Tag Archives: Pears

A World of Discovery, Autumn, Cold Winter, Eades

Eades Double Malt – Double Post – Speyside & Highland expressions

Moving forward with my vatted malts and blended whiskies series; moving on with the Eades Double Malts.  Last week I posted about their great vatted Islay expression.  I thought, seeing as these are “Double Malts” (the combination of two wine cask finished single malts into one expression) that I’d do a double post today – two different Eades Double Malt expressions.

So, what’s left in their line?  We’ve got a Double Malt Highland expression which is comprised of 50% Clynelish (a 10yr single malt finished in a Chateau LaFitte Bordeaux cask) and 50% Ben Nevis (another 10yr single malt finished in a Grenache Blanc Cask).  We also have their Speyside expression which is 70% Dufftown (a 12yr finished in Red Zinfandel) and 30% Mortlach (a 15yr beauty finished in a Callejo Tempranillo cask).

Special thanks goes out (again) to Pat of the Virginia Distilling Company for the samples!

Let’s start with the Highland Malt:

A Highland vatting of Clynelish & Ben Nevis – 46%ABV – 750ml – $70

On the nose — And odd yet interesting nose we have here…

Off the bat, notes of a wet cinder block.

Malt vinegar & chocolate.

Both vinegar & chocolate notes are slight – as if they were watered down in some way.

Buttermilk biscuits (malty, buttery).

Unripened pears.

Strong vanilla and oaky notes that, given the combination, are reminiscent of a bourbon (or the sweet result of a heavily charred barrel).

Soured milk (perhaps this is the vinegar note better realized?)

On the mouth — Very sweet with notes of english toffees.

Hot cinnamon on pears.

Nutmeg spice (back to that sweet bourbony feel).

Something sweet yet earthy in here.

Finish — Medium length.  Caramels, nicely salted.

In sum — Hmmm… perhaps, like the make-up, I’m a bit 50-50 on this one.

There’s a lot going on with the nose but once sipped on, the palate gets somewhat narrowed down (or funneled) into something a bit more focused.

It sounds like a nice thing but I was hoping for a little joyride like I was given with the nose on this one.

Now for the Speyside:

A Speyside vatting of Dufftown & Mortlach – 46%ABV – 750ml – $70

On the nose — Big, thick nose filled with dates and dark chocolates.

More dried fruits, juicy and nicely chewy (chewy like figs).

Salty and slightly smoked.

Stewed prunes and canned prunes.

Almonds via marzipan.

A dusty attic with no-longer-being-used furniture.

Very happy with this nose, thank you muchly.

On the mouth — Nice mouth feel.

The prunes regain the life they once had and turn back into plums.

That smoke creeps back.

My tongue gets licked back by light hints of leather and perhaps freshly dried tobacco leaf.

After becoming plums, said fruits then get distilled turning into a fairly hot slivovitz.

My mouth is now happy as well.

Finish — Medium length filled with melting chocolates.

In sum — A nice cold night dram.  Sit back and enjoy.

Arran, Kosher Spirits (not for Passover), Let's celebrate!, Loch Chaim, Springtime, Summertime, Whiskies

Loch Chaim Arran, Single Cask, 13yr old – the Bar/Bat Mitzvah dram

Islands region – 43%ABV – $84

Being that the Jewish New Year began last night (L’Shanah Tovah to all of my Jewish readers — health and happiness to all of my readers), I figured I’d begin a new limited series focusing on kosher certified whiskies.

Loch Chaim whiskies are Single Malt, Single Cask whiskies (not cask strength, all taken down to 43% ABV) specifically bottled for kosher keeping Jews (but happen to be completely delicious for anyone who loves good whisky).

Being single cask, you can imagine that the availability of these whiskies is limited.  You can find this line throughout New York, New Jersey and in pockets of Washington DC & Los Angeles.  You know, the Little Israels of the US. 🙂

All of these single cask expressions are matured in ex-bourbon (or, at least non-wine influenced) barrels.

I’ve got five different Loch Chaim whiskies and I thought it’d be good to start with the 13 year old Isle of Arran:

On the nose – Big bourbon fresh nose!

Salted green tomatoes.

Browning lemons (perhaps the largest component here) and pear notes.

Rhubarb preserves.

Light and inviting.

Not the most complex nose but…nice.

Something slightly earthy about this nose too…

On the mouth – Very peppery.

Barbecue sauce and sweet ketchup (where in the blue F did this come from!?).

Fruit jams comprised of slightly more bitter fruits.

Cinnamon, nutmeg and a bit of cardamom.

Finish – The pepperiness continues.

There’s a decent length here.

In sum – So while I was trying to figure this one out (what with the strangeness from the bourbon light fresh nose to the family barbecue pallet), I realized what’s happening here.  This is, after all, a 13yr old whisky AND a kosher whisky.

What happens to Jewish boys & girls at age 13??  You guessed it, the become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.  This whisky became an adult!  It became a Bar Mitzvah in my mouth.  Hmmm, that doesn’t sound right…

Glenglassaugh, Refreshed, Summertime, Takin' It Easy

Glenglassaugh Fledgling XB – A 1yr old ex-bourbon barrel spirit drink

Highland Region – 50%ABV – 200ml – $29.99

So far we’ve tasted the Glenglassaugh Clearac (new make spirit) and their Peated Clearac.  Today we’re going to fast forward one year with the Clearac.  The Fledgling XB Glenglassaugh spirit drink is their Clearac matured for one year in an ex-bourbon barrel.

So, what should we expect from one year’s worth of maturation?  Tough to say.  I’ll be very honest is stating that, with the exception of young American malt whiskeys, I’ve yet to try very young Scotch malt spirits.

I would hope for some nice bourbon barrel influence such as coconuts and vanilla.  Perhaps an accentuated sweetness as well.

Let’s see what we find:

On the nose – Still very “new-makey”.

Well, it’s only one year old so this stuff is still in diapers.

Much fruitier on the nose than the Clearac — Pears and green apple.

Some notes now suggesting actual bourbon barrel maturation: coconut, vanilla and some sweet corn (slight).

Big grapefruit notes.

Burning plastic.

In that order.

On the mouth – Ooey-gooey new make spirit with a side of sweetened coconut milk.

Wrigley’s bubble gum wrappers.

G-d, that sounds awfully pretentious.

Sorry folks.

Limes and lime leaves.

Finish – Shortly medium and very, very pleasant.

In sum – As opposed to the Clearac & Peated new make spirits, I could actually find myself reaching for this on occasion just to enjoy as a bright clean drink.

To see Jason of Guid Scotch Drink’s notes, click here.

Refreshed, Springtime, Takin' It Easy

SMWS 39.74 – Linkwood 19yr Single Cask 47.1%

Speyside region – 47.1%ABV – 750ML bottle – Go here to get a bottle

So, shortly after I signed up to become a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (of America) a nice package came in the mail which contained a welcome booklet, a fun and fancy SMWS pin (which my daughters kindly helped in the losing thereof) and four 100ml samples to give me an idea of what I will come to expect from the society’s single cask bottlings.

The four bottles included a Macallan (#24.110), a Highland Park (#4.142), a Bowmore (#3.156) and a Linkwood (#39.74 – this one here that I am about to review).  The society introduced me to Linkwood and for that, I am ever grateful.

The sad thing is that this is not available as a 750ml bottle for the US arm of the Society so I am not able to get a full bottle.  I had to savor the 100ml I got, and savor I did.

Now, you can savor my notes:

On the nose – Delicious salted fruits & salted tomatoes.

Black licorice and candy coated fennel seeds after a good indian dinner.

Brighter fruit notes (think pears and cantaloupe… notes you usually only smell in the younger whiskies).

This is an easy noser.

On the mouth – The entry is as smooth as baby’s behind and chewy as a piece of Laffy Taffy™.

Cedar wood and herbal teas.

That saltiness returns.

Tangerines and a hint of fresh tobacco.

Fennel seeds and a malty & bready goodness that is tough to describe but, it’s there and it’s damn good.

Finish – Slightly numbing the sides of my mouth and lingering like the long goodbye of a chance meeting of an old girlfriend.

In sum – A lovely expression that I could find myself sipping on as a morning pick-me-up (very refreshing!) or as an evening wind-down.  What’s interesting is I chose to read the societies notes AFTER I nosed and tasted this whisky (I did not want to be influenced in any way).  I found that their nose and my palate were very similar but reversed.