Benromach Contrasts is a series of whiskies from the awesome Speyside distillery that showcases a specific element of whisky making, which they then have changed from their regular releases. To put things in contrast, so to say.
So far there have been four different versions: Peat Smoke, Organic, Triple Distilled and Cara Gold Malt.
The first one is much more peated than regular, organic is organic, triple distilled is also quite obvious. Cara Gold is a type of malted barley that is normally used in brewing and not so much in whisky making. I was under the impression that I had reviewed that on this blog already, but it appears to not be the case.
Back to this one. Apart from being far more peated than the regular expressions, it also matured in sherry hogsheads. In itself nothing out of the ordinary, but it is a thing that is noticeable about this dram.
Image from Whiskybsae
Sniff: Ah yes, this screams Benromach. There’s such a typical combination of funky notes and sherry. Big, dark, dried fruity aromas backed up by a very typical bunch of big barley and oak notes. According to the label there should be peat too, and it’s not absent. It’s just far less pronounced than I anticipated for something labelled ‘Contrasts’.
Sip: The palate packs a bit of a black pepper punch. There’s a soft oakiness, with date paste, dried apricots, hessian, chocolate spread, mulch and cigars. A very gentle highland smoke is present as well. The sharpness diminishes a little after a while but it still a rather fierce because of its youth.
Swallow: The finish continues down the same line but is a bit drier, and less sweet. The oak and hessian are a bit more forward compared to the palate.
There’s multiple sides to this whisky. First of all, it has the problem that all affordable Benromachs have. It has to compete with the awesome 10 year old. Then, there’s the bit where this would contrast to normal editions by focusing on the peat more than regular. I don’t really think they’ve pushed that far enough. As said, there’s some smoke but I wouldn’t describe this as a stand-out peated dram.
Apart from that, it is a very tasty whisky. So for drinking and enjoying purposes it does everything very well. But on the ‘look at this being different than what we normally do’ it doesn’t.
Apart from starting to look like the Archives fanboy channel over here, I do really enjoy almost everything they put out. I say almost, because I like some whiskies better than others, but I have to admit that nothing ‘bad’ comes to mind.
Image from Whiskybase
Anyway, a little while ago they released this youngster from Islay, and Caol Ila tends to work well at a relatively low age. I veer away from those under 10 year old whiskies with weird cask usage, generally. Not because they are atrocious (although some are) but because I prefer Caol Ila to be fairly clean. It just works very well from Bourbon casks.
Sniff: Briny, diesel like smoke with hints of lemon drizzle cake. Grass, coastal salinity, silage, and a minty freshness.
Sip: A sharp palate with heaps of white pepper and chili heat. A bit of dry oak, lemon and straw. The texture gets a bit syrupy after a little while and a hint of engine grease and pastry cream shows up.
Swallow: The finish is surprisingly dry with more hessiand and oak. Still there’s smoke and lemon, engine grease and pastry cream.
All in all, a very typical Caol Ila, which is good. It does everything you expect it to do, and doesn’t show any off-notes or anything, so, yeah. Good stuff. Very good value for money, especially compared to other Caol Ilas at the same age or at the same price point. Both at the same level is rare, most Caol Ila of this age is more expensive now.
Our neighbours to the east keep at it with another rather spectacular release. This time it’s a Glenrothes from the mid-eighties. You don’t get to try whisky this old all that often anymore, so when a sample dropped in the mailbox, I was very pleasantly surprised!
Of course, it’s been out for a little while, about a month now, and reviews have started popping up with high ratings left and right. That naturally increased the level of anticipation I was feeling to trying this dram, which I finally got around to doing this weekend!
Image from Whiskybase
Let’s just dive straight in!
Sniff: The nose starts with gentle notes of straw and peaches. A warm and soft fruitiness. Oak, barley and coconut mats. There’s a hint of slate and minerals, and old apples too.
Sip: The palate is initially gentle but quickly shows hints of black and white pepper. Apples and peaches, again that soft, warm fruitiness. Fruit like in pies, baked and sugary. Dry straw with a tiny bit of heat. Oak, barley, coconut husks. There’s a slight waxiness to it as well.
Swallow: The finish continues down the same line as the palate. The minerals don’t show up again, which is interesting. Mostly dry and fruity, with straw, barley, oak and apples.
This is a very classical whisky, very much reminiscent to the age and style of the whisky. But as said, there’s not that much of this stuff around anymore, which makes it quite the experience. The wood has not overpowered the spirit in any way, and the whisky shows a gorgeous balance between these two.
The combination of waxiness on the palate and minerals on the nose reminded me of older Clynelish as well, and that’s not something that can hurt. A very well picked cask!
Yet another archives bottling! Not overly surprising with this being one of my favorite bottlers at the moment. They seem to be hitting the sweet spot between price and quality quite often!
Surprisingly, I don’t really know what distillery this one is from. Generally there’s some way of finding out, but I haven’t done that yet, and nobody has told me outright. So, Speyside, but undisclosed. Could be anything but chances are it starts with Glen.
Image from Whiskybase
A decent age, at 21 years old, so I’m expecting fruit, oak and ‘maturity’, which more or less means that it’s not overly sharp and shows some complexity and layering.
Sniff: I rarely start with a whisky having a ‘dry’ nose, but this one does. Apple seeds, grape seeds, that fruity bitterness. Lots of oak and dry barley dust too. Dried apricot and a whiff of Brazil nuts too.
Sip: The palate continues the dryness and slight bitterness too. Brazil nuts again, and walnut shells. Apple and grape seeds, straw and oak. Tree bark. This is a study in the notes that give complexity. Generally, though, there’s some sweetness to go with it and that’s not here. The lack of sweetness makes it slightly more hot too.
Swallow: The finish brings a bit more classical notes of warming dates, on top of the same things that came before. A darker fruitiness.
So yeah, fruits are ticked off, but I was surprised by the nutty dryness throughout this whisky. That brings a bit of bitterness which is something I quite love! Also, not a lot of sweetness, so more reason for this to score high again!
Back when Private Editions from Glenmorangie were still a thing, they occasionally did something interesting with the series. Half of their ‘innovative’ bottlings were just using a different wine cask or a specific sherry cask. Nothing new under the sun although they tried to pass it off as such.
However, when there was something interesting happening, it could very well be described as super non-innovative too. As in, the things that peaked my interest were the Allta and Tùsail. And these alterations on their usual recipe involved local wild yeasts and old styles of barley. More a trip back to the early 1900s and before than anything else.
But, as long-time readers might know, I am a bit of a geek for things like that. I love it when people take back a solid step from the more and more homogenous product that whisky is becoming. When they truly look to local environments for ingredients, when not the most alcohol yielding barley variety is picked, but one that was used for flavor instead.
It’s, in part, why I absolutely love products like Springbank’s Local Barley whiskies, Lindores Abbey’s push to use barley from local farms, Bruichladdich’s Islay Barley, what they’re doing in general in Dornoch, and so on.
This one then. Glenmorangie Allta used a wild yeast that was found on locally growing barley and has been used to ferment the mash. Because of using a quite different strain of yeast, the flavors developed during fermentation are quite different than what we all know from Glenmorangie.
Image from Whiskybase
Sniff: Barley, digestive biscuits, a hint of vanilla and some wood. There’s a whiff of oranges, white bread and old, corky apples. Some sugar glaze, and pastry cream, puff pastry (yes, the complete Tompouce…).
Sip: A gentle arrival that has slightly sweet biscuit notes. A small note of candied lemon and tangerine. Dry notes of apple, ground acorns, twigs and straw.
Swallow: The finish is slightly more sweet than the palate. Quite a long finish with white bread and biscuits.
I’m not sure if the casks used for this bottling are different than the regular 10 years old, but there’s a lot less vanilla than there is on that edition. The biscuit notes are a lot more dry, and more pronounced than I’m used to as well.
It might not be the most awesome whisky, but it does everything I wanted it to do, and focus more on the ingredients and the flavors developed during distillation than it does on flavors developed during maturation. Quite a different approach that I would love for them to go back to sometime.
Hazelburn has come of age. The oldest version out there seems to be 22 years old by now, but this one, released last year, must have been the oldest back then. I feel like an old fart when I say that I remember the first ten year old Hazelburn being released. Maybe because I am an old fart?
This particular edition, to Springbank modus operandi, is a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, the 70% of the casks being the sherry kind. 3600 bottles have been released, so sort-of limited I guess.
I have no idea what the original MSRP was on this bottle, but currently they seem to be going for € 425 in the secondary market, which is not as much as I expected, to be honest. I guess that is more or less on par with what the initial price was, based on what Springbank generally sets you back.
Image from Whiskybase
Anyway, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so let’s go!
Sniff: From a distance it smells rather sweet and gives a whiff of dark chocolate and pastry, but upon closer inspection there are a lot of other things happening. Grain, oak, some pastry still. But also coastal notes and tree bark. On the nose this one is very mature with lots of gentle notes. Some sherry, but not too powerful. Slightly yeasty with a hint of cocoa powder.
Sip: The palate brings a bit more of a typical Springbank character, even though it’s a Hazelburn. There’s a lot of mature funkiness with hessian, moldy cellars, things like that. Hints of straw, marram grass, sea salt. It’s very gentle with only a little bit of alcohol bite.
Swallow: Still slightly drying, with sawdust of tree bark. A very long finish with those gentle sherry notes again. Lovely and complex with dried apples, some apricot in the background.
This is one of those moments where you understand € 400 price tags on whisky (a little bit). As in, I get why some things are far more expensive than others. Whether or not that should be € 400 is another discussion.
The initial nose of sweetness didn’t entice me all that much, but all I had to do to get past that was just give it a couple of seconds to open up after pouring. Epic stuff!
This mix of three casks was bottled over a decade ago by Samaroli. That’s a legendary whisky bottler from Italy that is widely regarded as having bottled the best whiskies ever several decades ago.
I’m not entirely sure how that reputation holds currently, since their bottling are quite rare, if they even exist nowadays. I don’t think I’ve seen new ones in years. Of course, a quick check on Whiskybase tells us that there have been some releases over the last couple of years, but to call it ‘steady’ is overstating it.
Image from Whiskybase
Anyway, Jura. A distillery that is nowhere near the top of my list. I’ve had some good ones but most of them have been mediocre at best, a lot of them have been shit. I’m not sure what it is with that distillery, but in most casks they manage to get a strong aroma of rubber bands, with the funkiness ramped up to 11, and certainly not in a good way.
Let’s find out where this one lands.
Sniff: Right after pouring the sample the aroma was fairly clean, but after the kids interfered and I came back to it a few minutes later the typical rubber bands pop up. There’s some oak and a whiff of brine.
Sip: There’s quite a lot of peppery heat for the ABV, and from that it even builds up to more heat. Some syrup and oak. The rubber bands are here, but the pepper rules supreme.
Swallow: The finish is much more mellow and goes back to the nose, where it started. Not a very long finish.
Typical Jura. Weird and all over the place, but the base isn’t too nice to begin with. I find this one typical for the brand, unfortunately.
It’s been a while by now, but back in 2021 when there were ‘only’ 180,000 different whiskies on Whiskybase, they released this Glentauchers.
Image from Whiskybase
There must have been quite a parcel of casks available back then, because it seemed that everyone was releasing Glentauchers around that time. It’s never really been rare from indie bottlers, but sometimes things peak and this was one of those times.
Anyway, that isn’t a negative thing since that keeps prices in check at least a a little bit, and it generally means that there’s something to compare to.
Sniff: Dried peaches and mango, mulchy oak. Dried orange and some aniseed freshness. It becomes more citrusy as it opens up. More fresh orange and pomelo.
Sip: Some fresh black pepper and red chili on the arrival. Dried tropical fruits get added after that, and there’s some citrus pith happening too. It has quite some bite for a dram at 46-ish%.
Swallow: The finish is a bit more syrupy and has more fruit juice (mango, peach) than dried fruits. There’s a bit more oak here thanI got on the palate.
Very good stuff, without the cask getting the overhand anywhere. Great balance. I love the fruity notes throughout, and the combination with the black pepper on the palate works really well!
Jack Tar, the new-ish bottler of high-end spirits sent a bunch of samples over a while ago. I normally try to get around to samples like this fairly quickly, but in this case I wanted to make it a more special moment.
Why, you ask? Well, because of what the samples are. In the package were four different Armagnacs from Alfred Dubois Lizee, with vintages from all over last century. The ‘youngest’ of the bunch is from 1973, and the oldest is from 1934.
Especially if your frame of reference is whisky, these vintages are exceptional. Even if you’re used to older spirits, these vintages are exceptional, by the way. It’s just utterly ridiculous to try 88 year old booze.
Alfred Dubois Lizee is a producer of Armagnac that dates back to 1830. I guess they are a rather unknown one with a very specific market, since the website is in Polish. Jack Tar owns the brand name, which means these Armagnacs are very unlikely to pop up elsewhere. The brand name and the producer are two different things in this case, as the ‘house’ that produces these brandies is called Veuve Goudoulin Armagnac, but this house was founded for Alfred Dubois Lizee in 1935. I wonder what this means for the origins of the older vintages…
Of course, who owns the brand and the language of the website doesn’t affect liquid of this age, but with a date of origin that far back, it’s not overly surprising some older stuff is available!
Under the ‘Retrouve Anime’ series, two sets have been released by Jack Tar. The first and the second, where these samples are from the first. The second series consists of even older vintages, on average, with the oldest being from 1914 and the youngest from 1952.
All of the Armagnacs have been bottled at natural cask strength, and in this series the availability ranges from 60 to just over 100 bottles.
Brigitte, Bas Armagnac 1973, 49yo, 47.8%, Single Dame Jeanne
Image from Jack Tar
Sniff: This one needs some time to open up. More ‘straight forward’ for an Armagnac. Lots of grapes, a hint of copper and candied orange.
Sip: A gentle palate that doesn’t really bite, but does bring complexity. Lovely notes of oak and pepper, held in check by slightly syrupy fruits like orange, plums and grapes. A hint of raisin and cherries.
Swallow: The finish is gorgeous with a nod back to the crispness of the first one, Paul. Lots of fruits, a minor hint of copper and oak and pepper.
Insanely complex and gorgeously layered. The balance between wood and spirit seems completely spot on!
92/100
Paul, Bas Armagnac 1965, 57yo, 43.4%, Single Dame Jeanne
Image from Jack Tar
Sniff: Gentle oak and an almost rum like sweetness. It’s not overly heavy, as in it’s surprisingly crisp for such an old dram. Blue grapes, pineapple, pear. Quite a lot of fruit. Oranges too.
Sip: A surprisingly wood forward palate. Dry with a hint of bitterness. Grape seeds, raisin twigs, a hint of copper. Very different from the nose. There’s some sweetness after a while, with more direct fruity notes. Grapes, raisins, apricot.
Swallow: The finish holds the middle between the nose and palate in the fruit department. It’s a bit more rich and dark, though. The woody notes linger longest. A bit of orange pith shows up towards the end.
Here the oak starts to get a bit more pronounced, although it’s unmistakably similar to the ‘Brigitte’. Lovely fruity notes!
91/100
Jane, Bas Armagnac 1963, 59yo, 46.2%, Single Dame Jeanne
Image from Jack Tar
Sniff: Lots of copper, iron and minerals. Old apples, white grapes, and some oak. Not a lot of wood. Cherries and blackberries, black grapes. Fresh and baked fruits. Very fruit forward.
Sip: Not surisingly, as the third of these beauties, there’s a lot of oak, rancio and black pepper. The red fruits are here too, mostly black cherries and blackberries.
Swallow: The finish continues down the same line, but is slightly more sweet and syrupy. A whiff of port, even.
The more syrupy port notes are very interesting and quite different from what I found in the ‘younger’ siblings.
90/100
Claude, Bas Armagnac 1934, 88yo, 44.2%, Single Dame Jeanne
Image from Jack Tar
Sniff: Dark with chocolate raisins and plums. Lots of oak, but very gentle. There’s a very light note of nuts. Somewhere between walnuts and pecans.
Sip: The palate combines dark fruits like plums,cherries and raisins, with lots of oak and a cherry stone bitterness. Dark chocolate and, somehow, bay leaf.
Swallow: The finish brings a bit of sweetness, but stays very dark with wood, fruit and chocolate. Massively old, of course.
With this having matured for longer than anyone in my family is old, it’s not overly surprising that the oak starts to get the upper hand here. It’s a truly remarkable thing with it being very wood forward, but not ‘over oaked’ as some very old distillates can get.
89/100
The word ‘impressive’ comes to mind! This was one of the better Sunday afternoons in recent history, with all four of these drams being incredibly gorgeous.
The set of four Armagnacs is available from Jack Tar for € 1900. Thanks a million for giving me the opportunity to try these awesome brandies!
Over a decade ago I visited quite a lot of whisky tastings at De Whiskykoning in Den Bosch. Even back then, when a 6 to 10 year old Bowmore from around 2000/2002 came out from bottlers like The Ultimate or Signatory, they were lovely.
Now, we’re quite a few years further along and these Bowmores have come of age. Also, they have come of price. But, when you can get a sample, you’re in for a treat. Especially, at least from personal preference, these Bowmores from bourbon casks are amazing.
Image from Whiskybase
Let’s see if this ones lines us with expectations!
Sniff: Very spirity, with lots of fresh leaves and moss, fresh white oak and some alcohol. There’s a bitter note too, with some minerals. Iron and hay. After a couple of minutes there’s a coastal note, with some salinity.
Sip: The palate starts very gentle, without giving way to a sharp sensation. It’s dry, woody and there’s a note of alcohol. Moss, ferns, fresh leaves, oak shavings. A bit of an austere bitterness with some minerals and salinity. There is the slightest wisp of smoke.
Swallow: The finish is rather similar, but does add a note of vanille and leaves all sharpness behind immediately. After a little while the very light smoky note lingers longest, but shows mostly in a slight briny note.
I love that the cask hasn’t overpowered the spirit and went very well balanced instead. Bourbon casks have the risk of over influencing whisky with vanilla aromas and flavors. This one luckily hasn’t gone that way.
The smoke is very gentle, which is also rather typical. But the green notes that come along with it make for a cracking whisky! Gorgeous stuff.
Malt Fascination 