Karuizawa, Noh Whisky, 1977-2008, 62.8%

Posted on 20 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

The Karuizawas that came out when they were only starting to get popular were bottlings that were of stunning quality, and fairly affordable compared to a lot of other bottlings by Scottish distilleries. Those times have come and gone and now you really have to sell a kidney if you want any of their bottlings. Especially since they sell out in about 30 seconds.

This Karuizawa is a bottling from the Noh series, which means that they are bottled with a label of a Japanese kami or something like that. It always reminds me a little bit of Butoh dancers. In this case the label apparently depicts Ama the Fisher-girl. I don’t know any other facts about this, but the label looks nice.

The whisky then. Of course, the distillery has been closed for little over a decade now. Number One Drinks bought all remaining stock and is slowly releasing it, mostly through The Whisky Exchange and La Maison du Whisky in Paris. This bottling is, of course, from a sherry butt.

Sniff:
The smack in your face you get at first is mostly leather, leather wax and furniture polish. There’s a hint of fresh mint with lots of dried fruits behind that. Apricots, plums, dates, the lot. I also get some crumble pastry. Rather dry, which I like, and quite some oak. Not overly so, but on the brink. No surprise, since most Japanese whiskies are very wood-driven.

Karuizawa Noh. Image from Whiskybase

Karuizawa Noh. Image from Whiskybase

Sip:
Again, the impact is phenomenal. It’s a bit lighter in flavour, but the flavours that are apparent are huge. Some pepper, mint again. Oak, leather, dried fruits. sherry. I also get a hint of base paint, but in a rather pleasant way.

Swallow:
The finish is warming with stewed fruits and oak. Everything that came before is present too. The apricots, plums and dates together with the sherry blast with leather and all is lovely.

This is one of my favourite whiskies, especially in my collection. But, also in general. It’s not on a level with the 1964 I got a miniature of from Master of Malt et al, but the difference isn’t that big either. Surprisingly close.

In short, a stunning whisky with a lot of flavours that are screaming for your attention. It can swim a bit, but although it’s almost 63% I think this should be enjoyed carefully and neat. As neat as possible at least.

Karuizawa, Noh Whisky, ‘Ama the Fisher-girl’, bottled for LMDW, 1977-2008, 62.8%.

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Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend, 46%

Posted on 17 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Hankey Bannister is a brand of blended whiskies inspired by recipes from a century ago. Of course, this is what all smaller brands of blended whiskies proclaim and they can, since there is almost no one who can verify whether or not the whiskies taste anything like what they used to back then.

The brand Hankey Bannister has been around for a long time but I hadn’t heard from them until about two or three years ago. Maybe because I’ve never given much thoughts to blended whiskies, and if all professional writer have to be believed, that is a misstep.

A misstep that is taken very seriously because, according to about every magazine about whisky that’s been printed in the last three years, we all have to be spending our money there instead of on quality single malts. Or just spend more so you can buy both.

Anyway, the whisky. I got a sample from Lukasz Dynowiak, of Edinburgh Whisky Blog fame, and a bit because he does a lot of marketing thingies for Inverhouse Distillers.

Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend.

Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend.

Sniff:
It’s gentle, and rather rich. Some vanilla and oak with a sugary sweetness behind it. Soft cinnamon sticks, toasted oak. It stays light, though.

Sip:
It’s rich and a tad dry. Some oak and I guess a hint of peat (not strange with a 1920s recipe). Vanilla, sugar and tinned fruit syrup. Peach and cinnamon sticks again.

Swallow:
There’s oak on the finish. Slightly more than on the palate, as is the peat. Getting a bit more spicy afterwards too.

If articles writing about blends write about blends like this, they’re right in saying we should pay attention. This is damn tasty stuff and something I’d happily buy!

It’s a rather sweet whisky, but not overpoweringly so. The oak and hints of peat keep everything nicely in check. Recommended!

Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend, 46%, Inverhouse Distillers. Available from Master of Malt at not even € 30!

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Killepitsch Kräuterlikör, 42%

Posted on 16 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

This review has been a long time coming. I got a bottle of this liquor from Franck Lieck, back when he was still blogging. It might have been over a year by now.

The liquor is a product from Düsseldorf, Germany, where it has been a popular drink for a long time. It’s only been available world wide for a rather short period of time. I don’t know exact years but this is what Wikipedia tells me.

A rather nice ad.

A rather nice ad.

The site itself is also rather romanticized about the origins with more emphasis on the story of two friends surviving a bombing than the factual history. A strange this is that the history of the drink is taking place at the end of world war two, and the bottle gives a number 1858.

I guess Killepitsch itself is more recent than the factory where it’s made.

Killepitsch

Killepitsch

Sniff:
As to be expected of a herbal liquor, very big on sweetness and bitterness. The fruitiness focuses mostly on orange with all kinds of other fruits singing backing vocals. The herbs and spices are mostly cinnamon with other woody spices.

Sip:
The 42% abv is rather clear here. That’s pretty high for a liquor and that makes it rather sharp and spicy, but in a pretty tasty way. The cinnamon has gone to the hotter red cinnamon, with the orange continuing the fruitiness. It tastes rather oaky but I’m not sure if there’s any oak involved in the process. It has a warming effect and after a while I get some Chai and garam masala.

Swallow:
There’s not much of a finish. No new development, but I didn’t really expect that. Liquor ain’t whisky, after all.

The complexity of this stuff is rather huge, but that’s no surprise with over 90 ingredients in it. Eat that, Liquor 43! It’s a tasty drink this, and I think it would work well in quite some cocktails. I might just investigate the recipe page on their website a bit further!

On the other hand, it’s a liquor and while I’m glad I’m able to taste random stuff like this every once in a while, it won’t be the start of a new hobby.

Killepitsch Kräuterlikör, 42%, should be not too hard to get. I don’t know prices though.

Thanks to Frank Lieck for the bottle!

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Regarding whisky prices

Posted on 15 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

I’ve been meaning to write an article about the prices of whisky in the last couple of years. I just can’t seem to put it to words in exactly the way I want it.

What it boils down to, without all the elaborate case making is this:

Whisky is apparently worth the prices that are asked, since the stuff sells out immediately. Especially if it’s expensive.

We, mere mortals, should not busy ourselves with ranting about the fact that we’re no longer able to buy the OB Port Ellen that comes out. We weren’t last year or the year before, or the year before that. Worse, when they ‘just’ cost € 200 to € 250 most of us thought people who spent that much on a single bottle of booze were insane.

Then we all went and started spending that much as well, so there was a large gap to be filled at that price category, since there suddenly were 1000s of people spending that much. Of course someone will fill that gap.

Distilleries and the companies that own them are not in the business of giving us picturesque holiday pictures and sparing us a dram in the meantime. A distillery is a factory and stuff that comes from it has to be at a profit. A big one if possible.

If we’re all so hung up on the fact that whisky is overpriced today, shouldn’t we just buy stuff that we’re finding at acceptable prices? There’s quite a lot of that around if you’re willing to shell out anywhere between € 40 and € 100, with the occasional escapade at € 150.

Yes, that means you’ll no longer be able to get that 1973 Clynelish, or 1974 Karuizawa, or 1976 BenRiach. Is that all there is? I’m perfectly happy occasionally buying a sample of such drams and drink affordable stuff the rest of the year.

Oh, and as Maltstock Teun said recently: “If it’s so expensive, I cannot afford it. That also means I don’t have to care about it. Diageo proves me a favor”. I agree. If Brora would cost € 200, I would have to save up the second half of the year and work my ass off to get a bottle since they would still sell out in a second. Now, at € 750+ I don’t have to worry about it.

Oh, and maybe, just maybe, whisky is actually worth the amount that is charged for it. Maybe it’s just that only in the last couple of years Scotland (and others) have recovered from the distillery genocide around the 1980s. Maybe waiting for 30+ years for a cask to mature only hoping that it’ll still be good by the time you bottle it is worth a shitload of money. Just maybe.

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Ben Nevis 1984-2002, 61.2% – Blackadder Raw Cask

Posted on 14 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

It’s been ages since I properly reviewed a Blackadder whisky, and for some reason it’s been even longer since I ever bought one. Come to think of it, the last one I bought was the 1981 Lochside, probably back in 2010.

Anyway, a friend of mine got a couple gift coupons for De Whiskykoning for his birthday and decided to spend them on a bottle from his birth year. This is the whisky he selected. Also, he was kind enough to give me a sample a while ago.

I have a bit of a love it, hate it relation with Blackadder with some of their whiskies being absolutely fantastic, but some just being razor sharp alcohol flavoured ones. So whenever I buy one I try it first. Big words coming from me, when I remember buying that Lochside (not the cheapest bottle available) completely blind.

Ben Nevis 1984 by Blackadder

Ben Nevis 1984 by Blackadder

Sniff:
The sherry is clear from the get go. Quickly after the initial sweetness and some astringency comes alcohol. There’s oak and fruit. Mostly peaches. I also get scents of old red wine.

Sip:
There’s an extreme amount of sherry in here, but not over the top. Some rancio as well, if I get that right. It’s dry and sharp but not too peppery. Overall it’s very sweet and thick with fruit syrup and sherry.

Swallow:
The finish suddenly gives a burst of dark chocolate but the main direction of this dram is the fortified wine. Lots and lots of it.

My friend’s thoughts were that he bought a nice whisky but not something in a spectrum that he couldn’t have gotten from another brand at a lower price. I doubt that. This is a rather unique dram, with lots of wine influence. The oak is rather restrained, but still have given off incredible amounts of flavour.

All in all, great dram. I kind of like Ben Nevis.

Ben Nevis 1984-2002, 61.2%, Blackadder Raw Cask.

Thanks to JP for a sample!

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A short impression of De Whiskykoning’s Bottoms-Up tasting

Posted on 13 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Yesterday was the annual Bottoms Up tasting. I was invited becaus I went to (or brought enough people to) tastings last year. I hope I make it again for next year.

I didn’t take any in depth notes because I didn’t feel like it. Mostly I didn’t want to stop the conversation tell people to ignore me for a bit, while I start scribbling down notes. I went to have fun. And whisky, always to have whisky.

The setup.

The setup.

Lochside OB. In your face. Be jealous now.

Lochside OB. In your face. Be jealous now.

Wild Turkey 12. I like Wild Turkey. A lot.

Wild Turkey 12. I like Wild Turkey. A lot.

Wild Turkey 12. I like Wild Turkey. A lot.

Wild Turkey 12. I like Wild Turkey. A lot.

Linlithgow/St. Magdalene. Tasty

Linlithgow/St. Magdalene. Tasty

Lagavulin Feis Ile 2013. Do I need to say more?

Lagavulin Feis Ile 2013. Do I need to say more?

Caol Ila. Good on the nose, didn't like it much after that

Caol Ila. Good on the nose, didn’t like it much after that

A very tasty (and strong) Springbank

A very tasty (and strong) Springbank

In the end I had some other drams as well, but many of them were wrapped in tin foil. Among these were a Bowmore (nice), a 197x Laphroaig (didn’t like it very much). I took it slow. It’s too easy to get completely hammered, as some people were proving right then and there.

A great afternoon and lots of thanks to Rob, The Whisky King himself.

Posted in - American Whiskey, Bowmore, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Linlithgow, Lochside, North Port, Springbank, St. Magdalene, Wild Turkey | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Balcones True Blue TB-12-6, 58%

Posted on 10 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

I’ve tried Balcones’ True Blue whiskey before, about 2 years ago. Back then I wasn’t thrilled but at least it was better than the Baby Blue. I don’t think the sample has been finished and it might just be sitting upstairs waiting for something to happen to it.

This batch is two years newer (bottled on 2012-12-21) and a little less high in ABV. Of course, that doesn’t say anything since the process should be the same and the only difference is maturation. Of course, that is the only major difference. A cask does a lot of tricks. Now I could get into all kinds of details about how the batch of blue corn, the temperature and humidity during fermentation, distillation and maturation are all different, but frankly, I don’t care.

The whiskey, like most other non-single malt products from Balcones is made with Texan Blue Corn, and as far as I know they’re the only guys doing that. So, some kudos are in order.

Balcones True Blue. Yes, it's the wrong version. This is the 100 proof.

Balcones True Blue. Yes, it’s the wrong version. This is the 100 proof.

Sniff:
Huh? This doesn’t remind in any way of the first time I tried this series. There’s nuts, a rich sweetness with dried apricots and oak. Of course, it’s sharp but it smells of whiskey instead of some nasty by product. Almond M&Ms and almond paste.

Sip:
Rich and very sharp. The 58 percents are all accounted for. Corn syrup, warm and sweet. A little simple on the palate.

Swallow:
The finish is rather long and comparable with the palate. Rather spicy and spirity, with a touch of greasiness to it.

While this will not be my favourite whiskey, it’s definetly a LOT better than it was a couple of years ago. I’m very curious to trying a lot of their other stuff but for some reason I’m not getting around to it. Gal brought me a couple samples when he came to Maltstock last year (like this one) and I’m curious to try their Single Malts and maybe some slightly older versions of this.

Anyway, good stuff, something different for sure but a lot better than a lot of other ‘craft whiskies’ out there. The drawback, of course, is that the stuff is pretty expensive in Europe.

Balcones True Blue, TB-12-6, bottled on December 21st in 2012.

Thanks to Gal for the sample!

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Pappy Van Winkle 15, 53.5%

Posted on 9 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Pappy Van Winkle has been rather popular for a couple of years now with prices soaring to ridiculous heights. Even the Family Reserve Rye 13 year old that Marco and I bought together about two years ago for about € 70 is going for triple that in auctions.

I am kind of regretting not buying it from DH17 when they had their ‘buy now’ thingy going on on Ebay, with this bottle going for € 65. The same goes for any other opportunity, but I’m not even sure I would have appreciated the rarity back then. Not sure the quality is worth the hype, but let’s dive in!

I got this sample from Shai A. in a recent ‘sample bomb’ as he calls it. There was another one and they were only labeled 1 and 2. For me to figure out which was which. Of course this would have been way too random, but in some Twitter conversations he had with Ansgar I figured one of the drams was the Pappy 15. 50/50 chance I got that one right.

Pappy Van Winkle 15. Image from Whiskybase

Pappy Van Winkle 15. Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Very warming with charcoal and toasted wood. Rather spicy and slightly hot at that. Wood spices. All this spicy stuff sends my mind directly towards rye. After a second I get pear peels, some coconut (the brown outside) and pepper.

Sip:
Dry and sharp with hints of chili pepper. There’s sweetness behind this with furniture polish, mango and cloves. Pink peppercorns and oak after that. Again, my mind screams ‘RYE’.

Swallow:
The finish is a tad more fresh with maybe a touch of mint in it. Dry oak, spices, and tea.

This rye sensation that I was getting apparently was wrong. All the spices are usually associated with that, and not with a wheated bourbon, like Stitzel Weller’s Pappy 15. Strange, since the general consensus is that wheated bourbons are much more gentle and smooth, especially compared to high rye bourbons.

So, I am not able to grasp which of two random bourbons is a Pappy Van Winkle. I’m not sure I ever tried it before so I am not really ashamed of that. I’m just glad I got the chance before everything is gone to investors and speculators that drive the prices to even more ridiculous heights.

Oh, and in general, a verdict might be nice. It’s a really damn fine whiskey. Maybe not the best bourbon I’ve ever tried (popularity suggests otherwise…), but definetly up there. At least some of the hype is justified! The spices are lovely, the depth is great and all in all it just works.

Pappy Van Winkle 15, Stitzel Weller, 53.5%

Posted in - American Whiskey, Pappy Van Winkle, Stitzel Weller | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Old Potrero 18th Century Style Spirit, 62.3%, California Only

Posted on 8 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

From the luxurious to the obscure. Old Potrero is a product from Anchor Brewing in San Francisco, where they occasionally distill some ‘old style’ spirits and whiskey. What they mostly product is Single Malt, Rye Whiskey and 18th Century Style Whiskey.

This one is neither of those and called an 18th Century Spirit. I’m not sure why it is different and there’s barely any information to be found on this release, apart from it being distilled from 100% rye malt.

This bottling was done some years ago and only available in California. Luckily our hotel was just a block from a rather sizeable liquor store.

Old Potrero, from San Francisco.

Old Potrero, from San Francisco.

Sniff:
Really, really strong rye scents. And it’s spirity. Not surprising at only 2 years and 1 month in cask. Very, very spicy but not too much heat (more on that later). Lots of baking spices. Very young, some oak but not much.

Sip:
It’s got some spicy heat to it. And again, the herbs and spices in general are the biggest component of its flavour. Some Indian curry with a definit flavour or distilled rye, with a touch of oak.

Swallow:
The finish isn’t very special. The flavours are very similar but it dies down really soon.

The ‘not too much heat’ comment above is a tad unexpected, for something at over 62% abv. This mostly has to do with it being open for 4 years already. In the meantime it has mellowed out a bit, some oxidation most likely. But, where some whiskies really suffer because of that, in this case it helped.

Quite strong, but the flavours wouldn't tell you (anymore)

Quite strong, but the flavours wouldn’t tell you (anymore)

When I first opened the bottle I was very surprised by scents and flavours, but not in a good way. Nowadays my palate probably has changed a bit, but it’s also a lot more approachable and quaffable.

The drink itself is rather simple, with not much development or depth, but it is something I’ve never tasted before. Also, it is proof to a distillery in the French Alps that a 100% malted rye drink can be quite interesting!

Old Potrero 18th Century Style Spirit, 62.3%, California Only, Batch 10-RW-ARM-3-1

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Yoichi Single Cask 16, 1991-2007, #129493, 62%

Posted on 7 January 2014 by Sjoerd de Haan-Kramer

Ever since I tasted my first Japanese whisky, the Taketsuru 17, I’ve been a fan of the barley distillates of the land of the rising sun. I tasted that Taketsuru right after I bought it in 2007. Back then it was the most expensive whisky I had ever bought at € 70. Right now, a Japanese whisky at that price would be on the cheaper end of the spectrum, ever they started rising the prices in accordance with Scotland.

Anyway, Yoichi is one of the more prominent disitlleries in the country, toghether with Yamazaki and since it’s price hikes and media hype, Karuizawa. Ah, the days you could see a Karuizawa 32 year old pop up on The Whisky Exchange, at € 125. You could still drive home to think about it and order it when you got there. Now you have to pay double or triple and decide in a split second.

Yoichi is up in the high north of Japan, on the island of Hokkaido. While that is still quite a bit south of where we are, it still gets a much colder climate blowing off from the Bering Strait. Also, it is the only remaining distillery that I know of that still runs their stills on coal instead of steam or other indirect heating. This makes for a rather rugged distilling proces which is reflected in the taste. The drawback is that it’s uncomparable of course.

Yoichi 16, 1991-2007. Image from Whiskybase

Yoichi 16, 1991-2007. Image from Whiskybase

Sniff:
Greasy with oak and smoke. eastern herbs and spices, barbecue. It’s fairly sharp and sweet with rancio (if I have that term right). The scents are rather typical for Yoichi, but I have a hard time naming them. Something fruity too, plum wine or so.

Sip:
The palate is very sharp (no surprise at 62%). The sweetness rules here as well, with some bitterness from the oak. The plums, smoke and rancio define most of its character.

Swallow:
The finish is a bit more gentle, but still rather fierce. Long and slightly astringent (probably the abv). The plum wine is here too, the smoke somewhat dimished.

Back in the day when I bought this whisky they went for about € 100 or so, and have, of course, increased in price. You’d have to check auctions to find quotes on stuff like this.

Having said that, it’s very much worth it to check for whiskies of this calibre since they’re absolutely gorgeous. This is exactly my style of stuff (as are many others) and I really enjoy the weird flavours only found in Yoichi. Great, great whisky. Bummer it’s almost gone.

Yoichi Single Cask 16, 1991-2007, #129493, 62%. Imported by LMDW, how it got to Holland I don’t know.

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