Review 211: Bowmore 12 Year

Review 211

4/24/14

Bowmore 12 Year: 40% abv

Background: Welcome back to Islay for another Single Malt Scotch review. KCM tends to stray away from the 40% bottlings, but Bowmore is a distillery we haven’t yet visited, so here’s our due diligence. Bowmore is actually the oldest licensed distillery on Islay, and produces a significant amount of malted barley in house, which is presently an uncommon occurrence. Bowmore also ages a good portion of their whiskies in house. This being said, the Bowmore brand sits in the middle of the peat spectrum, and lacks in the craft presentation that many of their competitors have. Bowmore has a lot of potential for improvement from the get go, but where do they stand in current quality?

Straight

Nose: There is a lot of interesting notes in this whisky. This whisky has an interesting leathery note right off the nose. There is a slight peatiness which compliments the leather notes, along with subtle notes of malt. There is a bit of wood smoke that suggests itself to the senses, but not too . Floral lavender smell is also present along with some perfume-like notes. There are some fruit notes, including over ripened bananas and cherries. You  also find some coastal, salty notes in the whisky, characteristic of the Islay malts. KCM also found this close to the smell of Worcestershire sauce. This is very original in smell, although presumably unappealing to some.

Arrival: The arrival starts off mild, with some burnt sugar, sherry, malt and salty flavors. There is a slightly medicinal character in the arrival, with some oak charcoal flavor as well.

Body: The body has a strong cool mintiness. This mint is very much like mouthwash you might buy at CVS. There is still some malt flavor in the whisky as well. In addition, dark flavors of maple and molasses are both present in this whisky. There is a grainy character in the body, somewhat pushing outside of the barley malt traditional.

Finish: The finish sustains the mint and oak flavors, with a bit of malt and sea salt. There is plenty of mineral notes, and a vegetal, peaty note to the finish as well. There is a leathery, wood char note as well. Although the finish is unique in flavor, there is no dynamics to the whisky. The finish ends on a slightly flat note.

Final Comments: Bowmore is an example of a good whisky with tons of potential. We really enjoyed the unique flavor profile that Bowmore has to offer, and it sits in stark contrast to many of the other Islay Scotches we experience. That being said, the low proof and the presentation of the whisky detracts from the overall quality and complexity. At the end of the day, this does not stay competitive for a lot of reasons. Bowmore also edges on the pricier end for what they give you. Ultimately, this is worth trying, but maybe more of a bar dram than a bottle to own.

 

Why you’d buy it: You want an Islay with a different style.

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: You don’t buy things with minimum credentials.

Score:  8.0/10

Review 209: Bunnahabhain 12 Year

Review 209

4/12/14

Bunnahabhain 12 Year: 46.3% abv

Background: The KCM crew has covered most of the distilleries on Islay, but we’ve left out a few. Doing our full due diligence, a personal favorite on the list is Bunnahabhain. The name is a little bit more intimidating looking than it is to say, as is the case with many Scotch distilleries. Bunnahabhain was founded in 1881, and reflects a much milder expression of Islay than Laphroaig and Ardbeg do. The 12 year Bunnahabhain competes on the same level as a Bruichladdich 12 Year would, at a reasonable price. Very recently, Bunnahabhain switched from a 40% abv to a 46.3% abv expression, also explicitly stating that the whisky is non-chill filtered. This makes the reasonably priced 12 Year old whisky an appealing offering.

Straight

Nose: Although Bunnahabhain doesn’t give you many details regarding this whisky, you get the instant gratification of malt and sherry on the nose. There is a definite feeling of coastal saltiness and seaweed that starts off. Sweet fruits and oak spices lay over the top of the nose, but in general the nose is actually light and lacking in complexity. The spiciness is rather light and hard to depict, but the sherry comes through very clearly.

Arrival: Right on the arrival, the hypothesis is confirmed. There is a very strong instance of sweet, succulent sherry notes. It is a beautiful, enjoyable arrival, giving you the clean, wonderful malt taste that you’d expect out of something like anCnoc. There is definite caramel in the arrival, which raisons and slight spices. At the end of the arrival, a little bit of seaweed and salt comes into play.

Body: The body takes over from here, grabbing the reigns and giving you the spicy side of this whisky. The sherry is no less prevalent here, nor is the barley presence. The caramel is very big in the body.

Finish: The finish retains the big notes from before, primarily maltiness and sherry. That being said, it also introduces a slightly smoky campfire bitterness, almost indistinguishable, as well as giving the intense spiciness you’d hope for. There is some vegetal aftertaste in the finish, with a brilliant earthy flavor coating the tongue. There is still tons of caramel, in addition to a sharp saltiness and alcohol heat. There is a slightly leathery character to the finish as well.

With Water

Nose: The nose after adding water picks up some soft vegetal tones, dials down the sherry notes, and pushes forward the salty essence of the whisky. This Bunnahabhain becomes slightly more floral after adding water. There is some sweet cherry juice layering on top of the nose.

Arrival: The arrival becomes more balanced. The salt and spice notes are beautifully laid out now. There is a much more characterful graininess in the arrival now, representing a less fresh malt flavor, and a more mature oaky flavor. The spiciness in the arrival is really good at grabbing your attention, with a good white pepper and allspice flavor that tends to set this apart from other sweeter malts.

Body: The body brings forth some pleasant oaky notes after adding water. The vegetal notes are much more prevalent in the body now, with a more vanilla-driven oak flavor pushing into the finish. Grenadine becoming noticeable on the palate, and clove spiciness is present in the body now.

Finish:  The finish is becoming more reminiscent of a bourbon-aged whisky than a sherry-aged whisky, with some rich fruit notes reminding us that there is still something retained from before. The finish isn’t terribly long, but it does provide some complexity and a good balance of different flavors. There is some vanilla bean and fresh grain flavor that is coming through as well.

Final Comments: This might not be what you’d categorize as your traditional Islay malt, as it is lacking some of those key features (ungodly amounts of peat flavor). That being said, it is still an enjoyable Scotch and a good price. This whisky does a good job of representing a completely different side of Islay without losing some of the Islay essence. No, it doesn’t burn off your eyebrows with huge peat, but it is presented at 46%, natural color, and it is non-chill filtered, not to mention just tasting damn good. The complexity won’t knock your socks off by any stretch of the imagination, but after a few drops of water, the balance is worth appreciating. Can we tell you that this is a sherried whisky? After trying the Bruichladdich 12 Year 2^nd Edition, no we can’t. But it sure tastes like it, and we’d by this over a Macallan 12 any day.

 

Why you’d buy it: A good value-per-dollar Islay with a different attitude that won’t break your bank.

                                                                                                          

Why you wouldn’t: You are a peat purist and believe every bottle of whisky that leaves Islay should be filled with peat moss.

Score:  8.5/10

Review 200: Port Charlotte PC7

Review 200

1/18/14

Port Charlotte PC7: 61% abv

Background: Port Charlotte is the “branch” of Bruichladdich that focuses on the heavily peated Scotch of their range. Don’t be confused; Port Charlotte is still distilled at Bruichladdich. It just differentiates their heavily peated products from the rest of them. Even more confusing is the existence of Octomore, another peated Bruichladdich made with extremely high levels of peat smoking, which is normally measured in PPMs (parts per million) of phenol content in the barley grain. But enough about that; more on this specimen. In Review 180, we talked about PC6 and the PC series. This is the next in line, being aged in traditional oak casks for 7 years. It is bottled at a monster 61%. This is bottle 23,717 out of 24,000. Let’s give this whisky a good look. 

Straight

Nose: This whisky starts off with a greatly earthy, grassy peat smoke. The smell of fresh cut grass, wood smoke, and mossiness is prominent in the aroma, with a hint of sawdust. There is a large amount of savory flavor and vanilla, with a huge spiciness to it. An almost sweet and tangy meat sauce smell is present here. A notable floral rose note is also noticeable. To add to the complexity, a slightly powdery cocoa smell layers into the aroma. There is a coastal, saltiness involved with a bit of nuttiness and sweet, fresh maltiness.

Arrival: The whisky, as expected starts off with a hot, spicy arrival. It is surprisingly smooth at first, with a peat and spice coming in later. There is a very salty, seaweed-like flavored feel in there. Because of the high alcohol content, there is not a lot that can be observed here before flavor is lost and taking over by the hot alcohol influence. The arrival also has a significantly bready flavor to it.

Body: The body contains a lot of malt, peat, caramel and oakiness to it. There is some chocolatey flavor in here, with some nuttiness so far. The saltiness becomes very big here, in a pleasant way. There is a lot of crispness in the body as well. Tea and tobacco are noticeable in the body.

Finish: The finish has a significant amount of malt and peat to it, while continuing the coastal, salty theme. There is a bitter, herbal taste present in the finish. Tea tree oil and tobacco are present in the finish, with some spices as well, including peppercorn. There is a little yeast that carries over from the arrival.

With Water

Nose: There is a lot of woodiness after adding water, including dry pine wood. There is some vanilla and honey present. The grain flavor is starting to open up in the aroma now. The alcohol has broken loose in the aroma now, making the smell burn much more than before.

Arrival: There is more sweetness in the arrival than before, with some dry, bitter wood. A lot of honey and vanilla is present. The wood is huge in the arrival.

Body: The body presented a lot more malt and nuttiness. The saltiness and tobacco is still big in the body. There is some tannic flavor in the body, with some oak flavor as well. Astringent citrus is present in the body much more now.

Finish: The finish has become very phenolic and medicinal. It is malty and nutty, but ends on a dry, coastal note that is complex and lasting. There is a strong, minty flavor in the finish. It has a fresh, cooling sensation as the whisky dissipates. The peat and phenol last an incredibly long time in the finish. An interesting presence of corn is also present in the finish.

Final Comments: Port Charlotte PC7 is not an outstanding peated Scotch. It is young and brash, displaying angry fists like a drunken sailor might. It lacks the finesse and complexity we’ve seen with other malts, and for that reason it doesn’t jump forward as exceptional. That being said, what it lacks in complexity and tactfulness, it makes up for in pure, unadulterated bravado and presence. It is truly a big malt and a high strength. It is salty and briny, peaty and savory, and is not afraid to strut its stuff. We’ve enjoyed the many glasses of PC7 we’ve had, even if it isn’t what you’d consider “worth the money”. This is where you might cue the montage with sappy music, I suppose. In any case, it should be interesting to see where the Port Charlotte range evolves and how long it will live.

 

Why you’d buy it: You like the big bold peaty stuff and don’t care about the details

Why you wouldn’t: Something like Caol Ila or Lagavulin has just the right amount of finesse

Score: 8.75/10

Review 199: Bruichladdich 12 Year 2nd Edition

Review 199    

1/12/13

Bruichladdich 12 Year 2^nd Edition: 46% abv

Background: Well, so long as we are doing Bruichladdich, we might as well move on to the next standard offering from them. First, a little more on Bruichladdich. Pronounced Brook-laddie, the name is Gaelic for “raised beach”. Bruichladdich sits on the west side of Islay, and is one of the less publicized malts of the island. You will come to expect that with Bruichladdich, you will see craft presentation. The 12 Year is no exception, with explicit writing on the bottle telling you that it is 46%, non-chill filtered, and natural color. That’s a great sign. Bruichladdich’s 12 Year old whisky is lightly peated, aged in Bourbon oak casks, and made by Master Distiller Jim McEwan. This whisky is sort of an anomaly to me, but we’ll get to that later in the review. Now, some notes!

Straight

Nose: The nose starts off in a very odd way. Despite being a bourbon barrel-aged whisky, there is something remarkably “sherried” smelling to this. Starting off with a rich smell of caramel, vanilla bean, chocolate, raisons, honey, and sweet malt, you would be convinced that this was a Sherry monster. The whisky is also distinctively floral in its aroma. The amount of fruitiness in here is incredible, with a succulent, rich aroma of berries and other juicy delights. There is a slightly acidic Champagne flavor that also coats the top of the glass. There is some smoky oak char and light peat to be enjoyed in this whisky. Sporadically, a little bit of campfire marshmellows is noticeable, sort of like a burnt sugar smell.

Arrival: The arrival is definitely thick, chocolately, and sweet. There was a front of acidity in the arrival, that transformed into a wave of sweetness. There is a very juicy, beautiful mixture of cherries, strawberries, and raspberries in the arrival. The arrival is definitely succulent.

Body: The body has the mysteriously raison-esque Sherry character to it. There is a lot of chocolate and caramel that add to a rich, thick body. The mouth-feel here is just incredible and thick. The body becomes quite acidic and salty as it leads into the finish.

Finish: The finish closes off with a mixture of tart fruits, dry maltiness, and coastal saltiness. It really closes the whisky reminding you that you’re dealing with a unique Islay. It has tart cranberry, fresh maltiness, cinnamon and pepper that help add to the complexity, not to mention slight traces of pecan. You will find most of the peatiness here as well. The salt becomes quite strong here in the finish. A bit of oak is also noticeable here. As the finish concludes, a grainy graham cracker flavor closes the whole event.

With Water

Nose: And to add to our craziness, the sherry flavor we’ve been accounting for all over comes out dominantly after adding water. Vanilla bean becomes more prevalent. It is also interesting how there is more of a raw grain flavor than before.

Arrival: The arrival has settled down substantially, with less attacking flavor. It seems that there is less complexity as well though. The sherry is still very dominant.

Body: There is a more confectionary, sugary flavor that comes through in the body. There is some tartness, but it is mostly sweetness and fruitiness.

Finish: The finish has brought out the darker flavors of chocolate and caramel, with an added subtle coffee to it. The finish has a bit less coastal flavor to it, with a good amount malt and more vegetal flavor, similar to the ten year. This still has a big, juicy fruitiness to it.

Final Comments: Back to the anomaly that I referenced earlier today. I just cannot believe that this whisky is not sherried! We have had a number of experiences with sherry barrel aged whiskies, and if I was blindfolded, I would have said it was one. None-the-less, this is a fantastic, balanced whisky, and Bruichladdich proves itself again. In general, this takes the other end of the spectrum from the 10 year, offering up succulent, delicious fruit notes to couple the Islay coastal style. This is just such an enjoyable whisky to sit down and sip on, we can’t help but swoon over it.

 

Why you’d buy it: It will put you in your happy place.

Why you wouldn’t: It doesn’t have that Islay peat style to it.

Score: 9.5/10

Review 198: Bruichladdich The Laddie Ten

Review 198    

1/11/13

Bruichladdich The Laddie 10 Year: 46% abv

Background: This is a pretty exciting occasion for KCM. This will be our first Bruichladdich review, which is exciting for a reason. Bruichladdich, around since 1881, is an Islay distillery that chose not to take the path of Laphroaig or Ardbeg, and is classically non-traditional in their style. Bruichladdich is truly a craft distillery, producing a large number of variants of whiskies, with a limited number of mainstays. Most Bruichladdich’s are unique bottlings that last a short amount of time. This however, is a newer release in an effort to solidify Bruichladdich’s core range of offerings. With a unique, blue pastel color adorning the bottle and canister, this one is hard to miss. Along with that, it is bottled at 46%, is natural color, and un-chill filtered. You’ll find that most Bruichladdich’s are found in this form. This is also aged in Bourbon oak casks, and is NOT peated. That would be considered unusual for a lot of Islay distilleries. So let us find out what this bad boy is like!

Straight

Nose: The nose is strong and vibrant, displaying notes of oak, molasses, vanilla and caramel. The oak is fresh and intense, and coupled with a young, bold maltiness, makes this malt very compelling on the nose. In addition to the oak, a bit of cedar is also noticeable. There is an expected saltiness that really floods the aroma as the whisky starts to open up, and in addition is a very earthy, vegetal smell. There is a red apple note that complements some of the sweet notes in the whisky, with a slight instance of kiwi and green grapes. Despite the explicit mention of not peat in this malt, there is definitely a smoky, earthy peat-like aroma that emanates from this whisky. A little bit of cinnamon flavor in the nose adds to the spiciness. There is a little bit of honey that also becomes prevalent.

Arrival: There is sweetness and maltiness in the arrival, with a slight zest of peat and spiciness. This is a very balanced whisky, bringing out a wide range of flavors. There is a little bit of sugarcane, candy sweetness, and rum-like flavor leading into the body. Vanilla is also prevalent here.

Body: The body contains a good blend of maltiness, spiciness and peat flavor. There is some distinctive seaweed and pepper that can be tasted in the body. There is rum-like sweetness and honey in the  body.

Finish: The finish has some sweetness, maltiness, and oak to it. There is a fantastic blend of molasses, caramel, malt and vanilla that contributes to the complexity in the finish. Along with this, prepare to find some yeasty, wheat-like flavor as well. There is a raw, peaty flavor in the finish. The finish does contain a little bit of apple to it. There is a lot of saltiness that also contributes to a beautiful sense of balance. There is a very vegetal flavor that comes into the finish.

With Water

Nose: There is a lot more maltiness, vanilla, and creaminess to it. This is starting to smell like a sugar cookie, in all honesty. There is more of an alcohol-like smell, with clove spice coming through that was not as obvious as before.

Arrival: The arrival is more sweet after adding water. The oak intensity has subsided, with a slightly pine-wood bitterness.

Body: There is more peat smoke in the body than there was before. There is a balanced blend of spicy complexity in the body, although the body is still a little shallow.

Finish: There is more spiciness in the finish, akin to allspice. There is also a bit more mintiness in the finish as well. There is also a tart, different cranberry flavor in the finish now.

Final Comments: For a first flagship ten year old, this whisky kicks ass! One of the most interesting aspects of this whisky is seeing how a non-peated whisky can be influenced by peat in the environment and peat exposure to the water. So distinctively can you find the salty, peaty atmosphere in this whisky, it is hard not to imagine yourself on the shores of Islay. This whisky is the definition of balance, complexity, and overall uniqueness. And if you don’t like the salty, intense complexity of this whisky, just add a little bit of water and let it sweeten up. This might not be a beginner’s whisky, but if you like a more vegetal, earthy, coastal whisky, this should be a staple in your cabinet.

 

Why you’d buy it: You just should.

Why you wouldn’t: Probably something to do with communism I imagine.

Score: 9.5/10

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 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

Review 180: Port Charlotte PC6

Review 180

10/06/13

Port Charlotte PC6: 61.6% abv

Background: Cuairt beatha – the walk of life – I think this bottle is implying that the walk of life includes heavily peated Scotch. I highly support that sentiment. This whisky is of course a single malt Scotch from our good friends at Bruichladdich distillery. Being part of their heavily peated series, it goes under the title of Port Charlotte. Jim McEwan joined the Bruichladdich team in 2001 and started a series of peated heavyweights, called the PC series. PC6 has had exposure to ex-bourbon casks and a Madeira finishing cask as well. The bottle being drunk here is bottle 17,265 out of 18,000. It is 6 years old, as the name (PC6) suggests, and I’m really excited to try it.  

Straight

Nose:  Mmm. The smokey, intense, fragrant smell of peat never fails to excite me. This one is intense in vanilla, an interesting fruitiness, and a smell very reminiscent of pancake syrup. There is also an odd savory note that expresses itself on the top of the glass after some time in the glass. It reminds me slightly of a raw New York strip right before it’s slapped on the grill, which sounds like something you might not want to smell in a whisky, I realize. Don’t worry; it so subtle, you probably wouldn’t even notice. There is an assortment of berry fruitiness that is coming through prominently. This isn’t a dry smelling peat smoke, like you get out of Kilchoman. It is a thick, honey-sweet smoke that doesn’t overwhelm the senses, unless you’ve never smelled a peated Scotch that is. Baked apples with caramel are sort of a secondary notion in the nose. There is an earthy, herbal sense to it that sits in the background of some of the more dominant smells. Toasted nuts and fried bread are noticeable…fried bread, syrup, toasted nuts, and earthiness. Well, this whisky is obviously a funnel cake that’s been dropped on the ground (just a joke). The nose doesn’t display a challenging complexity, but it does have a diversity of flavors.

Arrival: The arrival starts off mellow enough, before quickly becoming excessively hot. If you’re looking for flavor without having added water to this whisky, look quickly. This will numb your tongue before you blink. The peat is assertive up front, but with a sweet, syrupy arrival parallel in prominence. It seems as if the Madeira is pretty dominantly asserting itself up front. Along with some honey, there is a slight citrus bite and some notes of fruits, but they don’t hold a candle to the intense battle the peat and Madeira are having up front. There is an earthy, slightly tobacco-like flavor in the arrival.

Body: The body banishes the initial sweetness, letting an earthy, grassy, and peat-like flavor to dominate. In the body, there is a really intense, but odd sort of quinine flavor that becomes apparent quickly and then dissipates. The body is probably the least eventful part of the whisky.

           

Finish: The finish is lasting, with the peaty, tobacco, and herbal flavors dragging through until the bitter end (ha ha). There is some slight peppercorn, with mild suggestions of sweetness showing dwindling signs of existence. There is orange rind present in the finish, for certain, and some mint and fluoride flavor as well. There is almost a piney, woody intensity in the finish that seems slightly like gin, without the extreme flavor. The finish is very diverse and interesting, without a doubt

With Water

Nose: With a little bit of water, notes of citrus start developing. The syrup-like sweetness has backed off a bit and to some extent, so has the peat. Maltiness is more prevalent, and some intense woodiness and ash smell has developed. There is still a level of sweetness present in the form of soft fruit notes.

Arrival: The arrival has lost some intensity, allowing the drinker to actually take some time and reflect on the taste (a nice feature). It is still peaty, in a zesty fashion, but has a basic element of marmalade sweetness to it. It is extremely earthy on the arrival now.

Body: The body actually takes a less intense and dry approach this time around, with some interesting lemon candy flavor coming through, with slightly floral elements complimenting it. It is better-rounded with water. There is vanilla present as well.

           

Finish: The finish is very much a reflection of how the body transformed after adding water. The balance changes, with the peppery dry/hot mouth feel still existing, but not completely destroying the taste buds. Much of the same flavors are present, with the smoky peat seeming to even out into a pleasant blanket of thick flavor on the tongue. That being said, the finish has become less complex and less eventful. At 61%, I would have guessed it to be a little more forgiving on the complexity side, but just playing with the water to whisky ratio could fix that.

Final Comments: PC6 is an expensive dram, to be sure, especially at the young age of 6 years old. I can’t say it isn’t an experience, and the  Madeira cask finish is very well done in this case. Bruichladdich has produced a ton of fantastic malts, before and after McEwan. This particular malt isn’t a mind-blowing combination of complexity and uniqueness, but I believe it is does pretty well. The nose is inviting and different, and I think for a whisky this young, Bruichladdich does a good job of using the vibrant youth of the grain to make an exciting, yet enjoyable and tolerable malt. The million dollar question, or at least $125 question, is whether or not this is worth the buy. It is hard to say whether or not $125 is justifiable. It seems overpriced for value, but at 61%, at least they aren’t shorting you material. I guess I would say, if you enjoy peated whisky and are running out of “new” alternatives, the PC series won’t treat you wrong, but maybe the Peat Project, their newly released Scotch, will do just the same thing for you.

 

Why you’d buy it: You like the adventurous expressions by Bruichladdich and “want to catch them all”

Why you wouldn’t: It is hard to run across this bottle anymore, and you’ve tasted Peat Project

Score: 8.5/10

Review 169: Ardbeg 10 Year

Review 169

7/10/13

Ardbeg 10 Year: 46% abv

Background: Here we stand at the face of another peat juggernaut, the Ardbeg 10 Year. This is their flagship product, being big, affordable, and unique, but still upholding the ideals of Ardbeg, being 46% and unchill-filtered. There is no reason to scoff at this Scotch as a potential mainstay, because unlike Lagavulin, you can still afford a bottle of this without missing next month’s car payment. It is a peaty Islay, and it certainly test your passion to a smoky Scotch. It is not common to see an Ardbeg with colorant, and this one is absolutely the same case. Ardbeg will tell you on their packaging that their whiskies stand alone as the most delicate of all Islay whiskies. In fact, Ardbeg is delicate like a stampede of elephants running through a china shop built on a thin layer of ice. Nonetheless, as Jeremy Clarkson would say, the time has come to show it some corners and see what it can do. Here’s what we found:

Straight

Nose: Hey, guess what?! You might find yourself greeted by a nose of oily, smoky peat. This nose is thick in a leathery, even road tar-like character. It doesn’t overbear you with the smell of asphalt, but you certainly will smell something earthy and hot. Keep digging, and you’ll start to find a briny, salty intensity coupled with a charred wood smell and passive savory notes. There is even a slight toasted nuttiness involved in here. On a more subtle note, there are suggestions of vanilla and slightly floral notes that unravel with more exploration. After the whisky opens up, a sense of gin botanicals does make short cameo in this whisky. As a counterbalance, fruitiness akin to fresh apples comes through. It is absolutely an engaging nose.  

Arrival: The arrival starts with an awesome spiciness of cinnamon and ginger, along with some mild sweetness of vanilla and apples. Unfortunately, the arrival doesn’t hold up over time, because the alcohol content masks the flavors pretty quickly. There is a slight maltiness that comes through and is counterbalanced by the saltiness and peatiness that starts to creep in.

Body: There is a combination of peat smoke, maltiness, pumpkin spices, brininess, and even some bitterness that comes through in the body. The body follows the arrival quickly and moves into a fairly dry and spicy body. The body is a lull in the flavor, but black pepper can be found (probably a contributor to the bitterness that is seen in the whisky), along with other spice notes to compliment the smoke and maltiness.

           

Finish: The biggest residual flavor found is the long, dry smoky peat flavor that carries on for what seems like an eternity. Unfortunately, the rest of the whisky doesn’t carry that same length. There is still a lot of salt, black pepper, cinnamon, pumpkin spices, and other spicy notes. It is hugely earthy in the finish, in an unmerciful way. This is definitely a finish suggestive of a novice drinker. It is hot, but not terribly prominent in the sense of burn. There is some light, dry fruitiness that can be found as well, but it is subtle.

With Water

Nose: Seeing as this whisky is 46% and made by Ardbeg, we were a little more liberal with adding water, which did significantly open up the nose. There was more maltiness and balance than before, taking out some of the more obtrusive notes, albeit it still stood as a hugely intense nose.

Arrival: The arrival starts off sweeter, with more malt sugar character than before, and even some honey. The spiciness backs off slightly, and allows a floral, slightly citrusy flavor to come through. A sense of pear rind starts to come through after some time.

Body: The new found citrus in the arrival carries through into the body, representing light orange flavor, maltiness, and still a huge chunk of peat. There is a phenolic character in the body, which is still exacerbated by the peppery bitterness that we found before. The body is short, and finishes rather quickly as well.

           

Finish: The phenolic, peaty, and rather medicinal finish is pretty standard out of an Ardbeg, but comes to light more after adding water. This Scotch doesn’t get much gentler after water, that’s for certain.  The finish just holds an ashy character, with a seaweed saltiness that keeps in the mouth as well. Although most of the complexities of the finish are short, the peat flavor still takes its time and sticks around.

Final Comments: This is a bold whisky, and like Laphroaig it is not for the faint of heart. Where this differs from Laphroaig is that it is drier, less fruity, and has some more “oily” notes. I wouldn’t generally introduce a new peated Scotch drinker to this as their first dram, but it is a relatively enjoyable dram for somebody with experience. That aside, some of the complexity is lost after the arrival, and the flavors don’t seem to pop like they do with some of the other peated Scotches we’ve tried. This is a minor criticism, and there should be no reason not to try it. The biggest thing Ardbeg can do for themselves is to continue producing single malts at good proofs and natural presentation. Also, if you are looking to grow some hair on your chest, look no further. This’ll make you look like Austin Powers in no time.

 

Why you’d buy it: You like an oily, peaty Scotch with complexity, or you aspire to be Austin Powers

Why you wouldn’t: You don’t like drinking liquid smoke.

Score: 8.75/10