The USDC 30th Event! - 30 Year Old Malts... 5 of them... Seriously

       Well, not often will I publish a quick turn around review, but last night stuck me as something special.  If you happened to be watching my twitter feed, you will have noted a few very interesting and rather old bottles appear.  This is attributed to the 30th event for The United Scotch Drinkers of Canada.  It was decided that the group would celebrate in style, and source a list of 30 year old malts -  and what transpired was nothing less than a stellar night.

     First up, the USDC:  A group of like minded men and women who started a tasting group made up of friends who enjoy whisky.  What started with tasting of basic blended malts and learning the distiller's lingo has since been transformed into locating some of the most sought after bottlings possible.  This typically results in some collectors crying their eyes out as we wrench open the tops on whisky that is oft deemed too rare to drink.  On the other hand, as an malt enthusiast, this allows an opprtunity  to try whiskies that are far outside the acceptable price range or almost impossible to find.  Let's delve into our opening dram...

Weymss Inchgower 1982 (Pears and Almonds, 46% ABV, NCA/NCF):

• Colour:  Light amber, almost honey coloured.
• Body:  Thin, but leaning towards the oily side.  Drops form at a medium rate and fall at the same leisurely pace.
• Nose:  Soft perfume notes begetting white floral notes and soft roasted almond.  As it develops, almond becomes toasted and a little brash.  Soft malt and sweet marzipan round out into a creamy sort of nose.  The floral seems vaguely 80's Bowmore.
• Palate:  Milky soft and creamy, malt sweetness and more floaral notes.  There's n odd note in here though, maybe herbal almost sharp that I can't quite figure.  Mashed banana and sweet custard in the bottom, but the violet notes start to take over the mid-palate.  Towards the end there is a very interesting chalky note that smooths it all out, and hints at a bit of salty dust.
• Finish:  Sharp and prickly.  This is 30 years?  It's very lively as the wood spices come up and dominate the finish.  Creamy and chalky wood comes along and supports more custard notes but they take a back seat to some strong wood spices (coriander, cassia, mace and the like).
• Empty Glass:  The salty brine sort of comes up here but is subdued by huge butter toffee notes.  There is a rich and almost silky malt note in the dregs.

   Not quite my cup of tea, I found it very floral and quite a bit of roasted nuts.  The finish almost made it seem much younger than it actually was, almost half the age.  I can still see the appeal to this though as it is such a light and soft whisky.  What's next?

 Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Grant 1978 (REF 4714, 49.6% ABV, NCA/NCF):

• Colour:  Soft harvest gold
• Body:  Rather thin, almost a touch watery.  Drops form rather slowly and almost refuse to run back to the glass.  Seems to sheet back to the bottom.
• Nose:  Wow, Glen Grant straight out of the gates!  Intense old whisky!  Lots of prickly pear and almost some sweaty notes.  Great wood spices and hints of aftershave (not detracting from the malt), with a fantastic malt base.  As it develops, it becomes soft and perfumed, but never loses the quality.  There is a hint of citrus, or some sort of citrus baked good... like a lemon square but with 1/4 of the lemon.
• Palate:  A 180 from the nose, soft and subtle... somehow maintains intensity in softness.  The perfume is still here, but it plays hand in hand with malt, biscuits and baking spices.  As it develops the malt takes precedence and shows the almost perfect integration of pepper heat and sweet.  The balance is spot-on.
• Finish:  Herbal wood spice and pepper heat again, Twinges of wood smoke come through and soothe the malt.  Hints of bitter tannin and Crème Anglaise support the finish.  The balance shows no signs of stopping here as the finish carries on for quite some time.
• Empty Glass:  Rich aftershave notes of sandalwood and almost a hint of camphor.  Soft peaks of malty brine and vanilla support the finish in your mouth.  Le sigh....

      Okay, this is a pretty stellar malt, the balance of the flavours makes it supremely delicious and dangerously more-ish.  The aftershave notes in the finish support the rich malt underneath and the smattering of wood smoke peppers just enough to cut into the dram without disruption.  Holy crap, there's more?

Balvenie 30 (DB, 47.3% circa mid 2000's):

• Colour:  I think it's the Ron Burgundy... rich mahogany, but likely coloured.
• Body:  Oily thin, huge fat drops form rather quickly and run slowly back to the bowl.  I dunno; it's heavily filtered but still relatively intact.
• Nose:  The Balvenie through and through.  Honey, treacle tart and soft Sherry run through the malt.  There is a fermented strawberry note in the centre that I'm not in love with, but it supports the sherry very well.  Soft torched toffee and wood spice with a hint at cocoa in the back end.
• Palate:  Rich Gypsy pie, very sweet on the front end, and dangerously smooth in the mid-palate.  Hints at leaves and wood spice, but honestly nothing is standing out.  It's a very manufactured palate, but it's much clingier that the newer 30 year old.
• Finish:  It's long, but it doesn't stick around enough.  The typical vanilla, caramel and softened baking spice in the finish.  Lots of sherry sweets and malt here too, the cling dissipates too quickly leaving you wanting another dram.
• Empty Glass:  I'm almost not too sure there was whisky in my glass.  The dregs almost evaporate and leave very little  Hints of bitter almond and sherry, some touches of wood of some sort... but not much else.

     This was bottled about a decade back, and features almost all of the stereo typical Balvenie notes of the modern whiskies.  The cling on this though is much more interesting, just a shame though that it doesn't stick around for long enough.  It's a dram I could drink all day, but then I would check the empty bottle at the end and be a little disappointed that there wasn't more there...

Adelphi Miltonduff 1981 (53.8% ABV, Ex-Bourbon Hogshead #5077, NCA/NCF):

• Colour:  14 karat gold
• Body:  Oily to medium thick.  Drops are fat, and run so slowly down.
• Nose:  Oily fruit salad!  Fatty and bitter lemons, rich fruits and sharp oak.  Spicy notes of chili and grapefruit.  The wood spice and malt sweetness are muted to begin.  Adding water drive the fruits to insane levels and mutes the thickness of the dram.
• Palate:  Meg Ryan shouting yes, yes!  Soft and sweet to start, then the tempo picks up!  Rich malt traverses into very fruity notes.  Soft oily thickness carries vanilla cream across and then shoves a bunch of spices into your face (cardamon, fenugreek, and Ceylon cinnamon). Towards the end there is a salty note and more rich waves of malt.
• Finish:  Intense, rich and almost drying.  Milk chocolate and sharp oak play together on an oily creamy bed.  Very rich malt with more surprising fruits dot the finish.
• Empty Glass:  Almost a hint of brine here now, cooked dough and hints of preserved lemons.  Fruity wood peeks through and supports a soft oak char note.

     In case you might have missed it, this was my stand out of the night.  The fruits, oiliness and malt cream were so good... I just wish I had more of this. The odd spice notes seem to support the fattiness of the dram and drive the finish of for quite a long time.  But wait, there's more!

Douglas Laing Director's Cut Caperdonich 1982 (50.9% ABV, Refill Butt DL 8778, NCA/NCF):

• Colour:  Almost red-y amber!
• Body:  Rich and oily, drops stay small and take forever to form.  The swirl seems to sheet back to the bottom, not so much as legs, but rather as a thick blanket.
• Nose:  This is what its all about... Tobacco and sherry sweetness dominate this dram.  Honey and coffee dregs, cocoa and twinges of cherry medicine in the background.  Match heads at the start quickly give way to the sweet sherry and almost cut the sweetness down a bit.  There is a hint of metallic, but it's not derivative of the malt.
• Palate:  Soft sweet and super smooth sherry malt lead the way.  Big cigar tobacco and 75% dark chocolate drive the bottom end.  The honey sweetness and hints of floral notes twist with rich Colombian dark roast coffee and touches of ginger spice.  The smoothness of this dram known no limits, water need not apply here.
• Finish:  The sweet tirade continues, but offers more of the malt and hints of wood char and sweet oak throughout.  There's a soft almost creamy note that supports through out finish.
• Empty Glass:  Tannin drives up here, cheap coffee dregs and twinges of metal (maybe aluminum).  The sweet sherry takes a back seat and more oak spices come up (mace and cassia), but the soft creamy note still lingers the strongest.

     Oh man, as good as the previous was at showing a quality Bourbon aged spirit, this shows off a proper Sherry aged spirit.  This was so sweet and so delicious, I just wanted to curl up in it.  The metallic notes were a little off putting, but not so much that it was a distraction.  The hints of match heads actually cut the richness in the nose to a manageable level too.

     So after a wonderful evening of barbecue, camaraderie, and incredible single malt whiskies, we readied ourselves to part ways into the ongoing rain storm.  Then, what should my eyes behold... a touch of peat to set us off on our way!

SMWS 29.115 Candy Floss in a Fairground (55.8% ABV, NCA/NCF):

• Colour:  Light gold
• Body:  Thin to medium, rather light.  Drops almost refuse to form, but slim legs run very slowly back to the dram.
• Nose:  Gunpowder and treacle toffee.  Tonnes of peat (wow,  a lot for 22 years), and hints of sweet candies... like candy floss.  Sweet peat and touches of mechanical grit, rum soaked raisins and wine must show up.  Salted peanuts and somehow herbal notes too, maybe crushed burdock.
• Palate:  Gritty dirt notes, almost hot stone too.  Peat washes over everything, smoking peat fires and hints of sweetness abound.  There's a waffle note or something sweet and breaded in the background, with soft seaweed hanging about in the background.
• Finish:  Depths of peat smoke and wood spice! Incredible amounts of peat for 22 years, mud and soft sweet baking spices come along.  Tobacco ash, cumin and black tea notes.  Towards the end, play dough notes (cooked dough and briny salt).
• Empty Glass:  Peat smoke and hints of jasmine tea.  Bitter soy sauce and touches of vanilla.

     I'm not one for peated whisky, this was not quite in my directions.  There was a little too much peat for me, but upon adding water, the sweetness comes rushing in and brings so much more with it!

   So that about wraps up a wonderful evening!  Some incredible drams, some great friends and some heated conversations about everything from whisky to hockey.  The ages of the drams here were moot, the whisky spoke for itself above all else.  What more can I say... I'm still enamoured with the quality that comes from independent bottlers.  Keep your eyes peeled for anything form this tasting, all were very memorable, and all had their own quirks.  So until next time - Keep your stick on the ice, and the ice out of your glass!

LCBO Vintages Release for Sept 29/2012

    So the final posting of September… in October (yeah I procrastinated a bit…or a lot; so shoot me!).  It’s been a hell of a month, and I’ve been kept busy with work (ugh!), and some other whisky related things like WhiskyLive.  As a side note I promise I will work extra hard to finish out October shortly after as there are quite  a few interesting bottles coming.  This update has been a hard one as there are three bottles, one of which is a complete mystery to me… and the internet as it would seem.  Without further heel-dragging, lets take a look at the offerings.  So this round not a pair; but a trio of bottles arrives for our savouring pleasure.  What did the LCBO provide us with round?  Big heavy malts this time around, and a newcomer to the shelves.

First up, Isle of Arran Sleeping Warrior.  This 11 year old single malt comes at us full strength (54.9% ABV).  As part of a limited production (6000 bottles worldwide), a portion of the sales went to support the National Trust for Scotland to assist withe the preservation of foot paths on Goatfell (the largest mountain on Arran).  This is a big bottle from Arran, with big notes to follow.  Rich marmalade and milk chocolate on the nose, lots of fruit preserves, very sweet like a fruit salad sort of thing happening here (oh yeah, imagine that image of melted milk chocolate over fruit salad…. splash a little cream liqueur in there… I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was hungry).  Hints of oak and spices in the background round out a real whopper of a nose.  In the mouth there are more dried/macerated fruits, but now the malty sweetness comes out.  Lots of things happening here including cherries (overripe), leather, sweet grains and subtle oaky spices.  There is a subtle waft of wood smoke and caramel in background along with hints of candied ginger and vanilla cremes.  The finish is quite long and spicy.  Lots of malty notes with dried fruits and spiced caramel interspersed.  Water helps smooth things out, but drops the nose’s intensity a bit from the raging torrent that I like.  This is one heck of a dram at a reasonable price.  I strongly suggest trying this out as it gives an idea of why I’m so crazy for the Arran whiskies.  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle.  Priced at only $99.95 for a bottle of this calibre at this strength, is a darn good deal that just won’t last.


    Next up is another brilliant bottling from the indie company Weymss.  Not only a bottling from an excellent indie, but of my favourite distillery; Mortlach.  This is a Diageo owned distillery (and you know how I feel about Diageo), that produces nothing for public offering, but instead goes to make up the backbone of the Johnnie Walker blends.  It does from time to time, however, show up in the hands of indie bottlers.  This gives you the chance to delve into a little known distillery outside of the blends it is used within.  This bottle is a 21 year old, nicknamed Sugar & Spice, which lives up to all the reasons I rave about Mortlach.  Served at 46% ABV and presented without chill filtration or colouring, this is one of the best Mortlach’s to come through the LCBO in years (IMO).  The nose is heady with exactly what the name says; sugar (like brown sugar or Demerara), and spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, grains of paradise and the like), permeate the nose.  But buried deep behind this lovely warm and spicy nose is a brooding beast.  Rich, chewy and meaty/malty notes that are the cornerstones of Mortlach’s spirit lurk in the shadows.  In the mouth a full on Christmas cake assault!  Beautiful spice blends with subtle molasses and brown cane sugar sweetness bloom, followed with baked almonds and subtle sherry-ish fruit notes (kind of red-y purple sherry soaked fruits), and hints of malted barley hang about.  Then underneath it all; driving the palate is the chewy fresh and sweet malt of Mortlach.  There is a cooked tomato puree note mingling about, and also a bit of a wine-y note that becomes almost meaty like bison or venison (but not gamy venison).  Oh god, this is good.  The finish is long and drawn out, carried by the meaty malt, the spices and oak interplay here with caramel, vanilla and Demerara notes.  The empty glass still shows that big sweet malt now subdued with oak and vanilla cake.  I am head over heels for this bottle, the only unfortunate part is the LCBO price, at $155/bottle I would have liked to see a bit more ABV scale.  Considering this is one of the best bottles in recent my recent memory from the LCBO, I’ll let it slide and I might even come away with a bottle.  I don’t think its a purchase for everyone at that price, but trust me if you do indulge…. well you’ll know why I’m so crazy (over the whisky, not losing my marbles crazy… although).  Check your local LCBO <HERE>, or have them order you a bottle in as there aren’t many in the province.

Last but not least is the one I’ve had so much trouble with.  This bottle has been the hold out for this article.  The last bottle is from Leinburn (also referred to as Glen Leinburn), 12 year old.  The reason I’ve had so much trouble with this is the lack of information available on it.  Quite a few months back I noted a Glen Leinburn 18 year old bottle on the shelf for $85 (Item <HERE>), served at only 40% ABV.  Hey at $85 for an 18 year old (stop snickering while reading that), ‘how bad can it be?’ was my general sentiment.  Looking at the bottle there is no information on it and no real annotations; other than a pretty plain navy blue label with some awful brownish-gold writing.  It peaked my interest as I’ve never seen it before, so when the chance to try it came up, I leaped and immediately went looking for more information.  This is where the trail goes cold, even in the vast sea of electronic information the only thing I find is a repeated phase from the website.  A paltry website featuring a single page; notes that this is a Speyside distillery that was started by Whiskynet in 1998.  It has evolved into a supplier of whisky to a number of customers worldwide for use under their labels as well as their own.  That’s it, that’s all.  I’ve called about and scoured the interweb for more information, but I see nothing and have gotten nothing back from my sources other than more questions.  So I’ll let you in on what I did try; a rich and manly Speyside with a real sharp fruit character.  The nose shows caramel, rhubarb compote and some sharp pear candy notes.  I also get some wood spice, rough leather and very distant peat.  In the mouth, there is some heft with a blast of heat in the palate, but I’m not getting what the nose showed me here.  It seems much fruitier than before, and the heft seems to have dissipated into heat.  Lots of notes of cream liqueur and some floral fruity notes, but nothing that is easy to distinguish.  This seems like a young whisky to me, the notes are unrefined and hard to pinpoint in the glass.  The finish shows it the most tough.  I found it medium to short, lots of hot oak, dry vanilla and spice in the finish.  With water, the fruits balance the heat out and it becomes far more palatable.  I’m not too sure what to make of this bottle, and it doesn’t seem to fit with what’s on the shelves.  I have tried the 18 too, and am almost in the same quandary over that.  I have some notes on the 18 that I’ll dig up and post.. but the 12 year old has me confounded.  There just isn’t enough for me to suggest anything other than to try it if you get the chance.  Served at 43% ABV, and to my eye there is caramel and chill filtration happening (you’ll have to be the judge as most of my insiders haven’t even heard of this company, let alone bottling information).  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle, but be forewarned.  The 18 year old is still widely available and is $5 cheaper, but 3% lighter.  I recall it being rather floral on the nose, but like I said earlier I’ll have to dig up my notes and be sure before I recommend that instead.

Okay, well that finally concludes this, or rather last, month’s reviews.  Now on to October and so much more.  I’ll try and dig around on that Leinburn as it now is really eating away at me to get to the bottom of it.  So as always I conclude; keep your stick on the ice and the ice out of your glass.