Thread: Scotch/whiskey of the day

Neil Bates :- Very pleased with this new purchase @ sub £100.....one of my new favorite drams, will definitely get another bottle to drink with Captain Bishty.
https://douongngoainhap.com

Iwasaki straights, Jnats, and oh yes, Suntory Yamazaki 12 year old single malt.

This Malted Monday has me back in harness with a review of Tomintoul's Peated Single Malt Scotch Whisky. It is not common for Speyside Glenlivet Malt's to be peated, so this NAS bottling will be an interesting departure. ,It is bottled at 40% abv and the tears develop slowly and thinly in the bowl.

The peat is immediately present on the nose, as one would expect, but it is not as heavy as, say, in an Islay Malt. The peat here is part of an ensemble cast, rather than given top billing. The sweetness of the malted barley comes through easily, like warm cereal after a chill night. There is a touch of treacle, too. There is also a floral presence here. It's very well balanced, if somewhat laid back.

The first sip has the typical peaty flavours comingling with the sweet treacle from the nose, neither getting an upper hand. The smokiness of the nose is a nice presence on the palate, while the barley keeps everything in check until some of the other flavours can manifest. There is a pepper note underlying things, and oak tannins curling in with the smoky peat. There is an earthy nut quality towards the finish, which is longer than expected. Through it all, the smoke never leaves or fades, staying with you to the very end of a long finish. For a NAS Scotch, this is surprisingly flavourful, even at 40% abv.

Water now, and the smokiness retreats somewhat, leaving the more medicinal qualities of the peat to struggle with the sweeter notes. It tends to lose the balance it had when served neat, and so I would not recommend it other than as such.

I was not honestly expecting too much from this bottle, and I have to admit to some chagrin at the quality on offer. Further, if you are already a Scotch enthusiast looking to find a way into the mysteries of peated Malts, this would be a fine introduction.

Snagged this in the va abc lottery today!

And also one of these too!!!!!

I missed out on the Birthday Bourbon lotto up here.

November 2nd is All Souls Day, and so it is particularly appropriate that I am reviewing the another member of the 2018 Northern Border Collection, Gooderham and Worts 11 Souls. This whisky is named for the 11 children that William Gooderham adopted after their parents perished during the voyage to Canada in 1832. Within each bottle you will find a blend of 11 unique whiskies, comprised of 4 different grains (including at least 3 different types of Rye), two different methods of distillation, and multiple barrel types (new, used, ex-bourbon). In short, there is a LOT going on here. According to Master Distiller Dr. Don Livermore of J.P.Wiser's, this is the most complex whisky he has created to date. The whisky is bottled at 49%abv, and is oily in the glass, with streaky tears.

Orchard fruits on the nose first, roasted almonds and honey follow. Some floral notes, as well as vanilla fudge and toffee drift by, and there is cereal and brown sugar, too. The longer it sits, the more there is to find. The last thing I note is some citrus peel.

Creamy toffee coats the palate, and a perfumy air inhabits the mouth. There is dried fruit that is supplanted by a warming glow of spices and vanilla. Nutmeg and cloves come next, with a slight bitterness. Not enough to be unpleasant, but it leads one towards a nice firm oak-laden finish that dries the palate in preparation for more.

Usually, I make a point to add water to the whiskies I review, but I am not going to do so now. In my eyes, there is nothing to be gained from diluting this spirit, and everything to lose by muddying it's flavours. As I said at the beginning, there is a lot going on in this glass, and I am going to sign off now and enjoy the rest of the evening in sorting it all out. Dr. Livermore likes to say that Canadian Whisky does not have to take a backseat to any other type and, with this bottling, he backs up that statement in full measure.