Review 196: Tomatin 18 Year

Review 196

12/29/13

Tomatin 18 Year: 46% abv

Background: So the last two reviews have been a series of disappointments, with trends of improving quality as the age statement increases. The 18 Year could be a different story altogether though (perhaps wishful thinking…). Here is the theory though: 18 Year Old Tomatin is uniquely different because, besides being bottled older, it is also 46% as opposed to 43%. It is also aged in specifically Oloroso sherry casks. Finally, the 18 Year is explicated stated as being a non-chill filtered whisky. It is KCM’s sincerest hope that this whisky ends up being a better contender than the other two as a reasonably priced alternative to the mainstays.

Straight

Nose: The nose starts off forward in a perfume-like, sherried aroma. It is delicate, citrusy, and floral. The nose, as in every other case, is actually fairly enjoyable. Aromas of marmalade, plums, and cranberry are present in the nose, with a small tartness associated with green apples and other fruits. This is probably the most balanced nose any of these whiskies has displayed. It is more complex, more interesting and more balanced. There is a bit of maltiness, as well as portraying a small amount of raw grain flavor. Ultimately, the unique fruit notes are what set this malt apart. It doesn’t even remind me of an Oloroso sherry, uniquely enough. There is a certain berry-esque blend, and I’m crossing my fingers that this Single Malt actually carries that into the taste.

Arrival: The arrival starts off encouraging. It demonstrates some of the anticipated fruitiness in the nose. It also has a floral, lean, almost coastal flavor to it. There is an intense wood smokiness that is beginning to develop as well. It doesn’t taste peaty though. It tastes ashy and wood-like. There are some interesting older whisky flavors, like leather and hot spices. There is some vanilla, and evident sawdust in the arrival as it enters the body, but it quickly fades off. There is a slight hint of raisons and sherry, but it is hardly noticeable.

Body: The body still demonstrates a strong presence of smoke and malt. There are some big spices in the body of this whisky. Cinnamon and ginger are coming through. The body is hugely woody and intense, uncharacteristic of the last two bottlings. There is a combat of sweetness from the sherry and an interesting bitterness that gives the body great balance and intensity. It is relentless.

Finish: The finish is hugely coastal, and hugely malty. It has some very similar characteristics to Jura. There is a big, beefy saltiness in the finish. There is some definite dry pepper and citrus that also adds to the intensity of this whisky. Hints of apple, pear, and melon are present in the finish as well. There is an interesting mint and nut taste coming through in the finish as the whisky opens up. The finish is complex, and like every part of this whisky thus far, brutally strong.

With Water

Nose: This bottling definitely warrants a second look after adding a little water. At 46%, and with its demonstrated intensity and complexity, there is plenty to talk about. The nose is much more intense in fruitiness and floralness. It has a rounded, rich smell to it, with an almost chocolate raspberry smell off the nose. There is vanilla and spice smell emanating from the whisky as well. Overall, the nose is still tantalizing, and very fruity and rounded.

Arrival: The arrival is spicy, and still very coastal in its presence. It has an intense brininess. There is a lot of wood spice, gingerbread, and hot cinnamon on the arrival. It has lost some of the initial fruitiness, and some of the wood smoke. This is so much better than every other expression that I’ve tasted, and it is also substantially better after adding water.

Body: The body is a good connection from the arrival to the finish, having a soft medley containing most of the flavors, but at a much better balance. There is still a hint of raw grain present in the taste, but it isn’t so distastefully obvious and unbalanced so it actually adds from the whisky instead of muting the complexity.

Finish: This is exactly what this whisky was meant to be. The intensity balances out, the flavors meld together beautifully, and this becomes a tamed beast. After a few drinks, it still has the hot, spicy Clynelish-like highland spiciness and briny coastal flavors. It still has a bit of harshness and intensity to it, but it is definitely tolerable. Finally, a bit of the sherry starts to become somewhat obvious at the very end.

Final Comments: So Tomatin has made a last minute redemption. With three reviews in this series, it was becoming painfully obvious that KCM seems not to favor the new make Tomatin, which is strongly dominant over the oak. The 18 Year, with a number of differences from the previous versions, overcomes this with a compelling complexity, brutish intensity, and craft presentation. This shows that Tomatin isn’t an awful spirit, but I would argue that this indicates older bottlings are probably more favorable in flavor. That being said, it would be interesting to try an independent bottling of young Tomatin and see how it compared. In any case, this is not on the top of the list, but it is a challenging whisky to try to enjoy. I just wouldn’t personally want a whole bottle of it to enjoy.

Why you’d buy it: You like intense, spicy, well rounded whiskies from Scotland.

Why you wouldn’t: There are other Highland malts that do a better job at a better price.

Score: 8.5 /10

Review 195: Tomatin 15 Year

Review 195

12/22/13

Tomatin 15 Year: 43% abv

Background: So yesterday, we reviewed the 12 Year old Tomatin. We first started speaking positively about the way Tomatin is bottling their whiskies, and ended on a strongly negative note about the whisky itself. It should be said although certain whiskies are bad, that does not mean we are against the company. That being said, even if we support a company from a theoretical standpoint, that doesn’t mean we will create artificial praise for it. This 15 Year, bottled at the same proof, is similar to the 12 Year. That being said, it is aged in “Traditional” Scotch whisky casks, which I can only assume means bourbon refill casks. We hope to get better results out of this whisky than we did the 12 Year.

Straight

Nose: Immediately, the same raw barley smell comes out of the nose as in the 12 Year. Fortunately, this doesn’t over-dominate the nose. As the whisky opens up, a nice blend of fresh citrus and floral notes are in the aroma. There is also some vanilla-dominant notes, and some crisp malt that is more akin to an anCnoc or Glengoyne than anything else. This is, in my opinion, a better aroma than the raw barley smell. This is definitely still Tomatin though, with a nose containing fresh green apple and lemon zest. A more seasoned oak flavor comes out here, which is promising. There is a slightly Champagne-like smell, with soft herbal and green notes layering into the nose. Overall, it seems like an improvement over the 12 Year.

Arrival: Fresh spiciness greets the arrival. There is still a definite sense of raw grain, and that comes out more in the body. Even still, there is more maturity, more balance, and more spiciness here than in the 12. Slight notes of honey and vanilla come through in the arrival.

Body: The body of this whisky takes on the bulk of the raw grain flavor, while still showing off some amount of spiciness and citrus. This is still the weakest part of the whisky, but at least it gives off a little bit of oakiness.

Finish: The finish is very similar to a softer Glenlivet. I am not a fan of Glenlivet, but there is a fantastic fruit-like freshness in the finish, blending green grapes, green apples, succulent citrus, and some soft herbal notes to get a similar effect without the overbearing sense of artificial fruit sweetness. There is some black pepper and nutmeg in the finish. An intense greenness still shows a prominence as the rest of the flavors mellow out in this whisky. Cloves are a dominant part of the finish. 

Final Comments: This is definitely a step up from the 12 Year. This could be possibly explained by the choice of cask. Tomatin still has a distinctive taste, as we are beginning to understand, that doesn’t really appeal to us. Although we have yet to try the 18 Year, the 12 and 15 lack the same complexity as other whiskies in their price ranges. The quality of casks still appears to be the obvious answer here. All of this being said, the 15 Year is light years ahead of the 12.

Why you’d buy it: There still really isn’t an obvious reason. Brand loyalty maybe?

Why you wouldn’t: Between Glenlivet (never thought I’d say that), Glengoyne, and anCnoc, this doesn’t offer anything better.

Score: 6.25/10

Review 194: Tomatin 12 Year

Review 194

12/21/13

Tomatin 12 Year: 43% abv

In a tragic turn of events, I lost the actual contents of this review. As a result, I can only give you a brief summary of what was in here. That isn't much of a problem, because it wasn't much positive content in this review to begin with. Tomatin 12 Year is not good. With an awfully dominant pine resin flavor and little to no complexity to speak of, I would highly recommend walking past this one. I cannot recall the actual score, but it was around 4 out of 10. 

Review 193: Caol Ila 18 Year

  

Review 193

12/15/13

Caol Ila 18 Year: 43% abv

Background: Caol Ila, pronounced “Cull Eala”, is probably the most overlooked Single Malt from Islay, even with some of the new comers. Founded in 1846 new Port Askaig, Caol Ila sends most of their whisky to be unnoticed in bottles of Johnnie Walker and Black Bottle, partial due to its light, soft peat balance. Caol Ila generally has only a few bottlings, and it isn’t going to be in your standard supermarket. You might assume that Caol Ila doesn’t bottle a lot of their own whisky because it isn’t worth drinking on its own. Well, here is the very reasonably priced 18 Year Caol Ila, and we’re about to tell you whether or not that’s a safe assumption.

Straight

Nose: A beautiful smooth graininess comes off of the nose right off the bat. There is a slight maltiness, but more significant to note is the blend of different grain flavors that come through in the aroma. There is a slight peatiness to the whisky, but it is a wet, mossy peat smell, not the dark, rich smoky smell you might recognize off of a Laphroaig. There is also a toasty wood smell complemented with floral, rose aromas. Unlike many other Islay malts, there is a very pleasant blend of soft fruitiness, with smells of peaches and tangerines coating over the nose. There is a slight nuttiness that also comes through on the nose as well. To add to the complexity of this malt, there is mild salt, and clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon spiciness that play a subtle role in this Scotch. There is even a little bit of sugary flavor  It is artfully balanced.

Arrival: The arrival starts off unusually calm for a Islay Scotch, displaying an array of malty flavors. It doesn’t take much to realize this isn’t your average peaty beast. There is sweet apple and vanilla notes on the arrival, with a slight clove and allspice flavor following close behind. A little bit of peat and saltiness is found in the arrival, but it stays dormant until the body. There is a bit of sugary sweetness as well, and it adds another dimension to the beginning of this malt.

Body: The body takes a role of integrating some peat and malt tones with the intimate, soft spiciness that is so characteristic of this malt. There is a very unique root beer/cola type flavor that comes through in the body and carries into the finish. It is also filled with a large blanket of vanilla flavor.

Finish: There is a beautiful collaboration between the spice notes here, still being predominantly clove and allspice, and the salty peat flavor that is innate in most Islay malts. There is also some ginger spice to be tasted, but it gets lost under the peat after just a few seconds. There is a cool, refreshing note at the end of this malt that is very similar to other peaty Scotches. A bitter, but quiet cameo from the oak cask comes into the finish, just barely introducing itself and then exiting again. Even hints of smoky tobacco trace through the finish, but it is just light, fleeting instances of this that are noticeable.

With Water

Nose: Adding a small amount of water brings out a little more peat flavor. The brutish smokiness of peat starts to become a little more dominant, and the smooth malt grain begins to fade back.

Arrival: The arrival, reflective of the changes in the nose, is more salty and peaty now than before. It is very much similar to a peat presence that Lagavulin might have. The brininess is surprisingly bigger here. There is still a zestiness to the whisky, and the spice comes through noticeably enough, but it simply is becoming less prevalent with the peat flavor.

Body: The body here is relatively unchanged, still holding the balance between spicy character and peatiness in the whisky. And it is still a really enjoyable experience.

Finish: The finish becomes fairly floral and peaty with water, with a slight likeness to gin botanicals just hiding in the background. There is also some black peppercorn present in the finish as well.

Final Comments:  Referring back to the beginning of the review, there was a question of whether or not this whisky is of lesser quality because of its significant gap in popularity in comparison to some of the other peat beasts in the  Islay category. I believe the only reason this whisky struggles against the others is because it struggles to find a niche. Every aspect of this whisky is exceptional, and without a doubt, it is a bargain as an 18 Year old Scotch. For the people looking for big peat, this might not be on the top of the list, but it is well worth a try. This is a personal favorite.

Why you’d buy it: You aren’t afraid to look less manly than the guy drinking Laphroaig Quarter Cask

Why you wouldn’t: You judge masculinity by the peatiness of the whisky you drink (weirdo).

Score: 9.0/10

Review 192: Compass Box Hedonism

Review 192

12/14/13

Compass Box Hedonism: 43% abv

Background: Hedonism is the unique offering by Compass Box that is really the show piece of this review series. First off, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. Hedonism, for those of you who don’t know, is a school of thought that we as people should do everything in our power to maximize our pleasure, and that pleasure is the greatest good. Fortunately, this is not a philosophical article, so I’ll end it there. Obviously there is some implication that this whisky is pleasurable, but we have to find that out for ourselves. What makes this unique, though, is the fact that this is a blended GRAIN whisky, which differentiates it from all of the other whiskies in this series. Blended Scotch is comprised of two elements: single malt and single grain. Blended malts are just single malts from multiple distilleries. The other side of the fence that we rarely see in Scotch is blended grain whiskies, which are single grain whiskies from multiple distilleries. Greenore is a great example of a Single Grain whiskey made in Ireland. Now Hedonism offers us a chance to experience what the other side of Scotch whisky can be. Hedonism is made from 70% East Lowland Single Grain and 30% West Lowland Single Grain in 100% First Fill American Oak. Here we go.

Straight

Nose:  On the nose is a familiar smell that can only be traced back to Blended Scotch. The smell is young and fresh, with sweet vanilla and banana right up front. There is a sense of coconut and slight nuttiness that comes through at first. The nose also has a candied aroma to it, with even a bit of custard in the nose. A strong note of sugar cookies and vanilla extract is prominent as the whisky opens up. The whisky starts to smell floral and perfume-like after some time, but in a light and elegant way. There is some fresh oak smell, but noticeably fresh maple wood also overlays the entire experience. To work along with the fresh maple is some subtle molasses notes. It is obvious, if reading through these notes, how incredibly sweet this smells, almost smelling like a light rum rather than a whisky. It does sit close to Greenore in style thus far.

Arrival: The arrival starts off surprisingly bitter and woody, with some sugar cookie and sweets coming in a little later. It is surprising how well the flavors actually complement each other. The bitter wood flavor is not over-dominant, but it does catch the drinker a bit off guard from the initial experience with the nose. There is a complexity of wheat grain, with a noticeable amount of rum-like molasses coming through. There is a little bit of peppery spice. A bit of apple pulls through into the body from the arrival.

Body: The body is dry and sweet, pulling the sugary flavors from the arrival through and amplifying, but not without a dry woody mouth-feel. In the body, there is an apple-like taste that spawns from the arrival, but doesn’t last very long. There is an odd tartness that also makes a brief appearance in the body as well.

Finish: Extreme notes of sugar cookies and subtle lemon drops come through in the finish. There is a presence of wheat and yeast, along with some amount vanilla extract. As if I were reviewing the flavors on a baking show, there is a flowery-dry mouth feel and taste that holds through in the end of the spirit.  Spicy notes dive in that include nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, having an almost Christmas holiday flavor to it.

With Water

Nose: It is clear that water tries to curb the innate sweetness of the whisky, drawing back some of the sweetness and bringing out a bit of spicy wood flavor. That being said, it feels like a losing battle, with most of the flavor being unchanged.

Arrival: The arrival carries a little more spiciness than before. The sweetness is pushed back a little bit, but still plays a dominant role.

Body: The body is largely unchanged, but actually shortens and becomes less prominent with the addition of water. There is a bit of spicy bitterness that wasn’t as prevalent as before.

Finish: The finish shows off a greater blend of dry fruits and wood flavor and complexity. There is still dominant sweetness, but it is complemented by a greater complexity of flavors. A similar mint flavor from some other Compass Box whiskies starts to appear given a little time.

Final Comments:  This is definitely in stark contrast to anything else in the world of Scotch Whisky. It is an insightful view on what the other part of Blended Scotch is. That being said, the balance of sweetness to other flavors is not very strong, at the whole experience is disappointingly simplistic. If the price of this Scotch was less than it is, it would be a very solid offering, but unfortunately, it isn’t. It doesn’t justify its own price, and with a competitor like Greenore that appears to be more complex, similar in style, and less than half as expensive, this doesn’t have much of a purpose. At $50, this would be a good buy.

Why you’d buy it: You have a strong allegiance to Scotland and want a good grain whisky.

Why you wouldn’t: Greenore offers similar quality and style for a significant savings in cost.

Score: 8.25/10

Review 191: Compass Box Peat Monster

Review 191

12/10/13

Compass Box Peat Monster: 46% abv

Background: As a huge swing from Spice Tree, Peat Monster takes on a completely differently angle of Scotch with the darker side of peaty, powerful flavor. Compass Box has proven to be good at this kind of thing, too, with their Flaming Heart being a very popular, praised malt blend. This particular whisky sits at 46%, which we are happy about, and is composed of 49% Islay malt, 30% Highland malt, and 21% Island malt. The whisky is aged in virtually all new American oak casks, with 1% being exposed to French oak. And although we have a bottle of this, we decided to open the vile and include it in our Compass Box series. Here are the thoughts.

Straight

Nose:  With a dry, malty peat aroma immediate on the nose, it is clear that this will be a nice one. There is almost a smell of baked bread in the nose, along with a slight saltiness and sea water. There is a strong sense of oakiness on the arrival, which adds an element of intensity. The nose seems almost completely void of any fruitiness, with a very subtle hint of vanilla. Between leather, sawdust, and burnt wood, the dry style of the aroma is noticeable. It appears in this case that the fresh wood has dominated the aroma, because after opening up, it is difficult to pull more.

Arrival: The Peat Monster does not disappoint, with a malty, heavily salty and smoky arrival. It doesn’t taste overwhelming, and has a remarkable balance. There is a strong seaweed-like flavor, with some clove and cinnamon spice really blasting in. The oak is definitely present on the arrival, with a slight savory meatiness developing late in the arrival.

Body: The body takes on more of the salt and smoke body, while adding fresh tobacco into the mix, much like the similar style of Kilchoman. The cinnamon and clove really jump into the body, giving it the type of spicy, but smoky presence. It is so rich in the body, making the whole event more dynamic.

Finish: Getting into the finish, the smoke leaves its lasting impression as the Peat Monster slumps away into the dark abyss. The Monster has left a nice blend of refined saltiness, peat smoke, and smooth malt. In addition, small hints of fruitiness actually start to emerge, perhaps in the wake of the Monster. There is actually an interesting cayenne pepper heat to the finish, which is so unique to find in a whisky. The finish is certainly earthy, with a strangely similar flavor to agave hiding at the back of tongue. There is a slightly medicinal hint to the end of the finish, with a dark, phenol quality to it.

With Water

Nose: Water is a definite favor to the nose. The nose becomes more floral and sweet, adding some sugarcane and grain notes that were harder to identify before. The peat stays strong, due to the higher proof, and the whisky remains well balanced on the nose. There is still no real sign of fruitiness in the aroma.

Arrival: The arrival is much sweeter after adding water,  almost to a disappointing degree. The arrival is more mild and controlled, and the peat backs off substantially. There is more vanilla, and even a little bit of apple

Body: The peatiness is still present in the body, with a grill smoke flavor and some savory notes. The body has declined a lot in comparison to before.

Finish: The spice in the finish is more pronounced, with more allspice than anything coming through, and even some ginger to be noted. The finish tastes almost zesty at this point, with a slightly Italian spice taste to it. The medicinal quality to the finish is also enhanced in the finish, now bringing out a cough syrup like flavor at the end.

Final Comments: Peat Monster is very much like Spice Tree. It is not considered the most complex whisky in the world, and certainly the nose proved to be highly disappointing. That being said, this is a solid offering and offers a unique blend of Kilchoman dry smokiness, and the salty intensity of Laphroaig. It is such a lovely medley of peat flavor that any peat-happy malt drinker would appreciate the hugeness of flavor. It seems like the whisky shouldn’t be exposed to a lot of water, in order to retain the pure, natural flavors that it has to offer, despite how it enhances the nose. Overall, a very solid offering in the world of peated whisky, and worth the buy.

 

Why you’d buy it: A nice, smoky offering from an innovative blender.

Why you wouldn’t: You like more fruitiness to your peated whisky.

Score: 8.5/10

Review 190: Compass Box Spice Tree

Review 190

12/9/13

Compass Box Spice Tree: 46% abv

Background: Getting more intense in the Compass Box range is the first 46% whisky offering. Spice Tree is another blended malt, and there is an obvious foreshadowing present in the name of this bottle that might hint you off to what it tastes like. Spice Tree is made up of 60% North Highland malt, 20% Highland malt, and 20% Speyside Malt, interestingly the same proportions as with Oak Cross. To add to the list of similarities, Spice Tree also uses American and French oak casks, but this time 80% of the aging takes place in the French oak. So, from a strictly theoretical standpoint, this could be a very similar whisky to Oak Cross. The fun part about it is we won’t know until we try it, which we’re going to do now!

Straight

Nose: Right out of the glass, you can tell this is a much different whisky than the Oak Cross. From a fresh start, this whisky smells more composed and refined than the Oak Cross, with a thicker nose demonstrating more maturity and complexity. There is a slight hint of savory red wine, with a rich malt and vanilla combination complimenting the aroma. It is spicy, with some white pepper and cloves gently introducing themselves from the glass. The oak in this whisky smells fresh and mellow, instead of harsh and sappy. There is crisp, fresh apple in the nose, which compliments the sweetness of the vanilla and malt. There is also some sweet molasses and caramel in the nose, which starts to become more noticeable and pleasant as the whisky opens up. The nose on this whisky is so much more composed than in Oak Cross, it feels like a different blender altogether.  

Arrival: With a bounty of sweet apple and malt in the arrival, this whisky quickly tells you it isn’t messing around. Sweet caramel and molasses, sugarcane, and a hint of brilliant spice. The oak in the arrival is pleasant and noticeable, but not rough or undrinkable. Left with enough time, a bit of spiciness will start to emerge on the palate, but becomes way more noticeable in the body. There is a bit of smokiness and leftover

Body: The body fulfills the prophecy that the label has foretold. There is some definite clove, allspice, and pepper in the body. It still holds on to the glorious maltiness, along with a certain amount of fruit. The balance of flavors in the body is remarkable. It might just be trying to compare Oak Cross to this that makes this seem like such a great whisky, but it truly is well balanced. There is a bit of mint and cinnamon that start to develop as well.

Finish: The finish of this whisky can only be described as succulent. Succulent apple, strawberry, and huge, full-flavored malty goodness make this finish worth basking in. The finish of this whisky steals the show without a doubt. The medley of balanced spice notes in the finish is still apparent, but it fades away as the sweeter notes replace them.  Given time though, this balance will change. This does have a striking semblance to Clynelish. There is also a slightly cool, refreshing experience to the whisky as well.

With Water

Nose: After adding water, the nose becomes slightly more fruity, with a bit of juicy ripe fruit coming across. The barley smell is softer and greener now, and there is a definite vegetal quality to the aroma that was not present before. There is some lavender and perfume-like smells that are starting to develop as well, getting almost floral in quality.

Arrival: With water, the fresh malt of the whisky, and savory, almost grape/wine like succulence of the flavor returns to the whisky. It is strikingly similar to before in taste, but there is a slightly better balance of flavors.

Body: The body has an almost Irish Whiskey character to it after adding water. There is an interesting mineral-like taste to it, with a nice earthiness and a healthy spice. The oak in the body is in healthy proportion.

Finish:  There is definitely a grainy, vegetal character to this whisky after adding water. The finish brings forth more earthy tones, while still keeping the fruit and spiciness dominant. The balance is enjoyable, although it is clear after a few swigs that the “Spice Tree” is still fighting for dominance. There is some spearmint present in the finish as well.

Final Comments: When the bottle was first opened, this whisky started off fairly succulent. Given enough time, the aforementioned spice will begin to flood the taste buds. It isn’t unpleasant at any point, though, and it tends to work for this whisky. The fullness of flavor is certainly present, and the oakiness to the finish is enjoyable. Adding water just enhances the balance and flavor contribution. It is sad to say, but Spice Tree just makes Oak Cross look WRONG. They are not similar in style, but they do have some commonalities that beg the question of why Oak Cross is so unpleasant. This is such a great whisky as it stands, and stands strong against solid bottlings like Clynelish 14 Year. This is truly demonstrates that Compass Box is capable of some great stuff.

 

Why you’d buy it: You like an intense, full whisky with some bite to it.

Why you wouldn’t: You didn’t bother reading this review and tried Oak Cross.

Score: 8.5/10

Review 189: Compass Box Oak Cross

Review 189

12/8/13

Compass Box Oak Cross: 43% abv

Background: Oak Cross is the first whisky in the range of Compass Box selection that is offered as a blended malt. Oak Cross is made up of 60% northern Highland single malt, 20% Highland single malt, and 20% Speyside Single Malt. It is aged for 60% of its life in first fill American Oak casks, and 40% of its life in new French Oak casks. It is still considered a relatively young whisky, we assume, but that shouldn’t be a terribly incriminating feature, considering how young Compass Box is as a company. It is also bottled slightly higher than Asyla, which gives it another plus. 

Straight

Nose: The nose for this whisky starts off with a slight maltiness, but quickly reveals some peculiar qualities. The nose does have a substantial saltiness to it, along with an odd note of baking soda. It is creamy, and has some vanilla overtones, with dried fruits and sawdust present. There is slight grapefruit citrus and pear, with a fresh medley of grain flavor. Overall, the baking soda seems to be an over-dominant flavor in the aroma, which creates an edgy, harsh nose. The nose is not terribly complex, nor is it thick or concentrated. That being said, the brininess to the nose can be enjoyable at times, and presents a very sea-salt like layer to the nose that is highly reminiscent of Old Pulteney 12 Year.

Arrival:  The arrival starts off with a quick introduction of maltiness, followed by saltiness and a hoppy/floral bitterness. The arrival is not hugely complex, with the same softness as the Asyla. It just packs a saltier punch. There is a sense of oakiness in the arrival, which tastes primarily American.

Body: There is an odd prominence of citrus and acidity in the body, which seems to disrupt the event of drinking this whisky. This seems fairly similar to Jura’s 10 year old whisky. As the whisky creeps into the body, a fluoride-like flavor develops. There is mild spiciness that starts to develop in the body, but it doesn’t take a dominant role until the finish.

Finish: The baking soda is back in full effect in the finish. There is a prominence of saltiness, tartness, and malt that pulls from the rest of the whisky. There is a clash of pepper and clove in the finish, along with vanilla and spicy oak. It feels like the French Oak is taking over at this point and really asserting its dominance. There is some hops-like bitterness in the finish as well.

With Water

Nose: Water does not seem to curb the salty, baking soda aromas from this whisky. In fact, it might even enhance them. There is a slight shoe polish type smell to this. In general don’t let somebody smell this before they try it, or they may never try it.

Arrival: The maltiness in the arrival opens up a lot more after adding water, and as the whisky hits the back of the tongue, a much more open flavor of fresh fruit and floral notes appears. It is a pleasant surprise in stark contrast to the baking soda. There is a substantial amount of apple in the arrival now as well.

Body: With a little bit of clove, gingerbread, and other dry spices, the mouthfeel in the body has become very dry. The body has eliminated some saltiness, which is good considering the extreme lack of balance that would have presented to the whisky.

Finish: Like the body, the mouthfeel in the finish is now incredibly dry, and the maltiness to the finish has been replaced by more spices, assumingly from the French Oak cask. It appears that the addition of water say made the finish of this whisky slightly intolerable, to be frankly honest. There is more hotness than there is flavor. 

Final Comments: This is not the most positive review. Let’s be clear though, KCM doesn’t have a grudge against salty whiskies. Old Pulteney is one of my favorite distilleries, personally. The problem here is that the flavors are not terribly complementary, and the employment of fresh casks seems to be adding a harshness to the whisky that just isn’t doing it any favors. This isn’t a terribly whisky either, though. The spirit itself tastes good, and there doesn’t appear to be any burn associated with impure alcohol. The flavor of baking soda, however, just isn’t adding to the blend. Disappointing, we’d like to see a better lower end offering out of Compass Box, but we’ll just have to keep looking.

 

Why you’d buy it: You want to feel sea-worthy.

Why you wouldn’t: Old Pulteney 12 Year is perfection in comparison for a similar price.

Score: 6.75/10

Review 188: Compass Box Asyla

Review 188

12/8/13

Compass Box Asyla: 40% abv

Background: Since we went into a lot of detail about Compass Box as a company in the review of their limited edition 4^th batch Flaming Heart (Review 152; 3/31/13), it is probably more appropriate to focus on this particular whisky for the review. This came as part of a 5-sample tasting set for Compass Box. This sampling set is very nice, because it goes into a lot of detail about each whisky. Asyla is a blended scotch, bottled at 40%. It is made up of 50% Lowland single grain, 40% Highland single malt, and 10% Speyside single malt, and is aged in 100% first fill American oak cases. This information provides a lot of context towards what to expect in the whisky, and exactly what you’re paying for. That being said, it does not mention the aging time of the whisky, but we believe we can take a guess anyway. Please enjoy our Compass Box series of reviews.

Straight

Nose: On the nose, there is not a question of a doubt that this is a young whisky. Despite having a high proportion of Single Malt whisky in it, it still has the distinctiveness of a blended Scotch. The nose has a lot of initial burn to it, but some light grape-like acidity that starts to appear as the aroma opens up. Along with this is a gentle medley of fruit flavors, including pear and apple. There is a subtle sign that malt exists in this dram, but it is overtaken by the dominant floral notes that are developing. As the whisky opens up, more and more pear and even some peach-like flavors are taking precedence. It is strikingly reminiscent of Glenfiddich 12 Year. Coupled with the fruit cocktail is some soft buttery vanilla smell. Although harsh at first, with some time, the smell really loses some of its edginess. The assertiveness of the oak is also noticeable in the nose.  

Arrival:  The arrival starts off very crisp and somewhat malty, but struggles to present a large array of flavors immediately. There is a little bit of a bready, wheat flavor that develops in the arrival, followed by a slight apple fruitiness. There is also a hint of Pinot Grigio popping out at the end of the arrival into the body.

Body: The body is slightly shallow, with a bready, acidic presence. The flavor is light and refined, but not terribly complex. In the body, there is a slightly unappealing alcohol burn that comes through, along with a slight amount of hop-like bitterness. This is also the most malty part of the whisky. This whisky is very much in the style of Glen Grant or Glengoyne in that respect, with a slightly more dominant acidity.

Finish: In the finish, blasts of malt and vanilla take over the taste buds, with a subtle residual of peach and grape. There is also a slight orange-like citrus tang that lingers through the finish., as well as a little bit of pear. There is a slightly dry, unnatural feeling coating the tongue which leads to an almost cardboard-like flavor. The malt and vanilla out last all other flavors, with a bit of rough alcohol also playing in. Finally, a subtle hint of agave creeps into the finish.

Final Comments: Overall, a Scotch like this competes with the likes of Isle of Sky, Pig’s Nose, and Black Bull, being a more malt-forward offering than most low-end blends. We didn’t really put any time into what the whisky is like with water, due to the fact that it doesn’t have enough flavor and presence to warrant further investigation at 40%. Don’t get me wrong, if you want to pay a little more for a nice, clean blended Scotch, then I would say this isn’t a bad option. The spirit doesn’t taste perfect, but it makes for a solid sipper. It does seem like, however, for just a little bit more, anCnoc or Glengoyne will give better value per dollar within a similar style.

 

Why you’d buy it: You want a simple blend with good flavor.

Why you wouldn’t: For a similar price, you could get an amazing Single Malt out of anCnoc 12 Year.

Score: 7.75/10

Review 187: Highland Park 12 Year

Review 187

12/7/13

Highland Park 12 Year: 43% abv

Background: Highland Park might be one of the most misleading names of Scotch whisky out there. The first thing you can ask is: Where is it from? Well, we know that Scotland is divided into six whisky-producing regions: The Highlands, the Lowlands, Speyside, Campbeltown, the Islands, and Islay. With this being said, the obvious answer is that HP is made in the Highlands. You’d be wrong though. Geographically speaking, this is still true, but this whisky is actually distilled on the island of Orkney, making it an Island Scotch. In fact, Highland Park holds the record for being the most northern distillery in Scotland. The only other distillery taking roost in Orkney is Scapa. Highland Park whiskies are known for their complex, beautiful bouquet of flavors and prestigious reputation. This is the standard offering, so let’s see how this one represents the brand.

Straight

Nose: The rich, alcohol-forward nose of this Highland Park is fruity and sweet, with a slight suggestion of a malty profile. There is some vanilla and banana right in the beginning, with some caramel and PX sherry overtones as well. To complement this sweetness is the smell of burnt sugar. Some spiciness is prevalent up front, with nutmeg, cloves, and oakiness on the nose. There is a fresh, crisp lemon to it with some grapefruit to follow, followed by a little bit of sweetened strawberry flavor and mild pear rind. There is a little bit of pecan that also hides in the nose. Finally, there is a layer of vegetal aroma which is quite subtle.

Arrival:  The arrival starts off with a nice blend of smoke, caramel, vanilla, and honey. It is a rich, complex arrival. The fruit flavor is a cranberry and red grapes. There is a substantial maltiness that starts to be introduced as the arrival concludes. There is a little bit of burnt sugar in the arrival that becomes pretty dominant.

Body: There is some nice fruitiness in the body akin to succulent red apples. As a KCM first, we noticed eucalyptus in the finish as a nice herbal note. The maltiness is dominant in the body. The body is still astringent and citrusy, a common characteristic of Highland Park whiskies. The sherry flavor is at its max in the body.

Finish: There is a spearmint like flavor that cools the tongue. The eucalyptus note carries into the finish. Some definite cranberry, red grape, grapefruit and orange citrus flavor can be noticed in the finish. There is a definite amount of peat development in the finish that was not as noticeable earlier. The clove from the nose also makes an epic return in the finish.

With Water

Nose: The nose still has a rich sweetness, with more confectionary like sugar smell to it. It has also curbed the burnt sugar smell substantially. The nose is definitely more docile than before. There is brown sugar, and a slightly interesting Catalpa wood present as well. The nose is still very rich, with clove and smoke.

Arrival: The arrival is much thinner than it was before adding water, with a presence of more club soda. There is a slightly floral note in the arrival now as well.

Body: There is a definite note of cocoa in the body. The body is still rich, but has a more crisp, bitterness to it now, with some floral suggestions as well. It is much different than before, and the sherry is much thinner now.

Finish: The cocoa from the body returns in the finish to make a reappearance. There is some confectioner’s sugar, and sugar cookie dough in the finish. There is also a contradicting note of salt. The vanilla is very dominant in the finish as well

Final Comments: Highland Park is a revered whisky brand around the world, having a legendary ring to the name. This practical bottling of Highland Park really starts to show us why. The nose has a great blend of different flavors. There is a substantial amount of the sweetness to the taste, but it is not over-dominant in one area. The complexity and uniqueness of this whisky is above its class in all ways. Without a doubt, Highland Park has made it hard to look towards other brands for a solid all-round whisky. That being said, this whisky does not compete with the likes of Glengoyne, Glen Grant, Old Pulteney, and other malt-forward bourbon casked whiskies. This is a highly recommended whisky for the casual whisky enthusiast, although it might be a little too much for the whisky novice.

 

Why you’d buy it: You know what good tastes like, and the complexity of this whisky is too alluring to miss.

Why you wouldn’t: You are intimidated by bold flavors.

Score: 9.5/10