BTC sample 15: Arran 1996-2015, 18yo, 50.5%, Single Malts of Scotland

Posted on 21 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Yesterday I went to bed convinced I’d be scoring some decent points. I was certain I tasted a gently sherried Speysider, like Glenfarclas, with a nice bitter finish. The bitterness was quite pronounced, I even got a message stating it was ‘perfect Sjoerd whisky’, which was true.

I went slightly higher with my guess for the ABV, since I’ve been screwing that up consistently, with most of my guesses being quite a bit too low. Obviously I went over and should have trusted my tongue more than I did.

Luckily, I wasn’t too far off for some points, since I did get some for the ABV and some for the age (4 and 10, respectively).

Sniff:
Slightly waxy with some sherry notes up front. Some steeped barley as well, quite porridge like (in a good way). A bit of bite comes through after that, with an austere edge to it.

Sip:
Quite sharp at first, but with rather present flavors. Some alcohol heat, but also dried fruits and a chewy sweetness. Syrupy texture, with some dates and plums. Slightly waxy again.

Swallow:
A bit more bitterness on the finish that is not uncommon in sherried whiskies. Baked dried fruits, like in fruit cake, but without the cake. Quite long

Interestingly, this whisky tastes nothing like Arran the way I know it. At least not to me. It sure is good, with great scents and flavors leading up to a nice and bitter finish. Also interestingly, this is from a Puncheon, but it doesn’t say it was a sherry puncheon. Although, I would be VERY surprised if it wasn’t.

88/100

Arran 1996-2015, 18yo, 50.5%, Puncheon 896928, Single Malts of Scotland. Available for a 100 euros at Best of Wines.

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BTC sample 13, Lagavulin 12, 2016 edition, 57.7%

Posted on 19 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Right. I have no clue what’s happening here. Apart from the fact that I didn’t enter my guess for Saturday, simply because I forgot and got home late. So that was a zero pointer. I haven’t blogged about Friday’s sample (20 points for the region), but that would be another walk of shame as well.

Back to know having a clue then. Apparently yesterday’s dram was the Lagavulin 12. I’ve had this Lagavulin 12 quite recently at De Whiskykoning and loved it. Yesterday, however, I found it too young, too sharp and I didn’t pick up on the peat AT ALL.

I was going to rant about somehow Lagavulin being shit in this competition since many people didn’t recognize the Feis Ile bottling two years ago, but I see in the listings that quite some folks have 100 points for this one.

Apart from a small existential crisis (should I be a whisky blogger when I’m this oblivious?) I guess I have to roll with it. I’m not publishing my tasting notes because, as you might deduct from the above statements, they are anything but relevant.

But seriously, I have no idea what happened. I was tasting some whiskies before yesterday’s guess, but that was hours before. As in, in the afternoon around four, and I got around to trying yesterday’s BTC sample at nine in the evening or so. That’s shouldn’t screw things up this massively.

So, anyway, I did get some points since my ABV wasn’t too far off, but that’s more a consolation prize than anything else.

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BTC Sample 10: Allt-a-Bhainne 18, 1995-2014, 59.2%, Chapter 7

Posted on 16 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

This time I got 40 points for being spot on with it being an 18 year old whisky. I was in doubt between Highlands and Speyside, and randomly guessed the wrong side of that arbitrary line.

I’ve not tried many Allt-a-Bhainnes, which is probably because I once or twice tried a not so interesting one in the past. I tend to quickly form an opinion and then need some effort to be swayed from that. This whisky does that, since it’s quite lovely.

Sniff:
Pretty heavy and rich, with some caramel. Some vegetal notes as well. Minor notes of leather and other feinty stuff. Slightly dusty as well.

Sip:
Dry and a bit sharp, cask strength sharp. Sweet with sugared fruits and caramel. Dark, spiced cake. Slightly buttery, like beurre noissette.

Swallow:
Caramel like finish again, with some baked fruit. Not too long, but quite nice.

Strangely, I was convinced this was a sherry cask, but it’s not. Reading back the notes I made it makes sense, but when drinking it I was thinking otherwise.

Still, quite a good dram, only slightly less good than yesterday’s Bruichladdich. And it’s still available. Somehow Ewald (who organizes this communal wail of incompetence) finds these nice drams that are also rather affordable. An 18 year old indie single cask, at cask strength generally clocks in a ways over a 100 bucks!

Note: While typing this, it got sold out at the Dutch retailer that still had it. So, the price is now little over a hundred euros, and you can get it in Germany.

87/100

Allt-a-Bhainne 18, 1995-2014, Bourbon Hogshead 166300, 59.2%, Chapter 7. Available at just under 100 euros.

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BTC sample 9: Bruichladdich 13, 2002-2016, 58%, First Cask by WIN

Posted on 15 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

I forgot to blog about yesterday’s dram. It was a 9 year old Glen Elgin by SMWS. I believe I got some points for the region.

Today then. This is a dram I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s from a refill sherry butt, and it tastes very well balanced. Bruichladdich independent casks have been coming out for a while now and from what I understand they’re very good. I don’t think I’ve tried (m)any yet.

Image from Whiskybase

Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Dry sherry and chalk at first. Some woody notes of old, dry oak. Leather as well, with a slightly bitter note as well. A bit like almonds or cherry stones.

Sip:
Pretty sharp on arrival, massive bite, so quite pronounced on the ABV front. Leather, sherry, dried fruit, bitter almonds, cherries. Maybe a bit of salinity.

Swallow:
Oily, but then drying on the tongue. Warming in the throat. Sherry, oak, salt, roasted barley, fruits.

Based on the salinity and the lack of obvious smoke I thought this was a Springbank, and since it is quite well balanced with there being sherry, but not a huge amount, I went for the 12 year old Cask Strength. Luckily, that meant I was only one year off, and I even got some points for the ABV.

Not bad. Not bad at all!

88/100

Bruichladdich 13, 2002-2016, refill sherry cask 461, 58%, First Cask by WIN. Available for around 100 euros.

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BTC Sample 7, Glen Flagler 5yo, 40%

Posted on 13 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

So, this is a weird one. I have no idea how something like this ended up in the competition, since it’s a bloody expensive whisky. As in, according to Whiskybase this’ll set you back over 800 euros. So, someone sold this to the club at a HUGELY reduced price. We only needed one since it’s a bloody 2 litre bottle…

Glen Flagler, in this case is technically not a single malt whisky, but a pure malt from pot stills. The ones that say ‘single malt’ on the label are even more expensive, and very rare on top of that.

Image from Whiskybase

Image from Whiskybase

So, my second Glen Flagler ever. Obviously I didn’t recognize it. I went for a Glen Garioch since it reminded me of some of the grassier versions I had from that distillery. So again, zero points. I’m getting my mojo from the last couple of years back!

Sniff:
The first thing that hits me is a lot of hay. Flour, and some gentle oaky notes. A hint of hardened paper too.

Sip:
Rather sharp on the tongue, and quite austere too. Minerals, some iron, wet hay and again those gentle oaky notes. The oak is a bit green too.

Swallow:
The finish is suddenly gentle and a slightly green flavour remains,but apart from that it’s a bit flat. Some oak, and hay again.

Yet another dram that sticks to the middle of the road. It’s interesting to taste them, but still not one stood out in a ‘I am going to buy this one’ way. Bummer.

82/100

Glen Flagler 5yo, 40%

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BTC sample 6: Glen Spey, 1995-2015, 20yo, 52.7%, Cadenhead’s

Posted on 12 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Apart from the one I didn’t enter in time, this is the first zero pointer I got this year. While that boils down to the second one in six days, that’s actually quite an okay score compared to previous years. It’s actually pretty incredible how bad I am at things like this.

Also, a 20 year old Glen Spey from Cadenhead’s. How random can it be?

Image from Whiskybase

Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Soft sherry with some sweet, dried fruits. Peach, apricot, that kind. Apart from that it’s very timid, but well balanced.

Sip:
Like many of the drams so far it’s a bit sharper than the nose indicated. However, that doesn’t necessarily reflect in a high ABV, I’ve found out. The palate is sweet, and slightly drying. Some dried fruit, with peaches, apricots and some dates. Well balanced and quite nice.

Swallow:
The finish is not overly interesting. Quite simple with some fruit and typical sherry notes. Sweet, some spices and dried fruits.

Quite a nice dram and one that would be an easy bottle to drink, I also think it’s one that you won’t remember all that long. All the flavours are there, it has something to offer at the second time around, but still. It didn’t draw my attention.

Oh, I guessed it was a Glengoyne, based on the smoothness and the way it offers the fruit flavors compared to gentle, but quite present oaky notes.

85/100

Glen Spey, 1995-2015, 20yo, Sherrywood, 52.7%, Cadenhead’s.

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BTC sample 5: Talisker 8yo, 2008-2016, 50%, Hunter Laing’s Old Malt Cask

Posted on 11 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

So, I forgot to enter my guess for the fourth dram, but didn’t have a clue anyway. I would have guessed a random Speysider and I think I wouldn’t have had any points anyway.

Yesterday’s entry post is a tad late since somehow I couldn’t open my blog for a while and only just remembered to try again. The tastings notes are here:

Sniff:
Grassy, and clean in a dirty way. A heavy peat scent, but not overly smoky. Stewed vegetables, plants, leafy greens in general. Again, pretty closed on the nose (like the one I forgot yesterday). Salty with minerals.

Sip:
Quite intense, and I think it’s of a higher strength. It might just be intense and very dry. Slightly tannic even, with oak, grain and dry peat. Earthy in a ‘dirt’ way. Some greens too.

Swallow:
The finish mellows quickly, but keeps the earthy, dry and woody notes. Wet, fresh (read: green) oak. Quite long, but also very predictable.

It turned out to be a Talisker, but I guessed it was a Ledaig. In my opinion it had that clean but big smokiness that I associate with Ledaig. Luckily, I got points again because I guessed the right region, and I wasn’t too far off from the age.

The dram is fine, and interesting for such a young one. Quite unlike many Islay whiskies at the moment this isn’t a razor edges peat bomb, but already shows some complexity. Still, it’s also not the most inspiring dram ever and in cases like this you’re far better off just getting the regular 10 years old.

83/100

Talisker 8yo, 2008-2016, 50%, Hunter Laing’s Old Malt Cask

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BTC 2016, sample 3: Kilchoman 5, Sauternes Cask, 50%

Posted on 9 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Diminishing returns, already. But at least I’ve got another couple of points. 13, just for the ABV this time. I expected this whisky to be a Longrow because of its minerality, but it turned out to be a wine cask matured Kilchoman.

Image from Whiskybase

Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
A slightly salty smoke, with some slate and brine. Quiet typical for the second brand of a famous Campbeltown distillery. Quite gentle with some barley, oak and licorice.

Sip:
Peppery on the palate, and slightly stronger than I expected on the nose. Although, yesterday’s 43% whisky says I have no idea anyway… The palate is smoky and briny, with some salt, sea and sand. Quite some oak and the smoke tastes like a combination of peat and wood smoke.
After a while it gets a bit more fruity with sweet apple, and some apple crumble like flavors.

Swallow:
The finish is very gentle, with the sweet apple but with a bit of salinity to it as well. With the brine it gets slightly fishy, but not in a bad way.

I liked this one quite a bit, which isn’t too surprising since I also really like Longrow and Springbank and such. A very nice dram, but at almost a hundred euros (currently) I do find it too expensive.

86/100

Kilchoman 5, Château d’Yquem Sauternes Cask, 50%

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BTC 2016, sample 2: Macallan 18, 1998-2016, 43%, G&M Speymalt

Posted on 8 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

I got points! Two days in a row!

Image from Whiskybase

Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Heavy on the nose, with some leathery sherry and heavy spirit. Quite earthy, with baked fruits (blackberries, plums). With a big inhale there’s a bit of a minty note. Black cherries. Quite nice.

Sip:
Surprisingly sharp on the palate, with some definit peppery bite. Lots of black pepper and chili peppers. Some fruity sweetness to boot, and an oaky backdrop. Somehow I get a bit of a caffe latte flavor too.

Swallow:
Smooth and creamy finish, with fruit syrup. Quite warming and pretty long.

I didn’t guess the distillery since I don’t find this a typical Macallan. Especially the peppery palate was surprising for the brand. I also didn’t guess the age or ABV right. The ABV because of the palate, which I found rather sharp, and the age because I thought there were less wood notes than I’d expect from 18 years old.

Still, a pretty tasty dram! And 20 points for getting the region right!

87/100

Macallan 18, 1998-2016, 43%, G&M Speymalt.

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BTC 2016, sample 1: Tomatin 11, 60%, OB for the Usquebaugh Society

Posted on 7 December 2016 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

During previous BTCs we (me and other participants) have discussed the difference between a whisky from a bottle and whisky that’s been sampled before. We don’t have a clue what causes it, and there might be several, but there is a difference.

Today’s dram is more proof to that point as the BTC started off with our very own club bottling and of all 60-something participants only one got it right. That one person is NOT me.

The reasons for this difference might be oxidation during sampling, all the jostling it goes through, less air tight sealing in a sample bottle. Maybe others, I don’t know.

You can check the old tasting notes here, and the new ones below:

Image from Whiskybase

Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Pretty sharp and dry. Slightly grassy and resinous. The outside of coconut. A slightly musty, recognizable scent that I cannot pin down. Also some oak, a very classical whisky.

After about half an hour there’s suddenly a hit of caramel that wasn’t there before.

Sip:
Pretty sharp, as on the nose. Some bite from the alcohol. Quite light on the palate, grassy notes and some dry coconut. Old fashioned with some hessian as well, maybe it’s that instead of the coconut. A touch of oak, but very gentle. Maybe some lactic acid too?

Swallow:
The finish is gentle and quite warming. Oak, some straw, quite a long finish.

Young, and at high strength. I don’t think this is older than ten years or so. Because of the mustiness and a hard to describe milkiness on the palate I went for Bladnoch, 10 years old, 56.3%. It also helped that this came out a short while ago and therefore it might have been available to the organizers.

It turned out to be our club bottling, as said above. So I only got 30 points for being close to the correct age. Still 30 is above average for me.

Still 86/100, by the way.

Tomatin 2004-2016, 11yo, First Fill Bourbon Barrel 35281, 60%, OB for the Usquebaugh Society. It’s still available for 68 euros here.

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