Author Archives: Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer
Black Maple Hill, 47.5% – Kentucky Bourbon Distillers
Black Maple Hill is one of those bourbon out there that don’t have much info about them to be found. No age, no distillery to be named and only stating an ABV and the fact that it is Kentucky Straight … Continue reading
Posted in - American Whiskey, Black Maple HIll
Tagged Black Maple Hill, Bourbon, Kentucky, Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, USA, Willett
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Blind Tasting Competition – After all is said and done
Another Christmas has come, and another BTC has gone. After all my nagging halfway through the competition I still think it was a thrill ride. Especially from the view point of it being 18 nice drams, and even from the … Continue reading
Blind Tasting Competition 18 – Longmorn 23, 52.6% – WIN
The grand finale! After the first year I thought the last dram would be a rather spectacular one. Back then it was a rather spectacular Convalmore by Old Malt Cask. Last year I expected the last one to be the … Continue reading
Somm
Last week I watched Somm. Shai, from my ever-expanding circle of whisky-friends from Israel (and the USA) recommended it after he saw me struggle through the Blind Tasting Competition (post on the last dram coming up). Technically it’s not a … Continue reading
Blind Tasting Competition 17 – Caol Ila 1982-2006, 26yo, 54.3% – Duncan Taylor Rare Auld
I got points! 35 of them to be precise. Taking my own analysis from yesterday seriously, I analyzed each bit of the whisky separately. While it didn’t get me anywhere serious, it did get me a lot of points compared … Continue reading
Posted in Caol Ila, Laphroaig
Tagged Archives, Blind Tasting Competition, Caol Ila, Duncan Taylor, Islay, Laphroaig, Rare Auld, Usquebaugh Society
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Blind Tasting Competition 16 – Loch Lomond Craiglodge, 9yo, 45%
This one is DARK. A really rich, and deep brown. Although it shouldn’t mean anything, it does look very appealing. Stuf you really want to drink since it looks utterly delicious. I didn’t score any points today and this time … Continue reading
Posted in Benrinnes, Loch Lomond
Tagged Benrinnes, Blind Tasting Competition, Craiglodge, Dailuaine, Gordon & MacPhail, Highlands, Loch Lomond, Speyside, Usquebaugh Society
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Blind Tasting Competition 15 – Rosebank 20, 1991-2011, 51.1% – SMWS
I’m glad we’re getting into more discernible territory regarding the whiskies. I’m still not good at getting it right, of course but at least there’s a chance now. The whisky that set me of on my nagging spree was that … Continue reading
Posted in Longmorn, Rosebank
Tagged Blind Tasting Competition, Cadenhead, Longmorn, Lowlands, Rosebank, SMWS, Speyside, Usquebaugh Society
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Blind Tasting Competition 14 – Teaninich 29yo, 1982-2012, 52.2% – Dewar Rattray
I should make some rectifications to what I said yesterday about the competition not being fun anymore. I discussed it with Ewald, who organizes most of it and came to the conclusion that it’s just the competing part that I … Continue reading
Posted in Cragganmore, Teaninich
Tagged Blind Tasting Competition, Cragganmore, Dewar Rattray, Speyside, Teaninich, Usquebaugh Society, Whiskybroker
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Blind Tasting Competition 13 – Longrow 16, Fresh Manzanilla Sherry, 56.1%
By now the competition has lost most of its fun to me. There’s barely any regular cask in this year’s line-up which means it’s ridiculously hard to guess what’s what. For some reason quite some others who score much more … Continue reading
Malt Fascination 