What Wee Dram Are You Enjoying Now - Spring/Summer 2014

[garbanzobean]

Just be sure to start saving your pennies now! Machir Bay is very nice and still affordable but as you note is a very young blend of malts. The vintage editions are steadily going up (a recent 5yo K&L single barrel cost $110!) and I can only imaging what it will cost when they have whisky starting to reach the 10 year mark. It shouldn't be much longer. They started in about 2005 so the 2015/16 time frame might be possible I should think.

Yeah, I expect they'll be pretty spendy for awhile.

So I just opened the Nikka Taketsuru 17 that I purchased today. This is my first glass, but my initial impression is that this is a knockout dram. As with most Japanese whiskies, it is extremely well balanced. Initial impression is that it shares a lot of commonalities with Yoichi 15, but with a bit more balance and less peat. The nose is beautiful, with red fruits (especially maraschino cherries) and some oak spice, and a hint of smoky peat. The taste is like a more heavily sherried Yoichi 15 with typical oak and peat notes, and the sherry is of the beautiful red fruit variety that I love. Mouthfeel is middling, not excessively thin or oily. The finish is long on spicy oak and mild, smoky peat. I apologize for the lack of weird descriptors in my review, but I tend to think of things in terms of similar experiences, so you get what you get. This "pure malt" blend speaks to Nikka's policy of spending money for good quality casks, and is a really well balanced dram. If you're a fan of Highland Park or Nikka's Yoichi/Miyagikyo offerings, I think you'll enjoy the hell out of this. I could see others docking it points for the engineered characteristic Japanese whiskies are known for, but I think it's beautiful.

[Jazz Nut]

On my second Glencairn of Springbank 12 Cask Strength (50.3%), EXCELLENT stuff!

[MtnDew]

On my second Glencairn of Springbank 12 Cask Strength (50.3%), EXCELLENT stuff!

[garbanzobean]

I missed out on getting a bottle of that for a good price in Texas. I just saw another one at a local store but they wanted over $140 after tax for it... waaaaay too much.

As for me, I'm enjoying some Compass Box Great King Street while in my hotel room. I found a 375 at a local store here for $22 and figured why not.

[MacinJosh]

Cracked a couple bottles open to celebrate another year above ground. An 18yr Glenturret, non-chill filtered, cask strength, charged from a refill hogshead, sherry monster bottled exclusively by Julio's Loch & Key Society, one of 235 bottles. And an 11yr Glendronach, single cask, cask strength, Highland Single Malt matured entirely in Oloroso Sherry Puncheon cask bottled exclusively by Vine & Table.

That Glenturret is just ridiculous. So thick and molasses-y it coats the palate for damn near an eternity. I couldnt believe how long I could sit there and chew on it. Damn good malt!

And the Glendronach was no slouch my friends! Lots of dried fruit and raisins. Winston is going to think I'm insane, but I SWEAR there is some Balcones Brimstone in there. What I mean by that is.....whatever chemical gives Brimstone that scrub oaky/mesquite flavor, is detectable in a small amount in the Glendronach. It was kind of mind blowing to me.

Cheers y'all!

[MtnDew]

FWIW, Louisville KY and outlying counties are pretty good Springbank hunting territory. For whatever reason, I've seen releases from the Springbank Distillery around there that have been gone for years, or that I wasn't even sure got imported (rundlets and kilderkins, for example). I realize you don't live anywhere close to there, but if you're ever in the area, it might be worth your time to take a day or two vacation from bourbon to look for your most wanted list of malts.

Interesting information, I just may be back in the northern KY area later this year and will have to look for it. I know that Binnys has some great springbanks but I'm not likely to be anywhere near there this year so KY might be my chance.

[Jazz Nut]

I missed out on getting a bottle of that for a good price in Texas. I just saw another one at a local store but they wanted over $140 after tax for it... waaaaay too much.

As for me, I'm enjoying some Compass Box Great King Street while in my hotel room. I found a 375 at a local store here for $22 and figured why not.

[zillah]

Macallan 15 year old Darkness. Straight up honey bomb. Winnie the Pooh would get wasted on this.

[MtnDew]

The Springbank Cask Strength is around $75 in the Minneapolis, MN area. Also there is a liquor store by my house that has a few single cask Springbanks and Longrows, but they are $89-109. I bought a Springbank CV from the same store, and it is good, but the Cask Strength has more depth and flavor, also it takes water better.

I am very jealous of your prices there, Springbank 12 CS would be my go to gift and general malt dram if I could get it for that around here. As it is I'm looking at having to order from Binnys when I happen to be traveling to a state that they will ship to.

[Dolph Lundgren]

Was a cold day in August so popped a Laphroag 10 CS Red Stripe, 57.3. Man that is some good stuff. Really better than the latest batches.

[zillah]

Had a sample of Aberlour 15 year old Darkness! Yuck.

Now drinking some Clynelish 14. This is my new jam.

[zillah]

Whoops, that was supposed to be Aberlour 20 year old Darkness!

Just finished Benrinnes 15 year old Pedro Darkness! (yum) and Benrinnes 15 year old Oloroso Darkness! (meh).

Now finishing the night with more Clynelish 14.

[chrisg]

Just having some Hakushu Bourbon Barrel.

[MacinJosh]

Was a cold day in August so popped a Laphroag 10 CS Red Stripe, 57.3. Man that is some good stuff. Really better than the latest batches.

Just ED'd one of these. ~sniff~ ~sniff~

Damn good malt.

[zillah]

More Clynelish 14. The bottle is almost done... :drinking:

[whiskeyagonzo]

Thanks to a generous SBer I'm enjoying a pour of Mac CS.

[garbanzobean]

Opened my bottle of Ardbeg Auriverdes tonight. My initial impressions are mixed. It has the satisfying Ardbeg peat blast I love, but once that recedes, things get a little odd. I did get some hints of cocoa, but mostly the dram was alternatingly spirity and over oaked, with almost a pine flavor thrown in. I watered it to taste and gave it some time to settle down. It did, but the water brought out some characteristics I identify with younger spirit out as well (saccharin sweetness, play doh on the finish). For my initial dram from the bottle, about all I got was that it is peated and probably needs more air time to settle down. The oak flavors don't seem very well integrated with the spirit, making for abrupt flavor shifts.

I think it will be pretty good once I air it out a bit, but it is disappointing that I have to. Most Islays ring my bell right away. Regardless of the time I give it to settle down, I don't think it'll be any major improvement over Ardbeg 10 or Corryvreckan. Probably no surprise to anyone who has been burned by Ardbeg's recent shenanigans, but the early reviews led me to hope it would be more like Ardbeg 10 with some toasty mocha notes. I'll keep updating you all as the bottle settles down.

[bin31z]

Pouring a dram of Balvenie 15 single barrel and another of Johnnie Walker Green.

[smokinjoe]

Topping off this long Monday with a pour of Bush Pilot's Canadian.

[garbanzobean]

I'm revisiting Ardbeg Auriverdes tonight. I poured a dram and gave it about 45 minutes to air out. Still getting lots of peat, but also some talisker-esque pepper, which sort of melds into chocolate with chili powder on the finish. With water, the chocolate notes disappear and end up as a really distinctive pine (as in the taste equivalent of what you smell if you take a big ol whiff of pine 2x4). Not necessarily unpleasant, but not as nice as the chocolate notes. It's a little on the hot side without water, but I think I prefer this as a slow sipper vs getting the pine notes. Overall, pretty bright and "effervescent" (never really got that before now). Depending on if this keeps evolving, I may end up preferring it somewhat to Ardbeg 10 (definitely Uigeadail), but probably not Corryvreckan.

At any rate, this is a nice whisky, though not really worth the price tag.

Edit: Forgot to add, I tried it SBS in glencairn and NEAT glasses. The glencairn obviously noses better, but the whisky tastes better out of the NEAT glass.

Edited August 26, 2014 by garbanzobean

[ChainWhip]

I'm revisiting Ardbeg Auriverdes tonight. I poured a dram and gave it about 45 minutes to air out. Still getting lots of peat, but also some talisker-esque pepper, which sort of melds into chocolate with chili powder on the finish. With water, the chocolate notes disappear and end up as a really distinctive pine (as in the taste equivalent of what you smell if you take a big ol whiff of pine 2x4). Not necessarily unpleasant, but not as nice as the chocolate notes. It's a little on the hot side without water, but I think I prefer this as a slow sipper vs getting the pine notes. Overall, pretty bright and "effervescent" (never really got that before now). Depending on if this keeps evolving, I may end up preferring it somewhat to Ardbeg 10 (definitely Uigeadail), but probably not Corryvreckan.

At any rate, this is a nice whisky, though not really worth the price tag.

Edit: Forgot to add, I tried it SBS in glencairn and NEAT glasses. The glencairn obviously noses better, but the whisky tastes better out of the NEAT glass.

Thx for the notes - I prefer drinking barrel proof/cask strength whiskies out of a snifter myself

[garbanzobean]

Thx for the notes - I prefer drinking barrel proof/cask strength whiskies out of a snifter myself

One of the things I like best about having an entire bottle to work with as opposed to a drink at a bar is the process of figuring out which glass the whisky tastes best out of. It's hard work, but someone's got to do it.

The ECBP I started with tonight hit the spot, so I decided to move onto the only other thing I have open right now that can match it for pure sugary goodness: Glendronach 15. Older sherried whiskies occasionally bother me with some vinegary notes, but this one is pretty clean. Mostly fresh and dried red fruits. Finish is a bit smoky, with chocolate and cherries. And I'm drinking it out of a tumbler. Cuz, Murrca.

In other news, I think I have talked my local bottle shop into carrying the Kavalan Solist lineup once the state government decides it's okay to sell it out here. Maryland has just gotten Concertmaster and King Car in the last month or two, so hopefully Solist is not far off . . .

[ChainWhip]

One of the things I like best about having an entire bottle to work with as opposed to a drink at a bar is the process of figuring out which glass the whisky tastes best out of. It's hard work, but someone's got to do it.

The ECBP I started with tonight hit the spot, so I decided to move onto the only other thing I have open right now that can match it for pure sugary goodness: Glendronach 15. Older sherried whiskies occasionally bother me with some vinegary notes, but this one is pretty clean. Mostly fresh and dried red fruits. Finish is a bit smoky, with chocolate and cherries. And I'm drinking it out of a tumbler. Cuz, Murrca.

In other news, I think I have talked my local bottle shop into carrying the Kavalan Solist lineup once the state government decides it's okay to sell it out here. Maryland has just gotten Concertmaster and King Car in the last month or two, so hopefully Solist is not far off . . .

Need to see your glassware collection too then

Some good summer pours there - sugah bombs fo sho!

[Max Power]

Had some Balvenie DW 17 tonight. It was very good, but I'm not sure it's worth the price over the 12. Then I hit a lot of old Wild Turkey...that never fails.

[smokinjoe]

I was drawn in by the attractive bottle and it's reputation, but I just tossed that bottle in the trash after it's last pour and am left feeling the Hibiki 12 yr never measured up to either. A lot of coin for a mediocre whiskey. Can't say I "enjoyed" much of it.