Review 186: Aberlour 16 Year

Review 186

11/23/13

Aberlour 16 Year: 43% abv

Background: Back in Review 126, we reviewed Aberlour 12 Year. Both Aberlour 12 Year and Aberlour 16 Year are “double casked”, which means they are aged in two separate barrels. They’re both bottled at 43%, they both move from a bourbon to a sherry cask, so this is a pretty good comparison of what 4 extra years of maturation will add to a whisky. Two batches were separately aged in sherry and bourbon casks for 16 years each, and then blended appropriately to get the right flavor. When we reviewed the 12 Year, we said it lacked the complexity to compete with some of the other Scotches we’ve tried. The big question now is, did the extra time help to add to the complexity of this big branded Scotch.

Straight

Nose: The nose starts off with rich notes of chocolate and caramel. There is a definite presence of raison sherry and rich fruits. The fruit flavors include strawberries, raspberries, and cranberry. There is an odd hint of banana present as well. All of these fruit flavors mix well with an aroma of yogurt. There is a suggestion of Murphy’s Oil that hides in the back of the nose, but does not dominate. There is a little bit of malt grain flavor, but being a malt addict, there could be much more. There is a miniscule herbal note of parsley.  

Arrival:  There is a nice creamy, malt flavor that comes through in the arrival, which is nice and refreshing. There is a bit of caramel syrup flavor that compliments the malt flavor. The arrival is pretty woody, with a bit of oak and interestingly maple as well. There are some fruit notes, with some berries and apples at the forefront. From the arrival into the body, there is a strawberry jam flavor.

Body: There is a definitive woodiness that starts to build up in the body. This should be expected from the 16 Year old. A pleasant orange peel is also present in the body. Again, apple is present here. The sherry comes through here with a creamy yogurt covered raison flavor. A noticeable amount molasses and agave are present in the body as well. The body also takes on a confectionary sweetness.

           

Finish: The finish has a variety of complex flavors, including banana, salted caramels, and malt. There is a lot of malt flavor in the finish. There is a good amount of candy strawberry flavor in the finish, with some marmalade as well. The fruity flavors are still lasting through the finish. There are also some sweet cinnamon and pepper notes that sit in the background as well. The confectionary notes in the body carry through to the finish, and a sweet cookie-like flavor.

With Water

Nose: The nose has more hints of maple and fall spices. There is definitely more cinnamon and nutmeg after water is added. The nose is a little more dry and astringent, with some lemon zest in the nose. The orange peel is dominant as well. The maltiness is a little more noticeable as well. There is also some vanilla on there as well.

Arrival: The malt is more dominant now than before, with prominent citrus notes. There is a black cherry tartness, coupled with some vanilla.

Body: The fruitiness is a little bit less dominant in the body now. The orange peel as now become more akin to an orange juice flavor, and the overall experience is more creamy than before. There is now actually a big almond flavor that wasn’t present without water. There is a little bit more saltiness in the body now as well.

Finish: There is more cherry in the finish now, adding to the tartness. There is still thick, confectionary sweetness. The finish is now slightly grassy, and somewhat medicinal as well.

Final Comments:  This is a major step up in quality and complexity from the 12 Year, as we see it. The difference between the two is substantial. The question should then arise to the astute reader as to whether or not the price difference in these similarly styled whiskies is worth the upgrade. In our minds, it seems like the difference is noticeable, but for the novice drinker, it might not be worth the price jump. In either case, this is a very solid whisky for a casual, sweeter sipper. And while Balvenie differentiates their range with different casks and styles, Aberlour keeps the sherry/bourbon theme throughout their brand. This makes Aberlour a great source for consistent sherry-style Scotch in different age groups.

 

Why you’d buy it: A great sherry-style Scotch at a reasonable price

Why you wouldn’t: Glendronach is starting to expand its presence in the US.

Score: 9.0/10

Review 185: Milagro Single Barrel Anejo

Review 185

11/23/13

Milagro Single Barrel Anejo: 40% abv

Background: We’ve already done a review of Milagro Silver tequila, so now we’re interested in looking at what Milagro is like with some age under its belt. This little beauty is one that I picked up in a shop on the east side of Michigan, and it was a limited production bottling. It is still very young at 18 months old, but it is fairly unique, and it does speak to what Milagro tequila can be with a little bit of craftsmanship. Milagro’s tequila is roasted in clay ovens in Jalisco, made from the “volcanic-rich” soil that is found there, as they put it. This is a triple-distilled tequila as well, and like all Milagro products, they’ve made the barrel too pretty to throw away (I’ll be throwing it away anyway). With all of that being said, let’s look at how this tequila actually performs.

Straight

Nose: The nose starts off fairly untraditional from tequilas we’ve had in the past. There is definitely a strong influence of agave in the nose, but along with this is a strong nuttiness; a mixture of peanuts and chestnuts. There is also a fruity sweetness to it coupled with vanilla extract, which is soft and mild. There is a slight anise aroma becoming apparent, but it is not over-dominant. A brininess is noticeable, which is strangely coupled with a slight vinegary pickle smell. This isn’t horribly prevalent, so don’t cringe at the thought. Some spices and herbs are in the nose as well, with subtle fresh mint and cloves.

Arrival: The arrival very smoothly starts off with a light, mouse-like entrance. There is definitely nuttiness, vanilla, and some weak salt flavor up front. There is some agave in the arrival, with a zesty spice as it goes into the body. There is some mint in the arrival, but it is relatively weak and more like a toothpaste fluoride. There is also a Laffy Taffy banana flavor to it. The arrival is relatively simple, but it does present some very interesting flavors to it.  

Body: The body has a lot of saltiness to it, with strong agave flavor, and a prominent amount of nuttiness. There is some strong lime tartness in the body, with some slight vanilla and dry wood that sits in the background and adds some character. There is a little bit of pineapple tartness and bitterness that sticks through the later part of the body into the finish.

           

Finish: The finish does contain a little bit agave left over. The unique banana presence is now more creamy, like banana cream pie. The fluoride mint flavor is actually prevalent here, but it starts to taste more like natural spearmint as the finish continues forward. There is some roasted almonds in the finish as well. There is some light floral notes in the later part of the finish, which contains jasmine and lavender flavors. There is a little bit of dry wood that lingers as well. Finally, there is a spicy gingerbread and allspice mixture that can be found as well.

With Water

Nose: The nose, after add a small amount of water, starts to take on a little bit more grain flavor, with citrus notes like grapefruit and lime becoming more dominant. The spice is a little more noticeable, and the agave backs off a little bit. There is a bit of pine that comes through in the nose now as well. There is less chestnut, and more peanut in the nose after adding water.

Arrival: The arrival has more vanilla, and a little bit of barley malt flavor now. There is still some nice spice and smooth agave flavor as well. The arrival is also slightly savory at this point, although it is so subtle, it is hard to pinpoint.

Body: The body is still predominantly the same as before. The difference here is that the body has a slightly bigger tartness, almost like black cherry. The body is more dry and astringent, with some pepper-like bitterness running in the finish.

Finish: After adding water, the finish is really floral and woody, with dominant earthiness to it. There is some bitter rose flavor, with some more raw grassy notes. The agave is still here, but there is less sweetness and tartness. The nut is still noticeable. It is also significantly more dry than before. The vanilla now is sticking around a bit longer than before.

Final Comments:  This is definitely a unique, fun tequila to try. It is prominently nutty and salty, with a variety of light complexities. Unlike a whisky, the complexities don’t scream at you, but they are still there. It isn’t hugely boozy or heavy, but it still has some flavor to speak of. It is an easy sipper, and it has a lot to offer, but it isn’t the most complex spirit in the world.

 

Why you’d buy it: For a fun, different tequila experience at an affordable price.

Why you wouldn’t: You don’t like salty nuts.

Score: 8.75/10

Review 184: Signatory Longmorn 1992/2010 18 Year

  

Review 184

11/16/13

Longmorn Signatory 1992/2010 18 Year: 46% abv

Background: These are some of my favorite, but perhaps most useless, reviews. This is a limited release Signatory bottling of Longmorn single malt whisky. It is a Scotch from Moray, Scotland. Longmorn started in 1893. Through various change of hands and amalgamations, Longmorn fell under the hands of Pernod Ricard which took over Chivas Brothers. Although Longmorn has a well rated 16 year old variant, we don’t get to see much of it here in Michigan. Most of Longmorn’s stock plays a backstage role in Chivas Regal blended Scotch. Unfortunately for us consumers, that means it is hard to find one. That’s where independent bottlers like Signatory come into play. This 18 Year old is aged in a Hogshead barrel, which I’m confident previously contained sherry (PX maybe?). I normally don’t talk about price in my reviews, but in this case, at $75, this is one of the most competitive 18 year old Scotches I can think of. Unfortunately, a majority of people won’t find this exact bottling, so this might only tell you a little about the quality of Longmorn in general.

Straight

Nose: As soon as you stick your nose in the glass, you get a mixture of complex aromas coming out of this single malt. There is an intense, woody complexity displays itself proudly, with hints of vanilla, huge malty sweetness, and dry fruits. It is the dry fruit aromas sprinkled in with the bold malt that I find truly intoxicating in the nose (no pun intended). There is aromas of cranberry, plums, subtle grape, and some apple in the nose. There is also a slightly vegetal grain note to it (a sort of green note), that hides in the background and just adds a little more bulk to the scent. There is even a bit of agave smell that is present here, which is quite unique for a Scotch. There is some soft sherry that probably goes along with the fruit notes commented on earlier. This would explain the darker color as well. There is some soft spice as well, with a little tickle of ginger on the nose, followed up with gentle nutmeg.  Overall, the nose is incredibly well balanced and enjoyable, with an endless amount of complexity to tap into.

Arrival: The arrival starts off just like the nose: bold and full of flavor. The initial flavor is packed with the same sherry-filled, oak heavy influence that we initially noticed. 46% paid off for this whisky without a doubt. The initial fruit notes include rich cherry, plums, succulent apple and cranberry. This is coupled with a big blast of vanilla and woodiness. There is a definite hot spiciness too, akin to cinnamon and allspice. There is also the maltiness that starts materializing in the arrival, but really making its largest appearance later on. To add to the sweetness, a bit of honey is added in, but fights against the spices and bitter pepper notes that are present in the arrival.

Body: The body is slightly less eventful than the arrival, partially due to how dramatic the arrival actually is. The body has a good showing of maltiness and woodiness to it, but the fruity flavors sort of thin out. Instead, there is a dry, semi-sweet character to the body. There is more bitterness in the body than anywhere else, but it is still very appropriate.

           

Finish: The finish comprises some hot, spicy notes in parallel with more vanilla and malt based notes on the gentler side of things. The spiciness is most dominant in the finish than anywhere else, and tends to overtake everything else, but there is still honey, malt, and wood flavors present as well. The finish is not as long as I would like it to be, and the flavor dies out slightly quicker than expected, but an endurance race between sherry and malt to last the longest. It is dry and has a good amount black peppercorn present. Overall, the finish is probably the weakest part of the whisky.

With Water

Nose: After adding a little bit of water, the Longmorn undergoes a little bit of a transformation. On the nose, a little more confectionary aroma is present, along with a very subtle savory jerky note as well. The malt notes are more prominent after water.

Arrival: The arrival is slightly less intense now, while still having the honey and vanilla prevalent up front. Along with that, flavors of caramel covered apples, cinnamon and nutmeg, and molasses come through in the arrival as well.

Body: The body is still alive and kicking here. The fruits are coming through more in the body now, although the whisky has to be agitated slightly to notice them. The plums and cranberries are big. Otherwise, the body is pretty much the same animal as before.

Finish: What is most surprising about the finish here is that it is even bigger than it was before. The finish lasts longer and has more intensity, bringing forth some of the ginger from the arrival, along with strong notes of honey and wood spices. The finish is still dry, and has a thin mouth feel, but it seems to be more alive after just a little water.  The finish definitely has a more dusty and peppery character now. 

Final Comments:  Longmorn is a fairly off-the-map distillery, but I have to say, I’m more than impressed enough with their whisky. If you were to pin this up against Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, and Macallan 18 Yr olds, this would be undoubtedly the best quality, best value for money, and most unique whisky among them by a large margin. It also tastes like a mature whisky, having more presence of wood and complex flavors that might not be found in a 10 year old whippersnapper. This is a personal favorite, although there is plenty to be desired in terms of complexity. Since this is the only Longmorn I’ve had, I can’t recommend them in all earnest, but I can say I will be buying another bottle someday, without a doubt.

 

Why you’d buy it: You have the chance to.

Why you wouldn’t: You’ll probably not find it anyway.

Score: 9.25/10

Review 183: Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Imperial Stout

Review 183

11/15/13

Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Imperial Stout: 10.5% abv

Background: Oskar Blues, a Colorado brewery started in 1997, has just released their seasonal imperial stout for this season, and it is making an impact (on my wallet). Oskar Blues is a cool brewery, because they were the first American brewery to can their beers, and they’re still doing it. Ten Fidy, is a stout made with two-row malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley, flaked oat and hops, and it is rated at 98 IBUs (International Bitterness Units). Oskar Blues even says that the amount of malt is ENORMOUS. Well now, this sounds like my kind of beer already.

Nose: Immediately, a chocolaty maltiness comes through the nose prominently. The nose actually has some fudge in it, along with a good amount of frothy cream right on the top of the glass. There is actually a heavy whipped cream-like smell right in the glass, with a slight yeast complementing the dark, smooth notes. The nose here isn’t horribly complex, but does resemble a classic stout, offering up a pleasant balance in the flavors. There is a bit of vanilla ice cream smell coming through, with dried fruits and slight anise becoming noticeable as the beer warms up. There is a definite sweetness to the nose, but neither the sweetness nor the richness over-dominates the meek aroma of the beer.

Arrival: The arrival of this beer lets you know you’re dealing with a blast of malt without hesitation. The malt tastes roasty and nutty, but it’s almost like a light roast. There is a subtle earthy, raw barley grain note that sits in the background of the arrival as well. The arrival is still characteristically creamy and smooth, with a strong presence of chocolate and vanilla bean. With a little bit of agitation, the arrival shows off some vanilla-dominant root beer flavors.  After the beer warms up, there is a slight bit of hops that starts to play into the beer, but it isn’t very overbearing. There is a slight presence of apple and berries that comes through in the arrival, but it is a soft, implied note.

Body: The body is where a hoppiness in the beer starts to peak. The absolutely fantastic thing about this beer is that, even at the peak of the hops, the balance of malt and hops is so harmonically coordinated, it doesn’t stand out at all in the medley of flavors. The vanilla is big here, but with the texture and creaminess, this can most accurately be described as a root beer float. The fruit from before bleeds into the body and trickles off as the beer progresses on the palate.

Finish: The finish, contributing a huge amount of flavor, is such a pleasurable experience. This is a truly quality crafted beer. Besides the balance, the chocolate flavor doesn’t just taste like Hershey’s chocolate. It tastes like high quality authentic German chocolate straight out of the chocolate factory. The maltiness, creaminess, and vanilla are balanced near perfectly with the gentle, controlled, perfectly implemented hops. The malt in the finish is artfully crafted as well. There is a dry yeastiness that finishes off the beer.

Final Comments:  Oskar Blues, as far as I’m concerned, just started coming out of the woodwork here in Michigan this year. The first product of theirs that drew my attention was Dale’s Pale Ale. I actually drink the Old Chub Scotch Ale on a regular basis. When this beer came out, I was very interested in seeing what it had to bring to the extremely crowded stout table, while many others have just criticized it for its steep price ($17/4). Ten Fidy, besides its admittedly embarrassing name, is one of the most delicious, traditional style American stouts I’ve had thus far. It is not what one would call unique, and it is definitely malt heavy in comparison to other stouts. Regardless of the price, I would recommend this one to anybody, although it is not the most complex beer on the shelves by any stretch of the imagination. Still, Oskar Blues is doing something right in my mind, and I am convinced they’re here to stay.

Why you’d buy it: You want a malt monster stout with incredible balance.

Why you wouldn’t: You can’t afford a beer that costs $17 for four 12 ounce cans.

Score: 9.25/10

Review 182: Smokehead Scotch Whisky

Review 182

11/11/13

Smokehead: 43% abv

Background: After a most certainly disappointing experience on the last review (which I didn't bother posting), I decided to start fresh again and to a Single Malt Scotch that I knew wouldn’t disappoint. This is Smokehead, and what an ominous title for a whisky to hold, not to mention the packaging. This bad boy was one of the two peated Islay malts that KCM tried last year. You might be asking yourself about the “Smokehead” Distillery, so let me clarify. This is actually an independent bottling, branded as its own Scotch and distilled in Scotland. Smokehead doesn’t divulge where it hails from, but I get the distinct impression it is Argbeg’s dirty work. It is a smoky one, as you might have guessed. The next question you might ask is “But K, tons of marketing, little information, and fancy packaging, isn’t this just another marketing gimmick then?”. Not exactly. Unlike Pumpkin Face Rum *shudder*, this Scotch actually offers something in terms of value. I’m about to prove it to you.

Straight

Nose:  As soon as you bring the glass to your nose, you will believe. The smell is immediately smoky, rich, and intense, delivering on every promise the title of this whisky has implied to you. The nose is almost chocolatey, it is so rich, with a dark, deep peat smell to it. It is, without a question of a doubt, a beautiful smell. The smell is full of wood smoke, saltiness, and savory notes is prominent. There is smooth, vanilla flavor as well. Specific flavors are not as exposed in the nose, but the whole experience is huge.

Arrival: The arrival is relatively dry, with a slight peppery spice, and some zesty peat coming through. Unfortunately, the thick flavor doesn’t come through true and strong in the arrival. That being said, there is a still a complexity of spice and saltiness. There is some molasses and honey coming through, but a relatively youthful barley spirit taste.

Body: This is where the whisky really shines. The spiciness, saltiness and peat come to full fruition at this point. There is a definite fruity sweetness that comes through, which seems to really differentiate this from Kilchoman, although the two have some commonalities (minus the intense tobacco which you don’t find nearly as much). There is even some peppercorn bitterness in the body, which is not overwhelming, but adds dimension to the whole event.

           

Finish: The finish is an interesting, intense moment with Smokehead. It lasts a long time, and truly brings out a cluster of flavors. The peatiness is there, but the seaweed and salt flavors, with a dark, smoky chocolate are the stars of this show. There is some molasses adding richness, with cloves and allspice adding zest. There is just a little bit of mint as well. This isn’t the most complex whisky, but it is really bold, and it’s quite enjoyable.  

With Water

Nose: With water, the nose brings out intensity of vanilla and sweetness, which starts to balance with the peat quite well.

Arrival: With water, the arrival becomes much sweeter, with some amount of agave and honey coming through, as well as some sugar. Interestingly, as the whisky sits, more wood smoke becomes apparent.

Body: The body mellows out with water, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. The spicy intensity backs off and more vanilla comes to the front. There is still a good amount of peat, but there is a berry fruitiness that comes through.

Finish: The finish is very interesting with water added. There is a different sweetness becoming apparent. There is definitely some fruit sweetness, akin to pears and apples, with smoky caramel and slight tobacco. It is a light smokiness, with heavy overtones at the very end. It becomes nicely savory after a while, like some spicy bacon. This is very subtle though.

Final Comments: Smokehead is inconsistent, to say the least. It is dark and rich in the nose, light and somewhat diluted in the arrival, and then massive in the body. Somebody who doesn’t drink peated whisky might not feel the same way, but in comparison to some of the Laphroaigs and Ardbegs, this lacks some of the intensity. That being said, this is a very decent whisky for the money, and it is something different from your standard offerings. I think what would set this Scotch over the edge would be bottling it at a higher proof. This could even stand to be at 48%. In any case, there is plenty of room for growth, but it is a good start as it is.  

 

Why you’d buy it: You’ve tried the big dogs, and want variety

Why you wouldn’t: It is really hard to compete with Laphroaig 18 Yr

Score: 8.25/10