Thread: Scotch/whiskey of the day

Found this today. Very excited to try it.

Please report how it was...

Lagavulin 12 YO Cask Strength is a damn fine Scotch, and quite possibly my new fave . . .

I've got a bottle of that still waiting to be opened. It was almost impossible to find, but I got it in the end. The shop I got it had held a tasting evening the night before so they had a bunch of open bottles and let me try octomore and an indy bottling of 25 year old laphroaig while I was there.

Science experiment: 1 bottle of Everclear, diluted to 120 proof, 1.5 cups charred and toasted white oak chips. Started 7/30. Within an hour i was noticing color change.

Originally Posted by ScottGoodman

Please report how it was...

It is amazing. Super smooth and lots of flavor. It is very Woody, probably due to the 24 years in the barrel.

It is Whisky Wednesday and, as promised, tonight's review is Lagavulin 12 Y O Cask Strength. It comes in at a whopping 57.7% abv, which is very similar to the Wild Turkey Rare Breed. It's a bit pricy, but it only comes round once a year so I figured it was worth it. The tears take a LONG time to develop in the glass, and are needle thin when they do.

Nosing is the familiar peat and brine at the outset, and these aromas last a good while before other scents develop. If you wait, you will notice the aroma of fresh bread and bananas. there is also a slowly developing dried grass air to this spirit and just a hint of medicinal airs.

first sip is sweet, courtesy of the bourbon barrels this whisky was aged in. The vanilla is overtaken by peat smoke and tarry oils. For the first time, I find myself using the word "chewy" to describe a whisky. There is a nice warming feel developing in the mid palate. The sweetness reasserts itself towards the finish. There is caramel apple, with cinnamon and baking spices, and just a hint of coconut. The finish is long, highlighted by ashes, wood smoke, an oaky dryness, and that medicinal quality noted on the nose. A drawn breath is like inhaling next to the burnt-out coals of a beach fire. Salt and smoke and oak tannins. Wow. I was back and forth about adding water to this Scotch but, it is part of my S.O.P. so here we go.

Water brings out some of the sharper flavours. Burnt rubber on the nose and palate are the biggest change. The peat smoke is a little subdued, and the sharper bite of the cinnamon is also apparent. I would not say it is harsher with water's effect, because this malt is not harsh in the lest, despite the strength of it's bottling. But it is not as inviting as it is on it's own merits.

This is pretty much what I would point to if asked to describe an Islay Malt. It has all the hallmarks associated with maritime malts, and the strength of the cask is slow to build within you. It does not reveal it's strength in one great blow, but rather allows you to realize it's heart slowly and methodically. In the end, it is not just the taste which will draw you back for another dram, but the question of "how did they do that?" How, indeed.

Wow, I've only had Laga 16 thus far, but would love to try this-nice review!

This Thursday evening I will be tasting the Glendronach 12 YO "The Original". It is a Speyside Single Malt aged in both Oloroso and PX sherry casks, and bottled at 43% abv. There is no colour added, and the spirit is not chill filtered. I appreciate as much detail as possible on labels these days, and this was nice to see. I do not usually mention the colour of whiskies these days, due to the prevalence of colouring agents. This pour, however, is a nice copper-gold in the glass, no doubt the influence of the sherry. The tears are oily and thin.

A fruity sweet aroma on the nose, raisins and raw sugars at the forefront. There is a nutty quality to this dram, too. Hazel Nuts. Underneath it all is a creamy quality with some tobacco airs. It is all very different from the Islays I have been enjoying of late, but just as interesting.

The sherry is evident from the first sip. There is a jam-like thickness to this dram. There is a bit of cherry to be found, as well as some chocolate. Interestingly enough, there is a spiciness in the middle that I would normally attribute to Rye. The nuttiness noted on the nose comes to the palate towards the finish. It is shadowed by the earlier chocolate notes through a very mellow, medium length finish. In fact, I think "mellow" is a very good way of describing this spirit. It takes it's time to introduce itself, and then it moves along like wedding guests in a receiving line. Lets see if water changes anything.

Well, this whisky does have a surprise, after all. the addition of a little water does not really alter the character too much in any direction. Rather, it simply smooths out the flavours in a very pleasant fashion. where once you tasted nuts and chocolate, now you have more of a Nutella feel, both in flavour and creamy character. The spiciness and tobacco combine to leave the tongue feeling the same tingle one gets with a decent cigar. Very nice indeed.

All in all, I think the Glendronach would make an excellent Scotch to give to someone looking to start down the Single Malt path. It is a nicely structured example of a style of Single Malt that used to dominate the market, but which has been replaced over time by more readily available Casks.

The inaugural Malted Monday review is going to be a Speyside Single Malt. BenRiach 10 YO features no chill filtering, and no added colour. The distillery is one of the few that still makes use of traditional floor malting of it's barley. The whisky is aged in both sherry and bourbon casks. The colour is that of golden honey, and the tears are thin and slow to form.

Honey is appropriate, as that is what nosing brings to bear. There is some orchard citrus and lemon zest. There is a sense of grassy fields, too. It reminds one of being outdoors in a pastoral setting. Underlying it all is a hint of cinnamon and raisins. It is all very light and pleasing, a nice thing for a sunny afternoon, either on a porch or a deck somewhere.

The first sip is somewhat surprising. I was expecting honey but, instead, cocoa powder and vanilla fudge. Sweet raisins with a touch of cinnamon warmth. As the heat rises slowly, so too do flavours of caramel apples and earthier things . . . walnuts bitterness, and coconut. There is a cereal quality to it all, like granola. It takes a couple of sips to get over one's preconceptions, but the time is well spent, as this dram is offering a fair bit, if you give it the time. The finish is of a reasonable length, if a little wanting, chocolate fading into the fruitier notes, ending with cinnamon's last tingle.

Water now, and an already well-behaved whisky becomes ever softer, cocoa becomes rich, dark creamy chocolate. raisins and darker fruits supplant the citrus tones. The cinnamon warmth does not disappear, but rather stays a lingering background presence . . . warming, but with little bite.

This is nicely crafted, neither barrel type is allowed to dominate the overall profile, allowing each it's expression within the Malt. If you like your Scotch a little more "summery" in character, this one will do quite nicely. I intend to enjoy it outdoors of a cool evening.