Garnheath - 1974 (Carn Mor) - 41 years old

Distillery: Garnheath
Age: 41
Distilled: 1974
Bottled: 2015
Strength: 50.8%.

Now this is something special to me, and something I have been trying to get a bottle of for a few years now. This is a single grain whisky from the Garnheath distillery, which rather than being a distinct distillery was actually a set of coffey stills set within the Moffat distillery complex (Inverhouse) in Airdrie. The "distillery" was set up in 1964 alongside the Glen Flagler stills on the site of an old paper mill, and closed and finally demolished in 1986 when I was just five years old. My mum worked in the distillery as did many other locals as she grew up just a few miles from the site and subsequently I spent some years living literally at the top of the hill at the distillery. Even today I can still recall vividly the smells of the place.

Garnheath was a powerhouse grain production developed in order to compliment their malt whisky most of both which went into cheap blends destined for America and beyond (Green Plaid etc) by the Publicker Industries company based in Philadelphia. Sadly all the distilling equipment was demolished at a time of serious decline within the industry which killed of main a fine distillery.

Nose: I would be lying if I didn't say that the first blast I get right out the bottle is typical grain. Initial volatile compounds are pretty harsh on the nose, namely acetone. This however does reward letting it sit in the air for a while and relax a little. Light and buttery, and more butter fat as you would get in a Jersey milk or cream. Lightly roasted spices of coriander, cinnamon and a touch of ground root ginger. Old fashioned American Cream Soda like I used to get at my Granda's house gives a wee blast of vanilla that really shows up the slow ex-bourbon cask maturation. There are some slight seared smoky meat elements going on. It is fairly impossible but I am detecting just a very slight phenolic edge so either I am drinking way too much heavily peated whisky these days or I am just losing my marbles a bit. Over time in the glass a real sweetness has emerged and softness with no sign at all of those nose prickling compounds from the start.

Palate: In the mouth it is gentle with oodles of vanilla and camphor. Very light and easy going. A real sweet shop dram but also with a hint of ralgex / tiger balm. Do you remember fireball jawbreaker sweets? (hot cinnamon flavour) well it reminds me of those.

Finish: That ralgex and hot cinnamon coming through again with some lemon sherbet and some more ginger.

Like many grains this is not a massively complex dram, but for what it lacks in complexity it makes up in sheer easy going drinking. The romantic past of this distillery also boost up the bias here for me as well though.

Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend

Information

Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend
Inver House Distillers
No Age Statement
Strength: 46%.

A few months ago I wrote a review of the regular Hankey Bannister and this time I am reviewing the new Heritage Blend. Inver House recently came into an old bottle of Hankey Bannister from the 20s and the master blender Stuart Harvey set out to recreate it. It has been marketed in the old style black glass which was popular with several bottles (see Black Bottle blend) at the time but stopped during the war as it was made in Germany. The black glass is really slick and aristocratic and I am a big fan of it as it kinda takes away the need to use as much caramel colourings in the whisky as well. While the regular blend is made up of 20 odd malts the heritage blend is only made up of malt coming from Inver Houses own distilleries of: Balblair, Old Pulteney, Knockdhu, Speyburn and Belmenach.

Nose: The grain dominates straight out of the bottle, and my nose is telling me Invergordon as when I was having a tour of Inver House's blending room I got to try Invergordon new make and the blender told me to look for notes of dolly mixtures in it - and this I get here. After a while the malt emerges so it is worth letting it breathe in the glass a while. Smoky notes of insence  and coal fires. Fruity elements of blood oranges, cooked apples, peach, mango and melon. Marmalade on burnt toast. Some savoury notes of bacon and brown sauce. Some birthday cake with maybe a strawberry jam and marizpan icing, werther's originals sweets and after 8 mints chocolates.

Palate: The extra abv of 46% makes itself known and is fairly weighty and rich in the mouth. Smoky and creamy butterscotch and white chocolate.

Finish: Sweet and savoury smoke with some young malty and spirity notes.

Comments: I like this mostly because of the 46% as with most common blends, the 40% can be too watery on the palate. The extra kick helps boost the drink where the younger stuff can be detected and pulls it together a bit more. It is also pretty cheap at £30 a pop, and I would say better than many entry level malts at the same price.

Black Bottle (old style)

Information

Black Bottle Blend
Burns Stewart Distillers
No Age Statement
Strength: 40%.

Black Bottle is a name I am very aware of, even from when before I liked whisky because it is blended in my home town by Burns Stewart Distillers and is often to be found in pretty much every pub in the area. Black Bottle is an interesting blend in that this is pretty much only sold in the UK, when the UK isn't a big market for blended whisky. This is a very Islay centric dram with malt from handful of Islay distilleries, and I imagine a good bit of Bunnahabhain which of course is Burns Stewart's own little piece of the Islay world. I have decided to right up my notes for this as the brand has completely been overhauled both in marketing and also more importantly - in the recipe. I will be following this up with a report of the new Black Bottle.

Nose: This is sweet and honeyed with the initial aromas quite savoury and slightly salty with smoky bacon, worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. There is also a distinct pickle like note which is like a picked onion you get with your fish supper, or dare I say it picked onion monster munch - which I hate and my wife loves - but I like this, and she hates whisky! hmm! A little wisp of cuban cigar smoke lingering around as well. Some smoked cheddar cheese, pepper, cloves, and on the fruitier side of things there is some red apple, and peach. Vanilla, cream fudge and Ovaltine malt drink. The grain is fairly obvious there as well of course.

Palate: Smooth and creamy, with a touch of milk chocolate with salted caramel. Slightly nutty and like chewing on a battenberg cake.

Finish: Vanilla custard with cream, a little carbolic and smokey. Medium length.

Comments: This is probably one of the best value for money blends you can buy if you like a good dose of Islay malt. Unfortunately the stocks of the old style will be getting less and replaced with the new blend. Hoard a few bottles if you can.

Glen Garioch 1997 vintage (Travel Retail Exclusive)

Information

Distillery: Glen Garioch
Bottling: Distillery Bottling (Travel Retail exclusive)
Age: 15
Distilled: 1997
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 56.7%
Cask: 1st and 2nd fill ex-bourbon

Whenever I get, or get to open a new Glen Garioch I get excited it is my second favourite distillery after Balblair. Coincidently (or not?) both distilleries were subject to a modernisation of tired old packaging, and started releasing "vintages" rather than fixed ages (although Glen Garioch do a 12 year old)which while still characteristic of that distillery, is also characteristic of a certain year. While the vintages list the year, they don't specifically mention an age does that mean it is technically a NAS (no-age-statement) whisky, meaning that 1997 does not need to be the youngest malt in the vatting? That is a question I'll need to find an answer to.

Nose: Immediately a big fruity, estery exposion. Very typical of Glen Garioch to me with a big pear dominance, followed with apple, and banana, with plenty of lesser fruity notes of strawberry and citrus. The combination of fruits are very sweet and candied and the overwhelming memory triggered is of Jelly Tot sweets. Other fruity sweets such as Irn Bru bars and Fruit Salad are also present. Some other sweet but richer things like Chocolate Honeycomb, and the creamy, biscuitness of Nestle White Chocoloate Crunch bars. Plenty of other malty, biscuity notes like shortbread. There is vanilla in there as well, but blends in well with the fruity sweet notes. Lighter floral and heather notes as well.




Palate: Big fruits. Those Jelly Tots are back, and accentuated by the fiz from the high alcohol strength. Hold this in the mouth and let it dilute and mellow, the mouth-watering fruit sweetness comes through like Jolly Ranchers and it gets very chewy, waxy and oily. Creamy biscuitness from the crunch bars as it melts in the mouth with a distinct nuttyness. This also has a very rum-like feel in the mouth.

Finish: Very long, and spicy finish. Vanilla and the crisp sharpness of Coriander seeds. Rum & Raisin fudge, with a touch of citrus.

Comments: A very tasty, and complex construction from Morrison-Bowmore's master blender Rachel Barrie. In many ways this is superior to some of the Glen Garioch single cask releases as there is the higher strength which definately appeals to me, and it carries the character of the distillery and the year, but has the benefit of being constructed through multiple casks to give it more complexity than just a single cask alone. The only drawback of this wee dram is that it is only available through Travel Retail (Duty free to you and me), and I picked this up in Glasgow airport for less than £50. You won't get a single cask for this price. Pick this up if you get the chance or know someone else passing through a airport which stocks it.

Miltonduff 30 years old - Cask 3714 (Adelphi)

Information

Distillery: Miltonduff
Bottling: Adelphi
Age: 30
Distilled: 1982
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 52.7%
Cask: ex-bourbon, cask 3714

Nose: Lemon butter biscuits, banana foam sweets, tropical fruit punch, marshmallows, coconut, vanilla, green sports mixture sweets, a little herby in the form of thyme and basil.

Palate: As big on the palate as on the nose. Dominated by citrus through Lemonade with a twist of Lime. Very sweet and zesty. Spicy pepper and ginger, with the herby thyme alongside a little light menthol, vanilla, something green like pine needles and also sugar puff cereral.

Finish: The fruit and spices lasting into a long sweet finish, with a bite of wood.

Balblair 1995 (travel retail)

Information

Distillery: Balblair
Bottling: Distillery Bottling
Age: 17
Distilled: 1995
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 46%
Cask: ex-bourbon

As my favourite distillery I am always looking for more Balblair malts, and by collection I mean to drink and enjoy rather than sitting looking pretty on a shelf. While passing through Glasgow Airport on my way to Berlin I was suprised to find they still had some bottles of the 95 vintage, which is a travel retail exclusive so I snapped up a bottle. The icing on the cake is it comes in a lovely full litre size.

Nose

Very estery and fruity as I know and come to expect and love from Balblair. Mangos, Pineapple, Honeydew Melon, passionfruit. Drumstick Lolly sweets. Apple, vanilla and biscuity elements combining to give Hot Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream. Also getting creamy strawberry in something which reminds me of strawberry milkshake, or Campino Sweets. Things geting nuttier with wallnuts and coconut. Creamy again with Nestle Milkybars, and then some fresh hay, and new newspapers.

Taste

Light and refreshing, with a creamy and smooth mouthfeel. Apple punching through and some citrus zest. Melting chocolate on the tongue.

Finish

Sweet and light. Spicy with anise and pepper. Nutty with a touch of oak at the sides.

Comments

A light and refreshing summer dram. Relax in your back garden in the evening sunshine.

Nikka Whisky from the barrel

Information

Distillery: Blend
Bottling: Nikka
Age: NAS
Bottled: Unknown
Strength: 51.4%
Cask: Mixture of ex-bourbon barrels.

My first exploration into Japanese comes in the form of a blend, and that's right I said the b word. What captured my attention was the strength of 51.4%. What lets most blends down for me, and the reason I don't drink them is the low strength which just makes them too watered down. I have nothing against grain, having tasted some very excellent and very delicious single grains (unfortunately not counting the 20 year old Port Dundas I tried a few months ago). The reviews of Nikka Whisky from the barrel have also all been very positive.

This release is a combination of both malt and grain Whisky from the Yoichi & Miyagikyo distilleries, from a combination of different ex-bourbon casks, married together into a final cask before being bottled. As far as I am aware this is small batch releases and have been told each batch should theoretically be slightly different. I do not know how much truth is in this, and the Japanese being so delicate and good at this I see no reason a master blender could not achieve a consistent taste across batches. If anyone knows please let me know. Now onto the tasting itself.

Nose: Straight out the bottle I get grain on the nose; almost vodka like. After I take time to pass through the grain a floral bouquet opens up, but with the grain alcohol is something almost slightly perfumed, but not in any offensive way. I let this sit for a while and approached it again and was immediately rewarded with much less grain on the nose, and a rich sweetness had opened up. Toffee Butterkist popcorn, creamy fudge, and creamy banana milkshake. Sweet spice like some of my wife's "Yankee Candles".

Palate: Smooth and rounded, with a little pepper. Bananas. Pear Cider. Kinder Milk Chocolate specifically topped with a draw from a Menthol cigarette giving a menthol heat rather than mint.

Finish: Medium finish if held in the mouth a little with some spices and slightly drying. If swallowed quicker and less diluted the finish is a lot longer and minty.

1.173 "A fascinating waltz" (Glenfarclas 1993, 19 years old)

Information

Distillery: Glenfarclas
Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Age: 19
Distilled: 1993
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 55.2%
Cask: ex-bourbon, refill hogshead.
Cask Code: 1.173 A fascinating waltz

Nose: Big fruit hit but a more candied sugary fruit particularly Haribo goldbears, Lemon sherbets and Pineapple Cubes. Bird's eye custard over chocolate pudding. Chocolate Raisins.

Palate: Juicy and sharp, like biting into a grapefruit. The lemon sherbets fizzing on the tounge and then Barr's Limeade.

Finish: Long finish with grapefruit sharpness mellowing into a freshly cut grass and dark chocolate and then pepper and oak.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Tasting

 

Tonight I will be tasting 6 drams from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

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64.41 (Mannochmore 24 year old)

Nose

Malted milk biscuits. Lime zest, a little vegetative like young agricole rum. Rose water and a little fresh green pine. A little bonfire smoke drifting between everything, burnt out embers.

Palate

Light in the mouth, crisp without being harsh, a little spice. Biscuity with some light citrus.

Finish

Biscuity with a medium lime citrus finish.

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1.166 (Glenfarclas 25 year old)

Nose

Very sweet Strawberry bon bons, & strawberry tarts. Chocolate chip Cookies. praline.

Palate

Dryer than the nose initially but then developing a lengthening sweetness. Nutty like ferrero rocher.

Finish

Long, and candied sweet finish.

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1.148 (Glenfarclas 15 year old)

Nose

Freshly cut timber reminiscent Woodwork class. Honey with Nectarine. Cooked Pears with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Palate

Big and spicy in the mouth. Tinned pears with a chocolate sauce. Sweet Jalapeno peppers.

Finish

A little drying but Long, sweet & spicy melting into a little liquorice & mint.

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39.88 (Linkwood 22 year old)

Nose

Very open on the nose. Baked bananas with a caramel sauce. Raspberry & pineapple mascarpone. Bubblegum. Glazed Cherries. Lots of vanilla and chocolate.

Palate

Smooth and easy in the mouth, with banana sweetnees rolling around with some pecan nuts and vanilla. Orange Marmalade on granary toast

Finish

Spicier on the finish than in the mouth, fades to roasted nuts and oak.

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27.98 (Springbank 12 year old)

Nose

Smoke from a wood burning stove on the nose initially, but melting away into some smoked scallops. Malted barley, wheat and barn hay. Salted cheese.

Palate

Briney, with some emerging fruits. The smoke making itself present again but not imposingly. A tooth brush has accidently picked up some soap with the mint. Chewy and oily with a drying brightness.

Finish

Big assertive and long finish with some soot and ash. Fruit with some coconut. Freshly sliced ginger.

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3.194 (Bowmore 14 year old)

Nose

King Rib supper (Scotish Chip Shop Delicacy), sweet barbecue sauce. Some hospital corridor but quickly giving way to dark dess ert fruits. Christmas cake and mince pies. Cloves and mulled wine.

Palate

Medicinal but sweet. Pork sausages and barbecue sauce. Flat coke.

Finish

Finishes only slightly on the barbecue note, with much more in chocolate and dried fruits but with a big fizzy kick. Long aniseed aftertaste.

Glen Garioch 1990 vintage

Information

Distillery: Glen Garioch
Bottling: Distillery Own (batch 34)
Age: 19
Distilled: 1990
Bottled: 2009
Strength: 54.6%
Cask: ex-bourbon and ex-sherry cask.

Nose

Smoke. Butterscotch sweets.

Palate

Oily and teeth coating. Some Smoke and a little Earthy. Heather

Finish

That little blast of smoke again, followed by dry oak and spice. Medium length finish.

Comments

One of the more peated Glen Garioch expressions. I really like this vintage.

Longrow Rundlets and Kilderkins 11yo

Information

Distillery: Longrow (Springbank)
Bottling: Distillery Own
Age: 11
Distilled: 2001
Bottled: 2013
Strength: 51.7%
Cask: Rundlets & Kilderkins.

This Rundlets & Kilderkins is unique in that the malt is matured in small casks called Rundlets & Kilderkins. The smaller casks meaning more wood is contact with the spirit and quicker maturation and more flavour. As the casks were smaller, they were often used in the smuggling trade in which was Campbeltown a stronghold.

Nose

First nose comes the smoke like a wood burning stove. After I get through the peat comes a lot of sweetness in the form of treacle, Toffee apples, and Maple Syrup.

Palate

Chewy Toffee and melting chocolate. Spicy.

Finish

Bitter sweet treacle, dark roasted coffee and vanilla. Rich and warming.

Comments

I normally find peated malts hard to deal with but this is really delicious when I get past the initial smoke. The other aromas the flavours really shine through.

Balblair 1986 (cask 12648) (G&M 24yo)

Information

Bottling: Gordon & MacPhail
Age: 24
Distilled: 1986
Bottled: 2010
Strength: 50%
Cask: Refill Sherry Hogshead

Nose
Mint Chocolate, Honey, Fruit Cake. Tobacco, and boot polish.

Palate
Mint Chocolate. Sherry. Jersey Cream.

Finish
Medium Finish. Mint Chocolate yet again. Dairy Fudge and a little Ginger as well.

Comments
One of the few sherried malts which does not offend my nose with sulphur notes. Not too complex a profile with the flavours being quite distinct. Very easy drinking with the 50% ABV but could do with being a bit stronger on the palate for me.

Old Pulteney 1990 22yo (Cadenhead's)

Information

Bottling: Cadenhead's
Age: 22
Distilled: 1990
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 55.2%
Cask: Bourbon Barrel

Nose

Orange Marmalade, Sea Salt, Cloves, Toffee, Ginger & Praline

Palate

Fruit, orange again. Salty Brine, Fizzy Cola Bottles,

Finish

Exceedinly long, salty, spicy.

Comments

This is exceedingly good. Well balanced and knows what it is trying to say.

Balblair 1989 (First Release)

InformationBottling: Distillery Bottling (First Release)
Age: 18
Distilled: 1989
Bottled: 2007
Strength: 43%
Cask: ex-Bourbon Barrel

Nose

Milk chocolate, hazelnut & raisins in a Cadbury's Fruit & Nut bar. A zing of lemon sponge cake.

Palate

Oaky, Nutty, round but a little watery with the low alcohol of 43%.

Finish

Medium length finish. Coats the mouth like Dairy Cream, a touch of chocolate & vanilla and some malted cereal notes.

Comments

The first edition of the 1989 was unfortunately bottled at only 43% so this requires a little time in the glass to allow the nose to open up fully. I have  never tasted the second edition, and has been a while since I tried the third edition. I will get a hold of and try and third again some time soon.

Glengoyne - The Distillery Cask (cask 2717)

Information

Bottling: Distillery Bottling (Distillery Only)
Age: 15
Distilled: 1997
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 54.2%
Cask: 1st fill Bourbon Barrel

Nose

Bright fresh fruit with cream. Pear drop and fruit salad sweets. A little red wine. Digging deeper some very distant wood, Pencil shavings.

Palate

Green Apple, Liquorice and Fennel Spice.

Finish

Long and teeth coating. Aniseed and Fennel.

Comments

Picked this up while driving past the distillery. Within the shop they always have a hand picked barrel to directly fill your own bottle. A little on the steep side for the age, but for the distillery it is relatively rare in the sense that they do not often release much outwith their core range to the general public.

GlenDronach 1993 19yo (cask 487)

Information

Bottling: Distillery Bottling
Age: 19
Distilled: 1993
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 54.2%
Cask: Oloroso Sherry Butt
Water: No

Having tried some of the previous GlenDronach expressions this is the first time I have

Nose

Sulphur straight unfortunately away but blending into stewed fruits. Salt & Vinegar crisps made with cider vinegar. Raspberry Jam on Brown Toast.

Palate

Melting bitter dark chocolate on the tongue, oily mouthfeel with a touch of ginger.

Finish

Oily coating, nutty.

Comments

This is a bottle I have approached a few times with varying results. One of the main changes is the perceived sulpher aromas. Sometimes these I can only just pick up on, but other times it is overwhelming and not unlike rotten eggs, but tonight is the former as I write these notes. This definately deserved some time in the glass before approaching and some of the sulphur seems to die away.

Glen Garioch 18yo (Cadenhead 1991/2010)

Information

Bottling: Cadenhead
Age: 18
Distilled: 1991
Bottled: 2010
Strength: 50.3%
Cask: Bourbon Hogshead

Nose

Glazed Cherries, tinned fruit salad and cream. A faint whiff of smoke giving to a little liquorice.

Palate

Slightly thin and underwhelming body. Tart citric fruit with a little oak and heather.

Finish

Medium dry finish with a heathery note that lingers on.

Comments

Not one of the best Glen Garioch's I have tried but definately in the Glen Garioch style. One of the lesser peated expressions. Only a touch of smoke detected.

Balblair 1990 (cask 1463)

Information

Bottling: Distillery Bottling
Age: 22
Distilled: 1990
Bottled: 2012
Strength: 54.1%
Cask: American oak (Previously containing Islay malt)

This is a limited 1990 vintage single cask Balblair released to members of "The Gathering Place" community on the Balblair website. The whisky was matured in an ex-Islay cask; by all account an Ardbeg no less. Bottled at cask strength of 54.1% which is a rare thing from Balblair so I had to snap this up.

 

Nose

 

Buttery Toast with fruit jam. Pineapple Cube sweets, syrupy sweet like Irn Bru or Red Kola drinks. Something like acrylic paint, or a vinyl music record. Some Vanilla cream fudge. Some spice element like Cinnamon and Clove.
 

Taste

 

The fruit dominating here, but with the Pinapple Cubes turning into something more earthy, more like unripe banana and leaves. Dryer than the nose lets on.

 

Finish

 

Long, dry and oaky. Strong stewed black tea. Slightly Earthy. Not detecting any smoke or peat at any point. Certainly an earthiness but not any peaty notes as suggested
 

Comments

Balblair Single Cask and Cask Strength. Enough said. Heaven