Review 222: GlenDronach 17 Year PX Sherry Single Cask

Review 222

9/19/2014

GlenDronach 17 Year PX Sherry Single Cask: 53.2% abv

Background: Have we been on a sherried Scotch kick, or what? Well here we are, with a single cask review of Glendronach. We are very compelled by these whiskies, because Glendronach prices their Single Cask variants more competitively than their standard offerings, and it begs some really interesting questions. For example, this 17 Year was about $130, while the 18 Year standard runs as high as $150, is 5% lower in alcohol, and is only a year older. So is it really worth the money to buy the more expensive whisky? Well, let’s take a look at this one. This is a Pedro Ximenez Sherry whisky, with all the right figures. It is as dark as whisky gets, but offers up a natural color statement to put our worries to bed. PX sherry tends to be incredibly rich and sweet, and like always, there is the concern that this whisky will be unbalanced and overtly sweet.

Straight

Nose:  There is a lot of malt and molasses right off the bat, with some aromas of prominent nuttiness and vanilla bean. To go along with sweet vanilla bean is a custardy smell that is coupled with a rich, homemade caramel, brown sugar, and honey sweetness. To add to your grocery list of desserts, cut back to find some fudgy quality in the whisky. Succulent black currents, dates, raisons, and dark grape are all blended into the nose. There is some light cloves on the nose, but they aren’t terribly dominant.

Arrival: The arrival starts syrupy, with molasses, brown sugar and other rich flavors. There is some maltiness and raison-like sherry in the arrival as well. There is some noticeable oak in the arrival, which creeps into the body. Honey is also noticeable in the arrival, but it is masked slightly by a light green tea flavor in the arrival. There is a brief dark fruit flavor on the arrival, but it is hard to distinguish what is there.

Body: The body brings out notes of malt, with some enjoyable tangy citrus. There is molasses and complex fruit notes, but the character is dry and quick.

Finish: The finish has some dark flavors, with lush sherry notes and a compelling, fading tobacco note. The finish has some fruity cherry, slight mintiness, and herbal notes as well. The finish has a dry character, with black pepper, hot cinnamon, and allspice.

With Water

Nose: The nose brings out the sweetness in the malt a lot more. There is a more noticeable presence of oak in the nose, with a much more enjoyable balance. There is a little bit of red apple that comes out, with honey and caramel being very pronounced. There is a little more earthiness to the whisky as well.

Arrival: The arrival has an excellent balance of malt, honey, molasses, and earthiness. There is a hint of savory notes, with some gingerbread and sweet spice complimenting the sweetness. The blast of fruits is much improved from before. There is a lot of nuttiness in the whisky now.

Body: The nuttiness is big in the body, with brown sugar, oak, sherry and marmalade. The body is more definitive now, with a little bit more fruit flavor, citrus, and longevity.

Finish: The finish still has the oak and tobacco notes from previously, with the citrus lasting beyond the body and keeping the succulent fruits in the finish. The dryness is less extreme now, and there is a wonderful spiciness that lasts through the finish. The maltiness and a slight vegetal flavor is also present through the end of the whisky. There is an earthiness that couples with the whisky and makes the finish last.

Final Comments: Things did transform with this whisky over time. Besides having much more sweetness when the bottle was first opened, the whisky also had very different complexities. This isn’t a bottle of whisky you invest in if you’ll looking for next day dividends in satisfaction. This is a whisky you invest in for slow savoring. Despite this “conditionality” to the whisky, it is a fantastic statement of sherried complexity, and breaks the mundane pattern of Oloroso this and Oloroso that. It still lacks in complexity in certain areas, and it is highly recommended that water be put into this whisky to get any sort of appreciable experience. This is a whisky worth it’s dollar amount.

Why you’d buy it: You are looking for something that evolves, changes metaphorical colors, and offers up an engaging drinking experience with a sherry flavor.

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: The first time you open up a bottle is the last judgment you make on a whisky.

Score: 9.25/10

Review 221: GlenDronach 18 Year Allardice

Review 221

9/16/14

GlenDronach 18 Year Allardice: 46% abv

Background: Here we are, back at GlenDronach distillery in the Highlands of Scotland. After the 12 and 15 Year core offerings is the 18 Year Allardice. The 18 Year is non-chill filtered, natural color, and bottled at a perfectly respectable 46% abv. It is aged in exclusively Oloroso Sherry butts. GlenDronach then, is giving you another option in the world of sherry malts, which seems to be growing in accessibility. The challenge is, can producers like GlenDronach keep up with the demand for sherry whiskies without the ability to obtain good sherry casks due to the reduction in demand for sherry.

Straight

Nose:  In comes the sherry storm, with a torrent of deep, rich fruit aroma that overwhelms the senses. Red grape, raison and vanilla are big players in the nose right off the bat. Small spurts of malt smell become noticeable, but are really dominated by the other flavors. Dried fruits and cranberry are detectable in the nose, with the sense of old oak and floral notes of garden flowers. As the whisky starts to open up, more complexity of sweet honey, apples, and even slight amounts of caramel are present. The nose is definitely rich, but the initial alcohol intensity in the nose tempers down to a less brutish, complex blend of rich sherry malt flavors.

Arrival: As expected, sweet, syrupy arrival takes on the malt. The arrival doesn’t tend to last a long time, with some spiciness, malt, and sweet grapes noticeable. Sweet, candy like (maybe even bubblegum) sweetness is also ever present in the arrival, which makes for a bizarre transition into the intense palate of the whisky. There is an ample amount of vanilla in the arrival. In general, this arrival seems like it lacks the complexity expected, and could be described as sort of flat.

Body: Similar to the 15 Year, the 18 does have a nice, spicy body. The finish is fairly long and enjoyable. A quick dash of heat, with red wine and grapes makes the body more unique. There is something savory about the body, and despite its relative intensity, the fruit flavors are not as pronounced as we’d like.

Finish: Conclude with that semi-savory, scrumptious malty finish. Bitter, burnt oak will become noticeable as you sip on this whisky more. You’ll find a hot, almost thin grapy flavor that comes into the finish, almost in an artificial nature. There is more oak complexity, some slight pine-like flavors coming out in the finish, and just a tinge of cough medicine like flavor. You could argue there is a bit of saltiness in the finish as well, but it doesn’t at all define the whisky.

With Water

Nose: The nose is demonstrating much more floral and somewhat maltier. The sherry has subsided substantially, but some of the complexities are also not as prominent as before.

Arrival: The arrival shows off more complex, well rounded fruitiness, with apple and pear present. There is some soft spices and vegetal notes present. There is a dry woody flavor in the arrival that translates into the body.

Body: After adding water, a much more noticeable, succulent fruitiness is coming forward in the whisky. It isn’t hard to spot the tannins and grape sour flavor coming out of the body, plus allspice and nutmeg, but there is a strained emptiness halfway through the body.

Finish: There are much more manageable spices in this whisky now, with heavy tannins and bittersweet green tea notes. Unripened, tart fruit notes are easily found in the finish, which is sort of unique, but in some ways it actually detracts from the overall flavor of the whisky. There is still soft maltiness and some confectionary notes here. The finish ends up shorter and somewhat less pronounced than before, but does offer up more complexity with better flavors.

Final Comments: This is one interesting whisky. It seems to be battling to get the right things across, but never quite succeeds in doing it. I’m not sure exactly what holds this whisky back, but it just doesn’t have the complexity and balance it needs to be a true winner. The price doesn’t help the equation either. It is evident that there should be better flavors with better quality going on. It doesn’t make this bad by any means, but it does miss on a couple of key components. It seems as if better casks would make this a better whisky, but chances are that won’t be happening. There is something that makes this whisky really suffer, but I’m not sure what it is.

Why you’d buy it: You’re a patron of Glendronach

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: You can get their Single Cask whiskies for less, and with better quality and a higher  proof.

Score: 8.25/10

Review 219: Glenmorangie Astar

Review 219

9/3/14

Glenmorangie Astar: 57.1% abv

Background: Another review of a Glenmorangie from the KCM crew. There has been a lot of buzz from the Whisky Bible about Glenmorangie Ealanta, so why not do that? Well, because this is what we bought, so this is what you get. The highlight of Astar, a cask strength monster from the Highland distillery is the oak casks, that come from the Ozarks of Missouri. This staves are then air dried for 24 months (or 2 years for the conversion-challenged among us), which is an extremely positive mark on the cask quality. The assembled casks are heavily toasted, and Tennessee whisky is aged in these casks for 4 years. Finally, Astar makes its way into the cask and out spits a cask strength, natural color, non-chill filtered beast. The only thing that Glenmorangie doesn’t tell you, to their fault, is the age of this work. Rumor has it the whisky might be around 10 years old. So what now? Let’s figure out what this whisky is like.

Straight

Nose: Right off the bat, the first impression on the nose is heavy whiskey, like Jack Daniels. Cream and vanilla are prevalent at first, with mild malt aromas coming through subtly. There is some banana and coconut that pulls into the strong nose. As the nose starts to open up, the oak is pretty strong on the nose. If you really struggle, there is a bit of fall spices that can be smelled on the whisky. The nose is relatively simple though.

Arrival: The arrival starts with a boozy Tennessee whiskey flavor, with sweet malt and corn flavor. There is some bitter spice as well, but the flavor quickly dissipates after this. There is a little bit of hot cinnamon.

Body: The body introduces a savory flavor into the mix, still sustaining the Tennessee whiskey flavor and strong hints of vanilla. There is bitter, sappy oak that is dominating the flavor.

Finish: The finish is hugely oaky, with American whiskey and vanilla up front. The finish is hot and spicy, with bitter black peppercorn, cinnamon, and slight savory notes. There is some dry vegetal notes, with a slight smokiness that is reminiscent of burning tobacco.

With Water

Nose: The nose hasn’t opened up terribly well after adding water. The stubborn aromas don’t seem to be breaking free from the whisky. Unfortunately, the complexity is still lacking in this portion of the whisky.

Arrival: The arrival has allowed the whisky to really present itself well. Complexity is shy, but the Tennessee character is definitely well defined now. The spices are more bold and prominent. In general, the arrival is substantially more enjoyable. There is a bit of pear present now that wasn’t detected before.

Body: The body actually reveals some interesting complexities that weren’t prevalent before. There is a lot of herbal and vegetal notes, with blends of complex fruits, including grapes, pear, and nectarines. 

Finish:  The finish is still intense and spicy, with the toasted oak bursting through. The spices are huge, but not terribly distinguishable. The vegetal notes in this whisky are more prominent than before, with a malty aftertaste that reminds you you’re drinking a Scotch, and not an American whiskey. 

Final Comments: It might look like you’ve seen a rushed review, but that’s not terribly true. This is definitely a challenging whisky to deal with, but in a blind tasting, you might mistake this for a bourbon or a Tennessee whiskey. Does that make this a bad Scotch? Not nearly. But it does not give you the classic Glenmorangie fruity, floral whisky experience you might expect. It also lacks severely in complexity. That being said, this is a very quality whisky, and the recipe is done pretty well right. It is also respectable that Glenmorangie provided a lot of information on the whisky. Thus, you might struggle with whether or not to buy a bottle of this gem. Our suggestion is to steer clear of this respectable identity crisis unless you have nothing better to do with your money.

Why you’d buy it: It is a bourbon-lover’s Scotch, and with water it is really an enjoyable catch.

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: It really doesn’t justify its pricetag by any stretch of the imagination.

Score: 8.0 /10

Review 215: Old Pulteney Navigator

Review 215

6/11/14

Old Pulteney Navigator: 46% abv

Background: Now and again, our smaller distilleries will go out on a limb and release a limited edition bottling. Old Pulteney, despite their size, actually does quite a bit of this. Between their extensive travel range and the new releases (they just announced a 35 Year offering), Old Pulteney is a very active distillery. One of their most recent bottlings is the Navigator, a non-age statement whisky aged in a mixture of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. It totes an impressive 46% abv and non-chill filtering, and I can confidently report that it also does not appear to be artificially colored. So while Pulteney has held onto the “craft” spirit of this limited edition bottling, it does raise some questions. Is this just an excuse to introduce a younger whisky into the market? Does this fight toe to toe with the 12 Year? Let’s pour a dram and dig into it more.

Straight

Nose: To start, the nose illustrates a salty, intense flavor to this whisky. The immediate impression is fresh maltiness, young and vibrant. There is some floral, vegetal notes to the whisky, but it is more dominantly a buttery, creamy vanilla smell that comes forward. The briny, sea salt flavor is extremely assertive in the nose, and there is a presence of allspice as well. There is some fruity, candy apple smell that starts to come through after a little bit of time, with a slight sweet sherry note in there. The nose starts to have a slightly sugary smell to it, with light hints of pear and marmalade. Ultimately, the sweet, fruity notes combat with the intensely salty character to the aroma.

Arrival: The arrival doesn’t start off sweet by any means, highlighting the salty, intensely malty character of the whisky up front. There is a vegetal quality to the arrival, with vanilla and oaky notes up front. That same creaminess found in the nose is also fairly dominant in the arrival. With some sour barley grain leading into the body. Refined spice notes of allspice and clove are also a noticeable contribution to the initial flavor.

Body: Once into the body, the introduction of spices and tart flavors becomes more evident. This single malt retains the rich, barley flavor that eludes to how youthful it is. There is also some cinnamon stick and gingerbread in the body, which lasts into the finish.

Finish: The finish is a blast of malt, with salt and vegetal grain notes carrying through. There is some sweetness from the sherry cask that becomes somewhat prevalent. The finish seems to be well dominated by the spirit presence. There is a tinge of sherry in the finish, but it is a weak note which tends to be washed over by the other parts of the whisky. Subtleties of orange and lemon are present as well, which adds some variety to the flavor profile.

With Water

Nose: After adding some water, some rich fruit flavors are coming out, with dark berries and red grapes at the forefront. The whisky is also fairly jammy, while presenting some orange marmalade on the nose. A powdery malt flavor is still present, but the floral, fruity flavors are definitely more prominent now.  As the Scotch opens up more, the orange is becoming a more prevalent flavor.

Arrival: The salt and seawater is still present here, and in no lesser form than before. There is more of a dry, malty presence now. The whole experience is actually slightly more bitter now, with bitter black pepper notes being relatively dominant.

Body: The body retains the bitter, dry notes from before. There is still some creamy, vanilla notes to the whisky, but the bitterness is much more up front than before.

Finish: The finish has some intense spice to it now, but it lost some level of complexity at this point. There is a grassy, green vegetable note that is coming through in the finish now. 

Final Comments: Old Pulteney is definitely a consistently good whisky, whether it be the 12, 17, or 21 Year offerings. This special edition is something of a conflicting story. The quality of this spirit is good, and to some degree, the complexity and uniqueness is also above average. That being said, this Scotch is undoubtedly immature  and there is no getting around that. The harshness, bitterness, and unforgiving intensity is not characteristic of Pulteney, although some of the flavors are. That being said, this can easily be forgiven considering the price of the whisky, but it does seem as if Navigator could have used a few more years of well-rounded aging to bring it to that next level. In either case, this is not poor buy, and as long as the 12 Year is protected from NAS bottling fate, this type of release is certainly welcome.

Why you’d buy it: You’d like to try a young, vibrant Old Pulteney at a good price.

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: You demand the quality of Pulteney 17 in everything you drink.

Score:  8.25/10

Review 214: Glen Garioch 12 Year

Review 214

6/2/14

Glen Garioch 12 Year: 48% abv

Background: Welcome to KCM Review 214. This review is evidently different, because it is an offsite review of something I found in Montreal, Canada. Subsequently, I have no intentions of bringing the bottle back, so I figured I’d squeeze out a quick review before heading back. You might notice from the picture I’m drinking this out of a tumbler, so the aromas might not be as comprehensive as I’d like, but I’ll make due. Now onto the spirit. This is a Highland Single Malt Scotch, Glen Garioch 12 Year, bottled at an impressive 48%, non chill-filtered, and aged in a mixture of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Glen Garioch only has a few standard offerings, with this being one of them. So is it worth your time, and at such a beefy proof?

Straight

Nose: So of course, I’m nosing this out of an improper glass, so bear with me. Despite the tumbler, there is a huge aroma of sherry, barley grain, sweet malt, tons of vanilla, and some caramel as well. The sherry is complimented by a sweet honey flavor, but is contrasted by some slight vegetal and floral flavors as well. There is a prominent oakiness to the whisky which becomes distinguishable as the flavors open up. There is also a bit of apple fruitiness, giving a nice caramel apple smell.

Arrival: The arrival starts off with a blend of nice maltiness, a beautiful caramel apple sweetness, coupled by nice sherry and vanilla sweetness. There is some citrus and pear in the arrival as well, giving a healthy blast of fruit flavors that really drag out the arrival quite intensely. The sherry is light, and is closer to a heather honey flavor than a raison flavor. There is actually a bit of cocoa as well in the arrival, which comes and goes quickly.

Body: The body shows off some powdered malt flavor, with a delicate graininess and the same fruitiness that is found in the arrival. The sherry really comes forward in the body, and there is some nice oak flavor as well.

Finish: The finish leaves you with a nice, crisp apple flavor, followed by long lasting malt and slight citrus overtones. The caramel sticks around quite a bit, but is overshadowed by some very strong vegetal notes. These are similar notes to what we saw in the Founder’s Reserve, but they seem less aggressive in the 12 Year version. Again, like the FR, the 12 Year ends dry and grainy, but has as very prominent aftertaste. There is even a bit of fresh pine in the finish as well.

With Water

Nose: With this whisky, don’t be afraid to add a little bit of water. It really can take it, and it doesn’t back down the flavor much at all. The nose is still really beefy (not literally, of course) with a large collage of spices and vegetal flavors up front, backing off from the sweeter notes. There is still a pleasant, almost confectionary type of smell to the whisky, with cookie dough and flour as aroma.

Arrival: The arrival now shows off some brilliant spice notes, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger all playing into the whisky. The sweetness is still prevalent, complemented by succulent berries and a beautiful array of sweet fruits.

Body: The body retains the graininess from before, but balances it out with a more refreshing, less dry palate. There is also berry sweetness in the body now, with slightly less complexity than before. This is still really pleasant, however.

Finish:  The finish is now nicely blended with oak flavors, sweet fruits, vanilla, caramel, and a lasting spiciness that was not present before. The finish has a gentle, subtle linger to it, which coats the mouth and only begs for a second round. Truly, this is a tantalizing Scotch from beginning to end.

Final Comments:  Okay, so I like it. Is it because I’m in Montreal? Not likely. Glen Garioch proved to us that they could produce a Scotch which was complex at a young age, and that they didn’t need to follow the regular rules of presentation (40%, 43%, 46%). I like Glen Garioch for their ambition, and their quality of spirit. Does this take a step up from the Founder’s Reserve? Yes, it does. This is a complex, enjoyable, and affordable whisky which should be sold everywhere, so far as I’m concerned. It could be more complex, and it could be more original, but it does so much where it is, and for the price this is a new personal favorite.

 

Why you’d buy it: You can find it, and you want to support a brilliant distillery by enjoying their brilliant product

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: You live in Michigan and can’t find it.

Score:  9.25/10

Review 210: Old Pulteney 17 Year

Review 210

4/13/14

Old Pulteney 17 Year: 46% abv

Background: We’re back to Old Pulteney. We released a podcast with Old Pulteney whiskies as a big cameo. The 12 Year has been the KCM quality per dollar pick for quite a long time; and by a long time, we reviewed that whisky back in November of 2012. But what about a more premium, older Old Pulteney? Is that same quality from the 12 Year present in older expressions? It’s in the name, after all. The answer to that question can be found by looking at the 17 Year, which is a single malt at 46% and un-chill filtered. Some fun facts about Old Pulteney: They are limited to one wash still and one spirit still, contributing to a very limited production of one million liters per year. Also, if you take a look at Old Pulteney’s stills, they are very uniquely shaped, which might contribute to the very unique flavor that their whiskies have. Now it’s time to put this more expensive whisky to the test.

Straight

Nose: Well this doesn’t disappoint the maritime coastal theme that Old Pulteney totes about in their advertisements. The nose is instantly salty, with a fresh smell of seawater. It is so prevalent in this whisky, I can’t think of anything else like this. There is a rich maltiness that couples very nicely with a tropical fruitiness. The tropical fruit notes include tangerine, mango, and melon. There is also a slight vanilla note, which tends to take a back seat to the salt blast. The oakiness from the cask is hard to depict in the nose, but there are subtle layers of spices that come through evenly. There is also hints of floral notes that surface occasionally. The balance in the nose is extremely enjoyable, allowing for a full exploration of the flavors present.

Arrival: The arrival starts off with the tropical fruit notes and maltiness. There is a nice presence of oakiness, along with a load of spiciness. The arrival is probably the thinnest part of the whisky, still having plenty of complexity. It is a little lighter, and hides some of the salty character of the whisky.

Body: This is where the salt really kicks into the whisky. Along with a very dominant note of sea salt, orange marmalade and tropical fruit notes invade the senses here. This is such a bombastic body in the whisky. There is some nice caramel, vanilla, and beefy spices that come forward in the body. There is also some sugarcane that shows up.

Finish: The finish really drags out the saltiness, along with a nice fading of malt and tangy fruit notes. There is a very vegetal aftertaste to this whisky, with a slight hint of leather and sawdust  as well. There is plenty of cloves and allspice, with dashes of ginger and nutmeg that also play into the finish. There is definitely reminiscence to a chai tea when you get further into the finish.

With Water

Nose: The nose has become much more floral, with more hints of vanilla and caramel coming through up front. The whisky starts to smell slightly more alcoholic now, with the tropical fruits and saltiness still being dominant notes. There is also a slight instance of baking soda in the nose now, coupled with an older note of leather polish. There is a strange note of over-ripened apples and even a bit of perfume to the nose.

Arrival: The arrival becomes more spicy and the tropical aspect of the fruit flavors is more exaggerated. There is a more candied lemon flavor in the arrival now, with some spicy oak moving into the body. The maltiness also comes out much more now than it did before.

Body: The fruit flavor is huge here in the body now, bringing out a very tangy, tart, delicious blend of tangerines, orange, and lemon. It is a truly amazing experience. It doesn’t become so tart as to mask the coastal notes of this whisky, but the flavors do pop in a beautiful fashion.

Finish:  The finish surprisingly takes an intensely bitter, oaky turn after some water is exposed. It is by no means unpleasant, but it does present a different edge to the Scotch. The tropical fruits are still present, along with some other sweet and salty flavors, but the wood really plays into the whisky now. The spiciness is still a strong component. There is even hints of tobacco in the finish now.

Final Comments: So this is a salty, coastal Highland malt that distinguishes itself from a lot of its competitors. The 12 Year Old Pulteney made us interested in the distillery, the 17 Year made us fall in love. It is an intense one and it isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you want to get more adventurous, this is an all-time KCM favorite. This whisky wins points for complexity, balance, and uniqueness, and with just a bit of water the blasts of flavor just get better. I would go so far as to say if I had to drink one whisky for the rest of my life, at this point this would be the one. We highly recommend you give this a try if you get the chance.

 

Why you’d buy it: Because at this very moment, we’re telling you to.

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: You don’t want to try something with the intensity that this whisky has.

Score:  9.75/10

Review 207: Ardmore Traditional Cask

Review 207

3/28/14

Ardmore Traditional Cask: 46% abv

Background: Ardmore is an interesting Highland Single Malt whisky. It does a lot of things to set itself apart. Ardmore started in 1898 by William Teacher’s son, in an attempt to bolster stocks for the Teacher’s Highland Cream blended Scotch. Interestingly, Ardmore is still the key single malt in Teacher’s. The “Traditional Cask” Ardmore is a very reasonably priced NAS whisky, but it also tries to contend with the Islay malts by calling itself a peated whisky. Some purists might raise the nose to the statement, but don’t get too indignant before you try this one. Aged in quarter casks, it is fair to say that this is not an old whisky, but it does get bottled at a nice 46%. The question we’re always asking ourselves is: should this whisky be on my shelf?

Straight

Nose: There is no question that this Highland malt means business. If you think this can’t shred with the Islay single malts, you’re sorely mistaken. The first sniff from this glass will greet you with a powerful, thick smoke. It smells a lot like smoked meats and burning fall leaves. The smoke is mossy and earthy, but a little bit different than your traditional Islay peat smell. Along with the smoke, there is a strong vanilla, malt, and some great dark fruit notes in here. There is a subtlety of burning cigar tobacco in the nose as well. There is some allspice and strong oakiness that starts to come out of the nose as well. The nose is very dense and ashy.

Arrival: The arrival starts off with a unique tartness, malt sourness, and some interesting fruitiness. The vanilla and oak are very dominant in the beginning, and there is almost a jammy fruit flavor up front. The arrival is quick, but blasts out the introduction to this single malt effectively. There is a slight, subtle smokiness to the arrival. The smoke basically acts as a good prelude of the whisky to come.

Body: The body is very ashy, with a lot of dense flavor to boot. Dry spices jump into the game as well, bringing out black peppercorn and cloves. More smokiness comes out of the whisky here, but it is still modestly subdued. There is some cinnamon and apple present in the body.

Finish: The finish is where the whisky starts to bring out the peat the most. There is a fresh tobacco flavor, with some woodiness and vanilla coming out as well. The maltiness presides over the entire event, but the fruitiness dies off. There is a large cinnamon aftertaste in the finish that becomes noticeable after a few sips. Although the Ardmore doesn’t take on the most complex finish, it finishes strong and thick.

With Water

Nose: As the whisky gets water, it does not contribute much more to the nose. It is still extremely dense and smoky on the nose. The intensity of the smoke to the whisky is still very prominent.

Arrival: After adding water, the arrival  is very malty and vanilla-dominant. The wood notes are still very dominant in this whisky, which shows off the intensity of the quarter cask.

Body: The body is downplayed a lot after the water was added (it was probably a little too much water). Overall, this acts as a bridge between the arrival and the finish. It is slightly vegetal, and mostly smoky.

Finish:  The vanilla and peat are really on display in the finish. That being said, after adding water the whisky finishes a little cleaner with just a little hint of bitterness that wasn’t present before. It is a botanical-like flavor that is coming out more. The vegetal notes from the body start to become prevalent in the finish as well. There is also just a tad of maple-syrupy aftertaste.

Final Comments: This whisky is a very similar story to Glen Garioch Founder’s Reserve in terms of value per dollar. The whisky is good on its own accord, but when you see the price and presentation, it is a hard one to pass up. This isn’t necessarily a personal favorite, but I would NEVER turn down a glass of this. If you buy this thinking it will be an Islay whisky from the Highlands, you are sorely mistaken. In fact, why would you want that? This offers a much different experience for a much better price. The KCM recommendation is get at least one bottle of this. In terms of the whisky’s flavor? It is a gorgeously earthy, smoky, tobacco forward malt with some interesting contrasting flavors to it. It does not have the complexity to really make everybody happy, but I’m willing to look over that.

 

Why you’d buy it: You understand economics and good taste.

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: You are an avid Islay peat-head

Score:  8.5/10

Review 205: anCnoc 16 Year

Review 205

3/7/14

anCnoc 16 Year: 46% abv

Background: In Review 167, we raved about the affordably reasonable anCnoc 12 Year, and how it made a case as the new staple whisky in your cabinet. Next in line in the anCnoc range is their 16 Year. KCM views this whisky as part of a dying breed, which is why this review is so important to us. At a very reasonable price of about $65 and being 16 Years old, not to mention being 46%, non chill-filtered and natural color, this whisky is truly a phenomenal offering. It is a Bourbon-barrel aged single malt from Heaven. We are wondering if whiskies like this will even exist in the next 5 years. Distilleries are driving up prices and tearing the age statements off of their whiskies for more preferable NAS ambiguity. It starts as limited releases with whimsical names, but distilleries like Macallan have taken it a step further, replacing their standard range with these mysterious no-age whiskies. anCnoc should be praised for offering a Scotch like this. Next step is to review what makes this whisky such a gem.

Straight

Nose: The nose on this whisky is undoubtedly fresh and crisp. There is a similar, beautiful maltiness in the aroma as is present in the 12 Year. That being said, the 16 Year is much more coastal, with a prominent salty seaweed smell layering into the whisky. Interestingly, you can also find a sweet, honeydew and watermelon fruitiness in this whisky, mixed in with some clove and cumin spiciness. Additionally, dry wheat and marzipan also complement the slurry of smells present in this Scotch. The nose is well diversified, complex, and dense. It displays a wide spectrum of aromas that evoke images of tropical paradise.

Arrival: The arrival starts light and soft, portraying a subtle vanilla bean and malt flavor. A slight spiciness will creep into the flavor as the whisky opens up. There is a creamy, buttery flavor in the arrival, with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg coming through later. There is slight fruitiness, with succulent apples and sweet melon that carries into the body. After a few sips, a more salty, peppery flavor becomes pronounced.

Body: The body takes on a blend of salty coastal character and a sweet, fruity flavor. The maltiness is lost in the body and the whisky takes a more bitter, vegetal personality. There is a sound dosage of spices that comes through in the body, with warm cinnamon and cloves.

Finish: The finish ends with a mixture of spices, saltiness, and sweet fruits. It balances well with all of these characteristics, and none seem to over-dominate. The 46% is most pronounced here. The melon character is more prevalent here than in the body, but seems to battle with a peppery, dry finish. There is a dry malty, oak-like character in the finish, with hot spices layering on top. There is an ashy, oak char flavor that works its way into the whisky pretty successfully after a few sips as well.

With Water

Nose: After adding some water, the nose brings out a more custard-like, fruit-yogurt smell, while letting the intense spiciness get a little more bold. There is a little more harsh grain in the whisky at this point as well. Some of the vanilla is pulling through now as well. The whisky is still pleasantly balanced, but the nose seems more harsh now, with a bit more tart sourness in the fruit flavors.

Arrival: There is a much more bold malt flavor in the arrival now, which suits the anCnoc character very well. There is still some spice, and the melon has backed off in the arrival.

Body: The body shows off some beautiful lime flavor (maybe like a key lime pie?), but not in an uncomfortably tart way. This plays along with the gorgeous malty flavor.

Finish: The coastal flavor in the whisky is really coming out now, with the intense spiciness backing off. Between the melon and tart fruits and the sea salt flavors, the balance of this whisky is more enjoyable and the alcohol less noticeable. There is a little bit of smoke that plays into the finish, but it isn’t horribly dominant. It is also a fairly herbal, vegetal finish, containing some fresh mint and parsley. 

Final Comments: This is another wallop of a whisky from anCnoc. There is really an enjoyable, complex whisky with a great spectrum of flavors. It also provides a substantial amount of contrast from the 12 Year. If you get the opportunity to try this, we would recommend it. On the other side of the coin, this can be an intense whisky if you aren’t used to the high content. Again, it is a shame that we feel like teenage whiskies at an affordable price and going extinct, when stuff like this is affordable and amazing. Hopefully we are wrong in that projection, but while this is still available, find it and love it.

 

Why you’d buy it: You like a good well-rounded Highland malt

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: You are willing to go for an Old Pulteney 17 Year

Score:  9.25/10