Well I'm Not Sure What to Say....

    It's been over 6 moths since my last post promising to post more often and stay on top of the LCBO releases.... I haven't done that and for that I feel like I owe my readers an apology.

    Instead, I got married to my better half (she really is the better half of us now...), and have been sort of cavorting all about town with little regard to my blog and fellow whisky enthusiasts.  This isn't all my fault; I do actually have 6 articles partially written for the last 6 months of LCBO releases.  There just hasn't been either enough time or ability to find a sample from the release to comment on it worthy of making a post on the blog.  I  have also been about at the Spirit of Toronto show, and a few private tastings, but haven't really found or been bothered to take the time to settle down and write any of my thoughts down (that's just my own inherent laziness).  So I'll draft up a few things and see where this takes us.



    I haven't been railing away at the LCBO for a while (I sort of miss that), in fact I haven't been to the tasting bar in more than a few months.  This is simply due to the fact I've been getting on with other things like working overtime (something has to fund the whisky obsession), bottle hunting, relaxing and enjoying some of my newly married life.  The other reason I've slowed my progress is that I've been disappointed in the releases from our Liquor Control Board in the past few cycles.  It's not that they're aren't plentiful enough... it's simply the selection; or rather the lack there of.  I've noticed in the last few months specifically that there seems to be a cyclical ordering scheme of specific bottles during specific times in the year as well (some people might even call this a cover-up/ploy/marketing scheme/conspiracy... I just keep pointing back to my other articles).  I've also noticed the lack of interesting independent bottlings available a the LCBO lately (these are what really tends to interest me), and as such have sort of swayed away from the only Liquor outlet available to me.

    What, instead, I have decided to do is jump off the deep end into the wold of malts, that I, as a whisky lover am exposed to.  I feel the need to share this with you all, as there are so many things not available within our shelves, stores, and borders.  Those who know me keep urging me to write more, and I think it's a good creative outlet for myself, but more oft it keeps me in touch with the industry that I enjoy as a hobby.

   As a sneak peek; my notes book features a few interesting Gordon & MacPhail bottles, a bunch of rare bottles from around the world and even a few rare drams from the 60's-70's.  Let's see what comes up on my palate first and we'll have a discussion soon.

                                        In the mean time; keep your stick on the ice and the ice out of you glass.
                                                      You'll be seeing me around these parts soon enough I think...
                                                                                      Roscoe             

Surpirse... It's a Whiskey Review!

     Okay, so it's not the article I had promised; that's still in the barrel awaiting some finishing remarks and pictures.  That's not quite ready to happen yet, but instead what I've got for you is a pair of tasting notes from a recent trip to the LCBO tasting bar.  I finally got to try my fair share of John Jacob Rye, and also a single malt from my favourite distillery Mortlach.

     First up, a small batch rye from Washington state.  Fremont Mischief Distillery is a new upstart distilleries in the Seattle area, producing a limited number of products, and successfully creating a name for itself.  Their backbone seems to be an 8 year old whiskey (coming from Canada; for the time being as they begin their own distillation with local grains), but they also produce a 2-3 year old rye named in honour of the master distiller's grandfather.  John Jacob Rye is listed as 'perfect for sipping with ice or as the base to your favourite whisky cocktail'.  Upon reading this I wasn't so enthused to get my hands on a glass.  At a recent trip to the tasting bar, I noticed the bottle and decided to tempt fate.  What ended up in my glass was far more than I expected.  Let me throw the notes below for you to peruse:

• Colour:  Rich amber bordering on a yellow/goldish highlight
• Body:  Thick and oily, not unlike good Canadian rye.  The drops seem to take forever to form and run slowly back into the glass
• Nose: The first note I got was super sweet butter cream frosting and vanilla ice cream.  Lots of rye pepper and fruits, making the nose densely thick.  The pepper seems very hot like white ground pepper, but has a bright black fruit note like really good Tellicherry peppercorns.  There begins a subtle waft of fruits and an interesting counterbalance of fresh motor oil.  A little water brings out dried mandarin peel. and a caraway rye bread-y note.  In the background there seems to be a grapefruit candy note.  With time it turns more into a wheat sugary note, or a something like a sweet-grass note.
• Palate:  The mouth feel is very smooth; luxuriously so!  The body does seem a bit thin here (showing its youth), but fruits abound!  Dried apricot shows up here, along with a peach brandy note too.  The pepper doesn't subside here, but instead turns into warmth through the dram.  Some baking spices are present here, but nothing really standing above one another.
• Finish:  This part is sadly short.  Lots of rye bite and oak heat come through.  Vanilla pudding drifts away into oak warmth and the ever present wood spices.
• Empty Glass:  This shows the age again, furniture polish and fresh oak (not so great), but behind all of it is dried pickling spices and dill (I think putting a few more years of age on this will bring out these notes more in the dram).

      All in all; I was very impressed with such a young whisky.  It's a really creamy and soft whisky with a reserved bite to it.  I did note an odd label on my bottle at the noting that the contents were actually 42%ABV, not the 40% listed on the bottle.  This leads me to believe the batches are pretty small and that this might be a bottle for the rye lovers to look for out there.  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle, priced at $57.95 is a little on the steep side, but worth checking out a dram at your local favourite whisky bar, should you run across it.

    Next up is my absolute favourite distillery... that is never bottled by it's owners (with a couple of exceptions).  Mortlach, the monster of Speyside with such notes as: aftershave, pork fat, double smoked bacon, and burnt car tires.  This is a backbone to Johnnie Walker blends in the blue and black range, typically heavily sherried, it provides that lip smacking and unctuous note in the black blend.  Sadly though, it will only usually be seen as an independent bottler' single malt as Diageo seems to not be willing to show off a tour-de-force type malt.  That being said, why would I review this now during the Summer?  Well the Dun Bheagan 12 year old bottling I ran across is anything but typically heavy sherry winter whisky.  This 12 year old hailing from cask #93392 and producing 907 bottles at 46% ABV, called to me on the shelf.  I'm a softy for this monster but, when I got it in my glass, the notes will speak for themselves.

• Colour:  Light gold with pink highlights (looks like a good sherry cask; and there is no colour or chill-filtration being done here)
• Body:  Medium-light with fast forming drips that run at a medium pace back to the pool below (wait a minute, this isn't seeming very heavy and brooding?)
• Nose:  Holy cow!  Hold onto your socks for this one.  There is a wave of sweet floral (like the little flowers in my mum's garden), and red berries all over the place.  Wait a minute, this isn't Mortlach like I know it at all... this is like summer vacation Mortlach! Red fruits and sweet malt abound with notes of overripe strawberry all over the place.  A little water gets added and the beast begins to emerge.  Strawberry pork roast (can you do that? if not I' going to be the first), that thick pork fat note comes with a sly hint of salt (like play-dough).  The nose remains berry sweet, but with a salty (not briny) tang, herbal notes begin to emerge.  The herbs seem very strong like pine needles or spruce tips, but also very shy and drawn back at the same time.
• Palate:  Sherry-berry sundaes.  The malt almost ends up a background player here, with wood spice rounding up the end.  The meatiness of Mortlach can be felt throughout the dram, but never over bearing.  There are hints of juniper and plum, with an almost mango undertone present.  With water it becomes richer, more earthiness and meatiness come forward now.  The wood spice sharpens and becomes a sort of all-spice note with a dried pine needles hanging about in the background.  Off in the distance amongst the pork roast and berries is a slight nod towards earwax.  This was one hell of a cask IMO!
• Finish:  This is medium and very satisfying.  Still floral and sweet but with a firm backbone of wood spice and a slightly creamy thickness (think homemade ice cream)
• Empty Glass: Strawberry jam and play-dough.  There is a surprising pop of spice tea and a hint of mint in the background.

    Well there you have it! I never though I'd see a Mortlach as a summer sipper; but the proof is in the notes.  The berry rich and sherry driven nose of this is intense and whimsical, something I could gladly enjoy over a Summer evening with good company.  This is a pretty expensive bottle for only a 12 year (coming in at a hefty $93), but the quality of the spirit shows itself an might be worth the investment.  You can find your own bottle at your local LCBO <HERE>.

     So there you have a pair of very interesting bottles.  The first being a very small batch produced rye with some very interesting rich notes.  The second being a fantastic summer whisky for anyone looking something sweet and easily approachable (which I find very difficult to say about Mortlach).  Much more to come for the blog.  I'm coming out of summer holiday mode, and getting back to writing; slowly.  Still to come, a meeting of bloggers, a spirits show, the remainder of the Vintages releases from the LCBO for the summer, and a few more articles too.  As always: Keep your stick on the ice and the ice out of your glass.

LCBO Vintages Release for February 2012

Well, that month seemed to blow by quickly!  Then again at only 28 days + 1 for a leap year, is a quick month.  That being said, the releases are short on numbers, but big on flavor!

February 04/2012 Release:

First up is a Kentucky bourbon! 1792 Ridgemont Reserve is a barrel select Kentucky straight bourbon.  Straight bourbon is legally defined as being over 2 years old, this one hits 8 years before it's released to the masses.  With a high rye content in the mashbill, it brings up the spice notes in the nose.  Very spicy up front (causes salivation.... even while I'm writing this now thinking about it).  Nose features spice cake, sharp rye, cracked pepper and loads of fruits and pickles (that's the rye again).  Mouth feel is very different, rich and creamy, with hints of apples and licorice in the background.  I think it's a pretty good buy, and for only $50/bottle,  it's really hard to go wrong.  Check your local LCBO [Sku#208918], for a location near you.

Second is another bottling from Welsh distillery Penderyn.  Wales is a small country located between the Irish sea and England, also holds the records for the wettest place in Europe.  That being said, there is a golden ray of light under the gray skies: Penderyn distillery.  Penderyn Sherrywood  is an excellent representation of a cask finish gone according to plan.  Buffalo Trace bourbon casks are used in conjunction with an Oloroso Sherry wood cask to create a sum greater than both parts.  Penderyn tends to be a light and floral sort of wysgi (Welsh for whisky), and marrying it with rich sherry casks brings out rich fruity notes with a wonderful smooth finish.  The combination of casks give wonderful sweet raisins, dates, caramel and custard notes on the nose.  This develops well in the glass, but the palate speaks for itself.  Creme caramel and almonds dominate, raisins and sherry soaked red fruits with a hint of bitter ginger at the end to balance it all out.  The finish is mid-length and very smooth (hence it is a favorite of mine).  Check your local LCBO [Sku #270611] for a bottle, priced at $85 and served at 46% ABV I think it's an excellent treat.

Next up is a island monster! Isle of Jura 200th Anniversary (21 Years old).  This monster comes to us courtesy of the 1963 Gonzalez Byass sherry casks that were specially selected to represent the year that Jura was reborn.  In '63, the distillery was rebuilt, and new life was breathed into both the island and the spirit.  The 21 year old spirit holds its own as an excellent example of Island whisky at it's best.  It's got a rich (assisted), golden colour that already gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside.  The nose reveals macerated orange peel, slight hints of peat, and buried depths of dark chocolate mixed into a briny ocean spray (characteristic Isle of Jura).  The sherry influence comes in with notes of marzipan and golden raisins, rich worked leather notes.  It coats the mouth like velvet but remains dry.  The palate fills out with walnuts, dark chocolate covered almonds, roasted seaweed (think of the nori that covers your sushi), and cracked black pepper on the finish.  Excellent stuff, and served at the Jura's usual 43% ABV makes this an excellent bottle to grab and stash away for that special date.  Check you local LCBO [Sku #266700] for a bottle, priced a bit on the high side at $147, but as it's a rarity, well worth the price.

February 18/2012 release:

Only a single bottle in this round!  Many of my friends know that I'm not a big fan of The Balvenie; only going for the 21 Port wood cask (LCBO seriously over priced at $216), and the 14 Caribbean cask (much better choice at only $99).  Making a reappearance at the LCBO is the 15 year old Single Cask.  This is an excellent representation of the Balvenie signature spirit.  Offered at 50.5% ABV, this is an excellent cost/value ratio ($135/bottle).  Honey and floral notes gently waft through the nose, vanilla and gentle polished oak weave a fantastic nose that melds into the palate.  Rich honeycomb and gentle wildflowers mingle with the dry worked oak notes and toasted malt on the palate.  The finish is subtle and complex with notes of heather and more worked oak with a subtle hint of anise/licorice.  Normally I'm not a Balvenie fan, but at the price/value you'll get from this bottle at only $135, you're not going to find a better chance to get into a Bavlenie with such an excellent palate.  Check your local LCBO [Sku #366963], for your bottle.

Well that sums up the February releases.  Seems like we got spoiled this round, which leaves me wondering why? (naturally pessimistic I guess).  I have a feeling that March will be showing us the usual Irish malts in a toss out to St. Patrick's day (some of which I am a big fan).  Until next time, keep your stick on the ice and the ice out of your glass.  I'll be posting some tasting notes from my tasting experience with the guys from Scotchblog.ca, take a trip by and check out what they have to offer.

LCBO Vintages Release for December 2011

Well 'tis that time of year, and the Vintages releases are short (just like the days).  The last release for this year was done on December 10th, and the rest of this year is dedicated to their Christmas cheer book and sparkling wines for New Years.  What came out during this release?

Blanton's Single Barrel Special Reserve Bourbon:   This is a fantastic single barrel bourbon from the deep south!  Blanton's specializes in single barrel bourbon production.  This is a premium bourbon that comes from only a single warehouse in the Buffalo Trace distillery.  In fact they only come from the 'centre cut' of Warehouse H (very centre), when the aging seems to take place perfectly for the spirit.  Since 1984 Blanton's has been producing single barrel bourbon and was one of the first to offer such a product.  Their website has some of the best laid out information I've ever seen and can be found by clicking the distillery name at the start of the article of HERE for the Special Reserve.  I'm not crazy over the chill filtration in Scotch (but I've never seen a non-chillfiltered bourbon), but I really appreciate the forward information.  If I get my hands on any samples I'll be more than happy to provide the review.  Check your local LCBO for Sku #558320, bottles are $76 each.  There is also a Blanton's single barrel standard available for $65 under LCBO Sku #255349 (it's also 45% ABV).

Second in this short release is Glenfarclas 12.  Glenfarclas is one of my absolute favorite distilleries as they provide an appealing spirit geared towards Whisky lovers.  All malts are presented without colour added and served at 43%! Though special bottlings like the 15 & 40 are 46%, and the 105 is a whopping 60%.  Sadly though they still chill filter the whisky (confirmed via Ralfy), but that can easily be changed to create a full craft presentation.  Run by an independent distiller (J & G Grant), they produce some of the best sherry casked Scotches available in my personal opinion.  The 12 year old is no exception to this rule! Fresh and light, the sherry influence is still young but I found lots of oak notes (worked, toasted, and some fresh or green wood), cereals, a twist of a sour note, an interesting brine/salty note, heather and almond.  A little hot on the palette, this will benefit from an addition touch of water to open the nose.  I'd call this a good deal at $64, so check out your local LCBO for Sku #142182.

Sadly, this is actually the last post of the year, and I will resume sometime after the Holidays.  I'm off to the Dominican for a much needed vacation, but I promise to come back and work up some more spirits for review.  Most importantly, I do want to thank you (on the other side of the screen), for reading my blog as this actually means quite a lot to me!  Enjoy your holidays, and your whisky responsibly.

Keep your stick on the ice, and the ice out of your glass!

Vintages Releases for Sept 2011

Alright, as promised a second update with the featured releases for September up to the  coming release date of September 17th/2011.

First off, what we missed at the start of this month:

Dougie MacLean's Caledonia (Edradour 12 Year old Select Bottling).  Dougie MacLean is the most successful singer/song-writers in Scotland.  His list of talents don't stop at composing, he is a multi-talented instrumentalist playing more instruments than a high school band.  This single malt scotch came about with passion to bring a part of the Highlands to the rest of the world.  Unchillfiltered, colour free and served at 46% ABV this is a fine-looking specimen from the smallest distillery in Scotland.  Run by 3 passionate men, and distilling in the methods of old, Edradour uses equipment you would find in a museum with a process that includes no automation.  This results in a time-honored flavor that is faithful to the way Scotch was distilled by our forefathers.  Simply stated: Edradour is a heck of a dram, and the Caledonia release is a special selection of those heck-of-a-dram casks.  Grab a bottle for that special something you have coming up.  At $90 for a limited bottling, I think you have a safe investment in good taste on your hands.  LCBO SKU#242578.

The second bottle is another independent bottler with the right notions in play.  Unchillfiltered, and no colour added are right up the enthusiasts list of wants.  Montgomerie's is a division of the Dundee distiller's PLC group.  They cater to the enthusiast with single cask malt whisky from all regions of Scotland.   This bottling comes from a Glen Grant 1990 cask, and aged 17 years.  The single cask bottling limits the amount of production to a very rare 3700 or so bottles, making it a collector's item.  At $135, this is definitely a collector's item!  I think the colour looks a little pale, making me believe that this is not a prized first fill cask (more of a second/third filling).  I'm on the fence about it, the tasting notes say things like brilliant gold colour, and notes of saltwater taffy with leather, tobacco and marmalade.  It doesn't inspire confidence in me, and a quick internet search pulls up very little information about Montgomerie's.  If you happen to have $135 burning a hole in your pocket, go for and let me know what you think!  LCBO SKU #247643; but sorry folk's I've got the last bottle in Ontario.

Last but not least is a prized bottling that is high on my list of purchases!  I can't stop singing the praises of Isle of Arran, and this month marks the release of The Amarone Cask Finish Single malt.  At a whopping 50% ABV with no chill-filtration and no colour added; yes please! Amarone is a desiccated Italian Red wine (made from partially dried grapes), that boasts a rich incredible flavor.  Granted a DOCG certification in 2009 (Controlled designation of origin), it is an Italian treat for those rich full-bodied reds.  What does this impose to the Scotch?  In a word flavorization-ness..... is that a word?  It may not be a word, but that's what I've got to say.  Rich copper/mahogany red hues lead the nose on a trip.  Turkish Delight, toasted almond, cranberry hints and rich malted chocolate give way to cherry, toffee, apricot and rich almond nuttiness.  This is a keeper!  In fact at $72, grab a second bottle for that rainy day a few years down the road when you need a burst of flavor to get yourself back into the game.  Jim Murray scored it a 96 and said "I'm astonished at its total brilliance..."  LBCO SKU #50070.

So that takes care of what's on the shelves now.  This weekend marks another release without any whisky.  For you Cognac fans there are a few new bottles arriving that have peaked my interest.  Check the Vintages booklet HERE, or better yet take a trip to your local LCBO and see what looks good to you.  SO I've told you what I think looks good, and in the words of Levar Burton '...but you don't have to take my word for it!'.  Take a trip to your local bar or an LCBO tasting room, or a good friends place with a good selection and get out there and try something new.