Megawatt
03-28-2010, 09:41
I was at a bar that stocks some 60 different bottles of Scotch and I thought I'd share a few notes for those that are interested. I tried four new Scotches:
Springbank 10 year old: a lovely, soft, smoky dram. I was not expecting such peat but it was presented in perfect balance with delicate floral malt. Really opened up after a few minutes. I'd love to get to know this one better
Speyburn 10 year old: this recently became available at the LCBO so I thought I'd try it here first. Very impressed. Clean, sweet, fruity malt flavour, barely a hint of smoke. This is the sort of thing I go for. At $47 I hope I can find a bottle of this at a local store.
The Arran Malt 100 Proof: I've now tried five or six whiskies from this distillery and they never disappoint. The 100 proof was the highlight of the night for me. It is very pale, no chill-filtration or added colour, and bottled at 57% alc/vol (100 proof is 57% in the UK). With a bit of water lovely vanilla and citrus wafted from the glass. In the mouth it is sweet and lively with tingling spice. Wonderful development of flavours. So nice to have a strong young Arran without a fancy cask finish once in a while.
Poit Dhubh 8 year old: This is a vatted malt from the Praban La Ninne company on the Isle of Skye. I was not sure what to expect and what I got was unexpected. The aroma was strong, pungent, and musty like an damp cellar, alongside some ripe fruit and earthy peat. The palate displayed interesting vegetable flavours: cucumber and celery? It was not a bad whisky but was the least impressive of the night. I doubt I would buy a bottle but it was worth trying anyway.
There were several I didn't get to try: Oban Distillers Edition, Peat Reek 10, I can't even remember what else. Actually the low point of the night was when I told the waitress I really enjoyed Springbank 10, and she seemed surprised. Why? Because she would never touch a Scotch with an age statement of less than 12 years. By her own admission she would take Glenfiddich 12 over Talisker 10, Ardbeg 10, Springbank 10, The Macallan Cask Strength...you get the idea.
Springbank 10 year old: a lovely, soft, smoky dram. I was not expecting such peat but it was presented in perfect balance with delicate floral malt. Really opened up after a few minutes. I'd love to get to know this one better
Speyburn 10 year old: this recently became available at the LCBO so I thought I'd try it here first. Very impressed. Clean, sweet, fruity malt flavour, barely a hint of smoke. This is the sort of thing I go for. At $47 I hope I can find a bottle of this at a local store.
The Arran Malt 100 Proof: I've now tried five or six whiskies from this distillery and they never disappoint. The 100 proof was the highlight of the night for me. It is very pale, no chill-filtration or added colour, and bottled at 57% alc/vol (100 proof is 57% in the UK). With a bit of water lovely vanilla and citrus wafted from the glass. In the mouth it is sweet and lively with tingling spice. Wonderful development of flavours. So nice to have a strong young Arran without a fancy cask finish once in a while.
Poit Dhubh 8 year old: This is a vatted malt from the Praban La Ninne company on the Isle of Skye. I was not sure what to expect and what I got was unexpected. The aroma was strong, pungent, and musty like an damp cellar, alongside some ripe fruit and earthy peat. The palate displayed interesting vegetable flavours: cucumber and celery? It was not a bad whisky but was the least impressive of the night. I doubt I would buy a bottle but it was worth trying anyway.
There were several I didn't get to try: Oban Distillers Edition, Peat Reek 10, I can't even remember what else. Actually the low point of the night was when I told the waitress I really enjoyed Springbank 10, and she seemed surprised. Why? Because she would never touch a Scotch with an age statement of less than 12 years. By her own admission she would take Glenfiddich 12 over Talisker 10, Ardbeg 10, Springbank 10, The Macallan Cask Strength...you get the idea.