Thread: Scotch/whiskey of the day

Sherried, Peated, 10 years old, and a decent price at our government liquor rip off store..... What else can you ask for??

After a terrible experience with a bottle of Indian made "whisky", I will be back to the real thing on Monday.

Originally Posted by Orville

After a terrible experience with a bottle of Indian made "whisky", I will be back to the real thing on Monday.

Was it Amrut?

Originally Posted by Ezekiel81

Was it Amrut?

No . . . I hear that is actually a real whisky, as opposed to a blend of Scotch, Indian Malt whisky, and "grain spirits".

I try to avoid saying mean things about whiskies in my reviews, recognizing that other people's palates may be different from my own . . . but do not EVER buy Antiquities from the LCBO.

This Malted Monday finds me relaxing at home for the holiday, with a glass of Tomintoul 16 YO Single Malt. This comes from the Speyside region of Scotland, and bills itself on the label as "the gentle dram". Tomintoul usually crafts malts for blending, but is now establishing itself under it's own bottlings, too. The whisky is aged exclusively in ex-Bourbon casks, bottled at 40% abv. The tears are incredibly thin inside the glass.

Nosing brings brown sugar and cereal, also apple skin. Oddly, it is pear and not apple that comes next, softer and rounder orchard sweetness, and a touch of malt loaf. It is all very light on the nose, with little to no ethanol tingle whatsoever.

Well, it lives up to it's billing, the first sip is indeed gentle on the palate, almost too much so. It takes a moment for raisins to make themselves known, along with cocoa. there is a very shallow vanilla presence, which is quickly surpassed by flavours of caramel and heavy bread. There is some nuttiness towards a short finish. Throughout it all is a pleasant warming spice feel. Sadly, it never truly resolves itself to be identified.

Water brings out more of the chocolate and vanilla flavours, as well as some added caramel sweets feel. think Werthers Originals. It's not a bad profile, it just seems a bit weaker.

Overall, this is a pretty inoffensive dram, and I think that therein lies a bit of a conundrum. While this might make a fine base for a blended Scotch, with it's simple and steady profile, I'm not sure it has enough of it's own character to stand on it's own merits. Still, if you know someone who is "looking to try Scotch", then this would be the one I'd serve first. It shows off some of the character, without being so bold as to scare anyone off.

The perfect blend of heavy metal and whiskey?

https://blackenedwhiskey.com

Infused with the dolcet tunes of Metallica, this is a must

Sold a razor this week, so more whisky $$$, to wit . . .

This Thirsty Thursday I thought I would acknowledge the coming hockey season with a review of Wayne Gretzky's Ice Cask Canadian Whisky. Aged in ex-bourbon barrels and finished for four months in Gretzky Estate Ice Wine barrels, this bottle intrigued me enough during a tour on Father's Day that I picked up a bottle. With training camps about to open across the NHL, it seemed the right call. The whisky is thick and oily in the glass. Tears form quickly and run fast.

The nose is sweet, hints of cinnamon and spun sugar are topmost. There are also raisins and a whiff of peanuts to be found. Having recently visited the CNE, it makes me think of the food building and some of the baked treats on offer there.

The sweetness carries over to the palate. It is a thick caramel sweetness, initially, with a sharp citrus quality (grapefruit?) that keeps it from becoming cloying before the cinnamon starts to warm the palate. There is a rich chocolate feel that follows, and the familiar spiciness of Rye finally asserts itself towards the finish. That finish is a good medium length . . . oak tannins drying and that nutty feel makes an appearance towards the end.

Water now, and that caramel sweetness is now a thick butterscotch toffee. The Rye spices come forward with waters influence, though not in an overpowering way. More just the assertion that this is a rye forward whisky in composition, even if the ice wine cask does tend to have it's say off the top.

All in all it is a very interesting take on Canadian Whisky, I would be very intrigued by how an older spirit might take to the finishing method but, for now, this version will suffice. I am definitely going to be trying out a couple of cocktail recipes with this one.

I enjoy your reviews, Orville-Do you or any of you other guys ever watch the reviews by Ralfy or The Whiskey Bitch? My whiskey tastes are pretty much identical to hers, I have found.

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

I enjoy your reviews, Orville-Do you or any of you other guys ever watch the reviews by Ralfy or The Whiskey Bitch? My whiskey tastes are pretty much identical to hers, I have found.

I subscribe to several youtubers, and have thought of entering the fray myself. These reviews are from my FB page, "In the Spirits". Ralfy is fun to watch. Locally, there is a guy named Rob who posts as "Whisky in the 6". My problem is that once I start watching a vid, it's like Alice through the Looking Glass and, soon enough, I've pissed away an hour or two. I do not really try to find anyone whose tastes match mine. I look for a decent style of presentation. If I see something that intrigues me, I buy some, and off we go.

A rainy Malted Monday brings me back to Islay before I finish off a bottle of Laphroaig Quarter Cask without having posted a review. Quarter Cask is aged in standard ex-Bourbon barrels (Maker's Mark) for about 5 years before being transferred into smaller American Oak "Quarter" Casks for several months to accelerate the maturation process. It is then bottled at 48% abv. This whisky is Non-Chill Filtered (NCF). The spirit coats the inside of my glencairn in an oily film that takes about 20-30 seconds for tears to form.

Nosing is (surprise) a tarry smoke, like fresh paved asphalt. There is a briny sweetness like salted caramel which is very enticing. I have learned to allow Islay malts to develop their aromas, and that patience pays off with notes of leather, nuts, and, believe it or not, dill. It's like standing near a pickle jar.
In contrast to these airs, the first sip is honey sweet, with briny smoke quickly rushing in to remind you this is an Islay malt. After the initial blush, you will find vanilla and dark chocolate. There is, buried deep on the palate, just the slightest hint of bananas, before the earthiness of the peat and peanuts take over. Rising spice warmth leads to a drying oaky finish that fades into the smoky air which lingers in the mouth as you breath it in. For such a relatively young Scotch, it offers a fair bit to experience.

A few drops of water, now and, as the smoke clears, a creamier dram awaits. Still a burst of sweetness to begin, but now the flavours resolve more like a banana split, with chocolate sauce over vanilla ice cream. There are even chopped peanuts to be found. The finish suffers somewhat, both in being briefer, and offering less of that smoky beach fire reminder.

I think how you enjoy this whisky will depend on your preference for Islay Malts. A desire for peat smoke and brine can best be served neat, while a desire for more expressive flavours can be found with added water. Either way, this is a bottle to keep on the bar.