Thread: Scotch/whiskey of the day

Thanks, ScoutHikerDad! I think it will come down to what the store can order and price. I know they carry Aberlour 12 so I am sure they can order the A'bunadh for me. I've never seen Glenfarclas there and their distributor might not handle that brand.

I do like the Islay brands but haven't tried Laphroaig quarter cask. It sounds great. I think the next bottle after this one will have to be an Islay whisky.

Originally Posted by PigHog

Right, bowmore 9 year old. Aged in sherry casks, bottled at 40%, chill filtered and undoubtedly coloured with caramel.

Neat, the nose is very smokey. Wood smoke, charcoal and also toffee pennies.
The palate is earthy and smokey; black liquorice and salty sea spray mellowed by the sherry sweetness with a peat smoke finish that seems abrupt but does leave a faint liquorice-like taste for a good while. Fairly young, it's appropriately punchy but the raw spirit is definitely toned down by the sherry cask maturation.

With a teaspoon of water, the nose remains relatively unchanged. Burnt wood and incense. Demerara sugar and something faintly of damp cardboard. Peat on the palate, like you've wiped your mouth on your gardening gloves after potting some plants. Wood smoke and ash from the end of a bonfire but sweet, like marshmallows burnt over a fire and you've eaten it straight from the pointy stick. Still a hint of spray like salted caramel.
Again the finish is short at the front of the tongue but leaves that liquorice aftertaste around the sides of the mouth.

Overall, this is great for the low price and it's a nice whisky. I think that not chill filtering it and not colouring it would improve it and it's a shame that they chose to add that. Cask, or at least higher strength may be better too, but I think the 40% abv works nicely. Room for improvement, yeah but worth it if you're interested.


Token picture...excuse the rubbish backdrop!

I love both these little reviews. By the sound of it I agree about the chill filtering. Sounds like the finish was somewhat lacking in complexity, would that be fair?

It's a surprisingly long finish but there's not that much to it. The whole package is...nice but missing something extra. Good value though and worth a punt.

I got more whisky than I know what to do with for my birthday! I now have a port charlotte Scottish barley, a glenmorangie Quinta ruban and a glendronach 15 year old (I think) - the green welly stop anniversary bottling (single cask)

Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

Long story short, I'm exchanging a gifted bottle and need input. Aberlour A'bunadh and Glenfarclas 15 year old have been on my wish list for awhile and it's time to act. I have read reviews that the later batches of A'bunadh are not as good as previous editions. A distant third option is Ardbeg Uigeadail, if my local store can't source the first two.

Couldn't help chipping in on this. A'bunadh and Uigeadail are both awesome, or at least were two or three years ago. I have a bottle of batch 47 A'bunadh which is really good but i don't know what batch they're up to now, and an uigeadail in the cupboard. I haven't tried Glenfarclas 15, but going by the rest of your wishlist you can't lose. I'm very curious what the original gift was.

Originally Posted by PigHog

It's a surprisingly long finish but there's not that much to it. The whole package is...nice but missing something extra. Good value though and worth a punt.

I got more whisky than I know what to do with for my birthday! I now have a port charlotte Scottish barley, a glenmorangie Quinta ruban and a glendronach 15 year old (I think) - the green welly stop anniversary bottling (single cask)

You lucky chap! I'm working on a review of glendronach 15 year revival, very green packaging. If it's the same one I'd recommend trying it neat but taking a couple of hours over a dram, seems to develop with air quite interestingly. I'm not certain that it did initially though, I'm halfway down the bottle now. This evening I'll be taking a couple of hours over it with water. Great stuff, almost chewy. I found a bottle of quinta ruben I wasn't sure I had the other day. I remembered deliberating over it at the duty free but couldn't remember buying it, and it had got hidden by me trying to tidy up. I don't really remember what it was like, other than that it was good. Let us know how they go.

googled green welly stop, not come across them before. You could be even luckier than I thought.

This is the one I have - 12 year old, in fact:
https://www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk/...prod_4061.html

Will keep you updated

Ezekiel81, the original gift I am exchanging is Aberlour 12 year old, double cask. I've had a bottle before and it's okay, but I have been wanting to try the A'bunadh for a couple of years. I have been wanting to try Glenfarclas for a while also. Over the weekend I tried finding your blog. Could you post the address or PM it to me?
Ardbeg is going on the list. I bet it would be a great around the fire dram!

My plan is foiled. I went to place an order at the store. When I spoke to the distributor, who just happened to be in, A'bunadh was out of my budget. They don't carry Glenfarclas or Ardbeg so I couldn't order either. I guess it's back to the drawing board. I might just go with The Macallan or something similar. I think they had The Macallan 12, 15, and 17 in stock.
They also had Auchentoshan, several bottles of The Balvenie (including Carribean cask), and Springbank 10. Of course, Glenfiddich and Glenlivet were also in stock.

Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

My plan is foiled. I went to place an order at the store. When I spoke to the distributor, who just happened to be in, A'bunadh was out of my budget. They don't carry Glenfarclas or Ardbeg so I couldn't order either. I guess it's back to the drawing board. I might just go with The Macallan or something similar. I think they had The Macallan 12, 15, and 17 in stock.
They also had Auchentoshan, several bottles of The Balvenie (including Carribean cask), and Springbank 10. Of course, Glenfiddich and Glenlivet were also in stock.

I have not been that impressed with the Auchentoshan expressions I have tried. The triple distillation may be part of the reason. Not the complexity of other single malts. YMMV.

I have some boxed sets of mini bottles from Glenfarclas that I've been saving. I tried the 105 and I believe the 12, but I think the sets have 15, 17 and 25 as well?

ChrisL