 54.1% ?NOT STOCKING
Bourbon
Initially quiet saline on the nose with delicate yet intense medicinal peat followed by rich orange fruit, menthol and vanilla. A touch astringent but I put that down to its coastal character, so not a bad start! The palate opens with mellow peat, coastal fruit, mint/ menthol and salt. A bit simple and of moderate length, but pleasant all the same. Adding a drop of water showed up its short comings and lack of oomph (for want of a better word).
Dewar Rattray Bowmore 1989 (17 year old) 51.9% ?NOT STOCKING
A lot more toffee and orange fruit and slightly oilier on the nose than the previous bottling. There is a distinct lacking in its intensity and the peat is so gentle it is almost undetectable. The palate reflects the nose in that there is more toffee and coffee notes, not much peat, but suddenly it throws in a late Talisker-esque burst of pepper. Adding a drop of water is where it all went horribly wrong it completely muted the nose and brought out an oily cardboard and wool fat flavour. No body, no soul and frankly a bit dull. Oh dear!
Well I hope you enjoyed this months newsletter. If you have any comments or would like to place an order, you can contact me in the usual way.
Sincerely
Chris Goodrum