Mortlach 9 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2004, Refill Hogshead, 46%

Comment: This pale and malty dram tastes exactly like a raw peppered steak with spinach on the side. We also got apricot and peach, morello cherry and sandalwood aromas. Steely Dram (sorry, Steely Dan!)

Score: 84

Longmorn 11 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2003 – 2014, Bourbon Barrel, 46%

Comment: Their best release so far! What a fruitbasket with incredible maturity after these years (it already displays dextrosity). Coconut, vanilla, pineapple, passion fruit, gooseberries, pear, lemons, elderflower combined with white chocolate, tinned milk, honeysuckle and toffee. Creamy and voluptuous mouthfeel, a sour-fruity and baroque Longmorn, Speyside goes Caribbean.

Score: 90

Glengoyne 7 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2007 – 2014, Refill Sherry, 46%

Comment: This dram is somewhat tragic because it has great potential but was bottled way too early (baby murder, so to speak) as it is very green, mashy and close to a new make. Nevertheless there is complexity and some weight already: apple compote, sour apple mash (like in a cider factory), autumnal flowers, kiwi, Haribo peach gums, honey, pistachio and candy floss – this would have been amazing some years in the future. Now it is interesting but not there yet.

Score: 76

Miltonduff 7 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2007 – 2014, Refill Butt, 46%

Comment: This one stands like a champion for its young age, especially on the palate. A wonderful sherry influence on a medium dry and flowery base. Don’t rush this Miltonduff! One can detect dried flowers, hay, blood oranges, bergamotte, lit sandwood sticks, tinned coffee cream, some oak and good acidity. The finish leaves you craving for more.

Score: 88

Auchroisk 12 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2001, Refill Hogshead, 46%

Comment: A very unsusual whisky, in parts it reminds me of mezcal (agave, white pepper) and steely gins (juniper). Quite dry and austere, lots of hay, celeriac, wet earth, chili, leather and peaches. Malt for Mexicans. Bring out the Mariachi.

Score: 80

Caol Ila 5 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2008 – 2014, Refill Hogshead, 414 btl., 46%

Comment: A typical and fresh Caol Ila that surprises me (only five years old) – peat, twig smoke, olive oil, juniper, lemon, chalk, mint, nettles, pepper and spice in the nose. Only the taste reveals its youth with greener elements ans some mash. Nice finish.

Score: 86

Laphroaig 11 y.o. Hepburn’s Choice 2002 – 2014, Refill Hogshead, 151 btl., 46%

Comment: It is one of these green-banana-like Laphs (like original bottlings these days, which often perform less good than indie bottlings), limestone, green tea, peat smoke and old port aromas. Some might love this more than I do. A solid Islay dram though.

Score: 86+

There also is a Talisker 6 y.o. from 2008 in the new range – it is not a green as one would think, already a typical maritime beach-BBQ dram, way better than Storm (86 points).

I loved the ‚Cowboy’s Campfire Dram‘ release (SMWS 29.102), an amazing Laphroaig. Let’s see how these two compare in a head-to-head:

Laphroaig 12 y.o. Scotch Malt Whisky Society SMWS 29.105, ‚Massive and volcanic‘, 25.3.1999 – 8.2011, Refill Sherry Butt, 619 btl., 59,6%

Comment: Typical, very dirty, peaty and maritime with a green herbal touch, hot ash, slight mint aromas, much salt and pepper, mustard seed and a very discrete sherry influence. The power on the palate is enormous, what an explosion of peat and spice with heavy oily aromas, untamed Islay to the core, then my beloved matchstick sulphur and soot set in for good and the dram ends on these notes – smoother than expected – but still monstrous. I like it without water for its punchiness, but water makes it very well rounded and accessible. Try for yourself.

Score: 90

Laphroaig 20 y.o. Scotch Malt Whisky Society SMWS 29.104, ‚Not for wee boys‘, 12.10.1990 – 2011, refill sherry butt, 584 btl., 58,2%

Comment: Something went wrong with this cask, a bit of fungi, rubber and rotten sherry cover and dull down the usual Laphroaig features, but there also are nice aromas of ginger bread, curry and forest floor (Ben Nevis-like). Chocolate, sauerkraut and bacon add to the mix, a really unusual one. I am not yet decided. The taste is a bit more Laphroaig now (spicier than nose) but still in the same camp, quite sweet, then heavy peat smoke, the finish finally displays South coastal Islay features in a more typical way (soot, sulphur, peat, iodine). Worth a try, yet uncommon. No water needed.

Score: 86

Slowdrink.de zum Verschenken

Suchen Sie das ideale Geschenk – nicht nur für Männer, den Chef, für ein Paar, für jemanden, der schon alles hat? Etwas Besonderes mit Niveau und Spaß? Für Genießer?

Bei www.slowdrink.de sind Sie richtig:

Verschenken (oder wünschen) Sie (sich) doch Folgendes:

– einen schön gestalteten Gutschein für eine Whisky-Verkostung bei Europas Nummer 1 in Sachen Tastings (besonders gern mit Samples als Vorfreude gernommen)

– Teilnahme an einem ‘slowdrink.de-Event’ (Weinverkostung, Spirituosen-Seminar, etc.)

– Samples / Proben feiner Whiskys und Spirituosen (auch in Kombination mit anderen Präsenten) etc.

– Jahrgangs-Whisky / Jubiläums-Whisky oder Cognac / Armagnac /Grappa / Rum / Wein etc.

– einen Junggesellenabschied /Junggesellinnenabschied (Stag Night / Hen’s Night) mit edler Whisky- oder Spirituosenbegleitung

– ein Whiskydinner / Spirituosendinner

– Hochzeitsveranstaltungen, wie Brautstehlen / Brautentführung oder andere Möglichkeiten

– einen flüssigen Adventskalender mit Whisky- oder Spirituosen-Samples

– eine personalisierte Flasche (Inhalt und Form nach Wunsch)

– ein Tasting-Set (Pipetten, passendes Glas, Miniaturflaschen, Mini-Trichter, Kuli und Notizzettel in nettem Set)

– Abfüllung oder Fass (Whisky, etc.) vom Geburtsdatum / Geburtstag / eigenen Jahrgang

– Tasting beim Personalausflug / Betriebsfeier / Weihnachtsfeier

– weitere Dinge aus diesem Bereich auf Anfrage

Wir freuen uns, Ihnen ein besonderes Geschenk zukommen zu lassen, das ein echtes Erlebnis darstellt. Mailen Sie uns einfach unter:

info@slowdrink.de

Schlagworte der Slowdrink-Geschenke:

Whiskeyseminar, Whiskyseminar, Whisky-Seminar, Whiskey-Seminar, Whiskytasting, Whisky-Tasting, Whisky Tasting, Whiskeytasting, Whiskey-Tasting, Whiskey Tasting, Whiskyverkostung, Whisky-Verkostung, Whisky Verkostung, Whiskeyverkostung, Whiskey-Verkostung, Whiskey Verkostung, Whiskyabend, Whiskeyabend, Whisky-Abend, Whiskey-Abend, Whisky-Referent, Whiskey-Referent, Tasting Master, Regensburg, München, Nürnberg, Bayern, Oberbayern, Whisky-Musik-Event, Niederbayern, Oberpfalz, Schwaben, Süddeutschland, Würzburg, Kelheim, Straubing, Passau, Postbauer-Heng, Moderation, Durchführung, Leitung, Kompetenz, Junggesellen-Abschied, Junggesellinnnen-Abschied, Jungesellenabschied, Braut-Party, Bräutigam, personalisiert, Event, Vatertag, Vater, 50. Geburtstag, runder Geburtstag, fünfzigster Geburtstag, sechzigster, 60. Geburtstag, 40. Geburtstag, vierzigster, Jahrgang, Betriebsausflug, Betriebsausflüge, Geburtstagsgeschenk, Weihnachtsgeschenk, Geschenk, Präsent, Herren, Männer, Mann, männlich, Jubiläum, Ruhestand, Hochzeit, Heirat, Geburt, Sohn, Tochter, Anlage, Wertanlage, Whiskyprobe, Weinprobe, Spirituosenprobe, Whiskydinner, Whiskeydinner, Whiskey-Dinner, Whisky-Dinner, Whisky Dinner, Whiskey Dinner, Brautstehlen, Brautdiebstahl, Brautsuche, Pause, Gutscheine, Brautabend, edel, Tasting-Koffer, Verkostungs-Kit, Abendessen, Idee, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943,1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, Präsente, Geschenke, Seminar, Vortrag, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, Januar, Februar, März, April, Mai, Juni, Juli, August, September, Oktober, November, Dezember, Herbst, Winter, Frühling, Sommer, wertvoll, lange haltbar, Erinnerung, Geschenkset, Firmenpräsent, Personalausflüge,Firmenpräsente, Gefälligkeit, Geschäftskontakte, Hangover, Hang-Over, Hangover-Party, Hang-over Party, Firmenausflug, Firmenausflüge, Gesellschaften, Gesellschaft, Geschäftskunden, Partner, elitär, Elite, Geschäftspartner, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1985, Jahrgang, Vintage, speziell, originell, Spezial, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, Erinnerung, Dekoration, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, Millenium, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, Ehemann, Genießer, Ehemänner, Gatten, Gatte, Whisky und Poker, Whiskypokern, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, fein, lecker, gestaltet, Box, Kiste, Verpackung, Karton, Design, Buchung, Reservierung, buchen, reservieren, Gentlemen, Gentleman, Master, Oberpfalz, Oberbayern, Niederbayern, Franken, Mittelfranken, Oberfranken, Unterfranken, Bayern, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Landshut, Schweiz, Österreich, Oberösterreich, Wien, Salzburg, Passau, Jack Daniels, Graz, Jack Daniel’s, Deutschland, Südtirol, Hof, Innsbruck, Tirol, von Herzen, Herz, Genießer, Liebe.

Tomorrow the German chapter of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society will present their new releases for Christmas time. Our friend Ralf Dänzer and I don’t want you to find any bad drams underneath the X-mas tree – that’s why he sent me some samples via the reindeer express yesterday. Blitzen looked kind of hammered, maybe it tried from the Port Charlotte .

As the most-wanted-distillery bottlings sell out quickly, I tasted them right away to give you a notion. Good luck in filling your stockings with these releases. I couldn’t find a bad one yet.

Highland Park 26 y.o. SMWS 4.151, 1984, Refill Sherry Butt, 53%

Comment: Quite spicy in the nose at first, the Sherry is talking loud and clearly,  then it smoothens out with maritime freshness and gets much rounder. Soft smoke, honey, Turkish delight, apples and cider, peaches, Werthers Original toffee, café au lait, nice dark wood and a spicy backbone of white pepper and chili. Nice but incomparable to the amazing palate. It drinks beautifully and is a dream of balance that still has power, the Sherry is well-integrated, heavy and light at the same time. Water makes it creamier and more accessible. Long finish.

Score: 90

Clynelish 25 y.o. SMWS 26.71, 1984 – 2010, Refill Sherry Butt, 57,3%

Comment: Very typical Clynelish (apples, candlewax, tropical fruit, quince, maritime air with a hint of peat smoke and all that jazz) in the nose. A fine balance with the fruit as spearhead hits the palate, also vanilla now. A soft and fruity Clynelish with a medium finish. Water is not necessary but makes it a bit more spicy and interesting.

Score: 89

Laphroaig 20 y.o. SMWS 29.97, 10.1990 – 2011, Refill Sherry Butt, 608 btl., 59,1%

Comment: Tyrolian bacon and a red Passito, that’s what I would call it. Rooty peat, camphor, herbs, juniper, Stilton cheese, sulphur, dirty machine oil, and other unusual notes for a Laphroaig. The Sherry really changed the spirit to a great extent – into a profile not everybody likes (lost identity, lots of personality). The palate also is Sherry- and sulphur-dominated, gunpowder, roots, camphor, blue cheese again, not bad but different. It reminds me a bit of the 1974 Singatory Sherry bottling, but without the old Laphroaig characterstics. Really hard to judge…some will love this, some might call it flawed. I would have liked more Laphroaig in my glass but enjoyed the dram anyway.

Score 90+

Ardbeg 12 y.o. SMWS 33.97, 09.10.1997, Refill Bourbon Hogshead, 55,5%

Comment: Recent Ardbegs from the Society were convincing and this is not an exception. It is a textbook example of an Ardbeg of that particular time, a really well-balanced one again. More old than new style in the nose but on the palate you discover, among typical Ardbeg characteristics, the newer notes of eucalypt, methol and cactus that came into the distillate after 1996 in general. Green Ardbeg so to speak – with a great finish.

Score: 90+

Caol Ila 10y.o. SMWS 53.147, 11.1999, Refill Bourbon Hogshead, 66,6%

Comment: Very intense and herbal, big Islay power, flints, but it needs some drops of water to be tamed. No offnotes, simply great Caol Ila with depth. I recommend this for anyone who loves young South Coasters that do their job well.

Score: 91-

Port Charlotte 7 y.o. SMWS 127.11, 8.2003 – 2011, Refill Sherry Butt, 67,1%

Comment: Smells a bit like one of those PCs out of a Sherry Bloodtub, broodingly intense on rooty peat, camphor, herbs, tar, ox tail soup and Sherry. Blue cheese, dried flowers, moss, toffee, pepper and coffee complete the bouquet. You might not believe this, but it is drinkable at 67,1% without needing water. Anyway, it can swim too. The power on the mid-palate and the endless finish are ridiculous. Another stunner PC – how excellent will these monsters be with more maturity?

Score: 91+

If you look for the maximum value for your buck, C & S Drams should be one of your choices. Our friend Andrea Caminneci (now Keeper of the Quaich) and his partners don’t like to do the  chicken dance, create fancy labels and work on coffin bottle outfits, they rather bottle quality whisky for a fair price to trade and consumer. This might be the very reason why every series is sold out within hours at this importer. Consequently, Andrea also doesn’t send out samples, his stuff speaks for itself. Find out more here:

http://www.wein-and-spirit-partner.de/was/modules/smartpartner/partner.php?id=11

However, on our trip to Scotland, I had the privilege to try four new Single Malts that will hit the market in a week or two. And hush, I could also sample some bottlings to come…keep an eye out for those too, esp. the Mortlach). Here are my first two reviews, the others will follow:

Bladnoch 21 y.o., C & S Dram Senior, 26.1.1990, Bourbon Cask 30009, 59,7%

Nose: Typical Lowland style (lemons, grass, vanilla, some tropical fruit like passion fruit), seemingly younger at first, heather, haystack, dried flower bouquet, honey, liquorice, white pepper and a slightly bitter touch of white oak.

Palate: This needs water; it even stood up to the Laphroaig, so this Lowlander is no wimp at all; great creaminess;

Andrea with his finest Drams

Finish: Long and soothing.

Score: 88

Comment: A typical Lowlander with the power of an Islay Malt, maybe therefore not ideal as a starting dram.

Laphroaig 1998 – 2011, 13 y.o., C & S Dram, Sherry Butt, 64,4%

Nose: This one screams BREAKFAST BACON! Alongside we have typical Laphroaig and sulphury notes, the sherry is present but doesn’t produce the blue cheese aroma like other bottlings of that kind.

Palate: Full on, seaweed and algae, very maritime, peat and iodine in a lovely combo, accompanied by subtle sherry waves. Did I mention bacon?

Finish: Lovely, brutal, eternal and complex – the sulphur of children’s guns (red stripe) appears and fits the sherry, peat and iodine mix in their sea-laden context.

Score: 91

Comment: Many Laphroaigs of that time are a bit identical to each other (but always high quality). This one really stands out from the crowd with its power and character. Never did I have such an English breakfast on peat before. Not even the Regensburger Lagavulin is close to this in terms of bacon. A must-have!