What Wee Dram are you enjoying now?

[Dramiel McHinson]

Yellow jacket! Thanx for the lovely view. It appears you had a lot of friends in need of good libation. I noticed you had the new bottle Glenfiddich 15. Is it the Solera reserve in a new kilt? Or, is it a new whisky?

At the moment I must confess I was sipping a Yamazaki 12 year old to warm up my palette for a Laphroaig 10 year old cask strength. I do recommend the Laphroaig CS. To me, it is surprisingly smooth to be a 55.7% abv.

Cheers!

[boss302]

Still enjoying my Glenmorangie 10-year.

I still consider it the gold standard in American Oak-matured malt whiskies.

Plenty of Vanilla. Some notes of sweet spice (cinnamon or allspice?). And still very drinkable.

I really like this distillery!

[Megawatt]

I need to put in a good word for The Glenlivet 12. For the price, this stuff is really impressive. Great balance between malt, fruit, and smoke.

[Martian]

I agree with Gov, Inver House Green Plaid is a very nice inexpensive light blend. Just a hint of smoke and peat with a little bite at the finish.

[boss302]

Well, I got back from the state store earlier this evening and enjoying my new dram.

I had the intention of going to the store and picking out a $20 bottle of Irish whiskey (likely Feckin or Clontarf) to enjoy on ice on a hot day (we still get them this time of year).

So, I passed the Scotch Whisky selection on the way to my originally-intended goal, and took a quick glance to see if anything new had come in.

Before me was a solidly-constructed, tall, maroon box of something I had no idea the state of PA had any intention to carry-- La Santa, by Glenmorangie.

I had seen the Original (10-year) several times, but I wasn't expecting anything beyond that, as the Scotch selection around here keeps shrinking at an alarming rate. That they actually distributed La Santa had taken me aback, to say the least!

Anyway, on to the whisky...

Firstly, Moet-Hennessy has, apparently, spared no expense in the packaging of their product. The box is very sturdy, the paper being almost twice as thick as the boxes one would find a bottle of Glenlivet or MacAllan in. The metallic maize and burgundy inks are of fine quality, and the shiny "gold" parts are so fine they could almost be mistaken for genuine gold leaf. This theme carries over onto the label of the modern, elegantly-curved bottle, with the now-signature Glenmorangie interpretation of the Cadboll Stone a prominent feature. From a marketing standpoint, Glenmorangie has found a genuine brand identity.

Now, onto the dram itself...

I will first say that this is NOT identical to the original Glenmorangie Sherry Finish that I had been enjoying for the past several years. For starters, the color is a surprisingly-deep copper, bordering on amber. The higher proof, 92, as opposed to 86 in their other product lines, probably helps with this, as less water has been added to cut it. Swirling it through the glass reveals surpisingly-long "legs", meaning this spirit is more viscous than I had anticipated, though by no means the "syrupy" MacAllan consistency.

Nose: Both American and Spanish oak hit you right off the bat. Aromas are decidedly-fruity, hinting of raisins and dates, overlaying a note of caramel. Despite its higher proof, astringency is surprisingly-low.

Taste: Although I didn't get it in the nose, the "toastiness" that I have come to associate with New American Oak in malt whiskies is pretty dominant. This is a special quality I have ONLY gotten through malt whiskies whose partial maturation occurred in New American Oak (ex-bourbon casks are also utilized), such as the Glenmorangie Original and the Glenfiddich Solera Reserve. Other tasting notes involve vanilla, cream, and almonds.

Finish: medium-length, not too heavy on that "drying" sensation in the mouth. At 92 proof, I expected it to be a little longer. That distinctive "woody" nuttiness that I typically associate with walnuts is the dominant taste in the finish on the back of the tongue. I'm picking up a few hints of mint in the finish with subsequent sips...

With subsequent sips, I have noticed that the "raisins and dates" note in the nose continually strengthens.

All in all, a very satisfying dram. One that is not like to stay on my shelf for long. I like how the "vanilla and spice" notes of the American oak, and the "fruits and nuts" notes of the Spanish oak neatly inter-twine. In all too many examples of Sherry-finished whiskies, the Spanish Oak tends to dominate outright. The fact that La Santa has some New American oak in it, as well as limiting the ex-Sherry finishing to only 2 years helps keep it in a delicate balance.

[Megawatt]

Sounds like something I would enjoy! I'd also like to try the new port finish...

[Gillman]

The other day, a burgundy-finish Glenmorangie, at a friend's. Something I would not think of buying normally but I should since it is an excellent dram, softly fruity but with plenty of distillery character. Glenmorangie is the king of the "finishes", they've been doing it for a while and know just how to get optimum results.

Gary

[AVB]

Very nice write up boss man. Thas has been on the shelves in Shrewbury for about two weeks now but I put it off waiting for the Balvenie RumCask (at twice the price) to arrive. Picked one of those up on Saturday and I can only hope it is as good as the previous 14 yo RumWood they put out.

[boss302]

Very nice write up boss man. Thas has been on the shelves in Shrewbury for about two weeks now but I put it off waiting for the Balvenie RumCask (at twice the price) to arrive. Picked one of those up on Saturday and I can only hope it is as good as the previous 14 yo RumWood they put out.

Thanks for the compliment, AVB! I certainly don't have the refined palette of Michael Jackson, Jim Murray, or some of the "authorities" on these forums. But I have learned to pick out most of the basics, and I'll try to get better with time and practice.

You say Balvenie is releasing a Rum-cask expression?!? I haven't seen any info on that as of late, but I would absolutely love to try it! I know their sister distillery, Glenfiddich, does a 21-year rum-cask expression, called "Havana Reserve," so I guess this shouldn't surprise me too much.

Still, the honeyed taste of Balvenie mixed with the toffee and caramel notes of Caribbean Oak maturation sounds absolutely divine!

[AVB]

Having done over 175 reviews myself I wonder sometimes where the "experts" find some of the things they write about. Glenfiddich still makes a rum cask although it is no longer using Cuban rum casks for it or calling it Havana Reserve. You can read my 2004 review of it here if you want. The one they have now is called "Gran Reserva" and it is available in the states and while I haven't reviewed it I have had it. Still very good but not quite the same.

In any case, Balvenie released a RunWood 14 yo about 3 years ago that had 18 months finishing in Jamaican rum casks. The new RumCask is 17 yo and has 3 years finishing. I hope to do a write up of it this weekend. Here is a pic though. $129.99 at the good old PLCB store which is the list price.

Thanks for the compliment, AVB! I certainly don't have the refined palette of Michael Jackson, Jim Murray, or some of the "authorities" on these forums. But I have learned to pick out most of the basics, and I'll try to get better with time and practice.

You say Balvenie is releasing a Rum-cask expression?!? I haven't seen any info on that as of late, but I would absolutely love to try it! I know their sister distillery, Glenfiddich, does a 21-year rum-cask expression, called "Havana Reserve," so I guess this shouldn't surprise me too much.

Still, the honeyed taste of Balvenie mixed with the toffee and caramel notes of Caribbean Oak maturation sounds absolutely divine!

[boss302]

In any case, Balvenie released a RunWood 14 yo about 3 years ago that had 18 months finishing in Jamaican rum casks. The new RumCask is 17 yo and has 3 years finishing. I hope to do a write up of it this weekend. Here is a pic though. $129.99 at the good old PLCB store which is the list price.

True enough about the Glenfiddich 21-year. I hope to SLO that one some time soon.

You say you found that Balvenie at a PLCB store?!? And you live near York (only an hour away from me)?

I found some 17-year Sherry Oak at the local PLCB store in Hummelstown. I still have some of it left, but I can't seem to keep myself away from it for long!

[AVB]

Your store in Hummelstown (1158 MAE STREET) has 6 of them.

[boss302]

Your store in Hummelstown (1158 MAE STREET) has 6 of them.

:bigeyes:

I didn't see such a thing last week when I picked up my Glenmorangie La Santa. I guess I'll have to check again!

Thanks!

[JamesW]

Enjoying a really fine pour of Old Pulteney 12. Like Gov says...."a magical dram". I couldn't agree more.

[JamesW]

Add to that some Macallan 12 and a nice pour of Talisker 18.

[boss302]

Add to that some Macallan 12 and a nice pour of Talisker 18.

I would love to try that Old Pulteny 12... and that Talisker 18...

[JamesW]

I would love to try that Old Pulteny 12... and that Talisker 18...

The Old Pulteney 12 is underpriced imho, a great pour always. The Talisker 18 is currently at the top (and has been in top 2 since my first taste) of my ever changing list of favorites. I highly recommend. Smoke, peat, spice... mmmm.

[PAspirit1]

Have you tried McClellan Islay? Its a young Bowmore. Its my staple single malt and the price is same as the Highland. Of course its not as good as a regular Bowmore. I do have some in a 5-liter oak barrel maturing nicely.

About a year ago or so I drank a whole bottle of this over a couple of weeks. I was going through a "working class whiskies only" phase. It was only 19$, but I suspect that it is worth paying for the extra aging when it comes to islays. I've been reluctant since then to buy a whole bottle of something like Laphroaig. I have a bunch of Compass Box Peat Monster minis whith which I'm trying to nurse myself back. I think I would take the blend Whitehorse over it.

[TBoner]

Glenfiddich 15. Slightly grassy, fruity, complex, with a long malt middle. Stupendous.

Regards,

[boss302]

Good lord, help me...

I won't be going out for the entirety of next week. I just splurged on a bottle of Balvenie 17-year Rum Cask.

So, here's my thoughts so far.

Appearance: Rich copper, bordering amber, medium-light viscosity.

Nose: Definitely ample portions of American Oak. Vanilla and butterscotch so thick you can cut them with a knife. Also a lighter, tangy sweetness-- cola, perhaps?

Palate: Smooth and elegant, as Balvenie tends to be. Lots and lots of American Oak, though, showing through with a cool spiciness, like mint. A pleasant, but not overbearing, sweetness overall. The intense sweetness in the nose does not really translate to the palate-- a surprising contrast. Some of the lighter sweetness, like the vanilla and butterscotch, do show through, however. A few subsequent sips eventually reveals a hint of ginger.

Finish: Medium-long. Surprisingly dry and spicy. Star Anise, licorice root, and even caramelized fennel linger in the mouth.

Comments: Definitely a digestif, as it is still a little too full-bodied to drink before or during dinner. Reading the reviews in Whisky magazine, I was expecting a sweeter palate than what I experienced-- not a disappointment, but actually much more interesting. The key word here is "spice." This is like the gingerbread cookie of Scotch whisky-- not as sweet as the snickerdoodles, but with a dry spiciness that makes you come back for more.

Many reviews also criticize this expression for being too oaky and not letting the signature Balvenie malt character shine through. On this, I think I would have to agree, as the "honeyed" taste of Balvenie was difficult to sort out from the abundance of spice and oak.

Has Balvenie had better drams? A few. But not many.

Has Speyside produced better drams? Only VERY few. And I'd be hard-pressed to name them.

[AVB]

Your notes don't match mine very well at all. While I thought it was an admirable effort I thought Balvenie has put out better finished drams. The 14 yo RumWood and the PortWood 21 easily come to mind. I'll revisit it later this month and see if anything has changed.

[boss302]

Your notes don't match mine very well at all. While I thought it was an admirable effort I thought Balvenie has put out better finished drams. The 14 yo RumWood and the PortWood 21 easily come to mind. I'll revisit it later this month and see if anything has changed.

That might not be a bad thing, seeing as how everyone's palate is different. Spice notes and dark, earthy notes, especially roots, tend to jump out at me first. I really have to look hard for fruity notes (which is why I was so surprised I picked them up so quickly in my Glenmorangie La Santa), and lighter herbal notes (I never considered Lowlands to be "grassy" tasting, even though every other reviewer uses that term).

Not to mention our bottles might come from different batches, and there is always a bit of variation from batch to batch...

[JamesW]

Macallan 12 to start tonight. Maybe some Redbreast afterward.

[JamesW]

The redbreast 12 was very nice now I'm hitting some Canadian Club 12... very sweet... too sweet really.

[PAspirit1]

For the second week in a row I've had a single malt with dinner on Friday nights. This last time I had Highland Park 12 with enchiladas and loved it. I don't seem to choose beer at home lately and I have never drank much wine.