January 19/2013 Vintages release

Well mid way through the month, and I've finally got all my reviews in hand.  It's been a while and I'm sorry for the delay, but I can't be everywhere and at work at the same time.  There are quite a few bits of ground to get through so let's check into whats on tap for us.

 First up will be Gordon & Macphail's Whisky Liqueur.  Yes, I do diversify my interests and there are some really interesting spirits out there, but Liqueurs don't usually do it for me.  I've sort of grown out of the super sweet mixers and sippers, but as I recently tasted this at an event, it should be included.  Dunkeld Atholl Brose is the name of Gordon & Macphail's Whisky Liqueur.  There is a whole story of the last lord of the Isles that fled from persecution and was foiled by a mixture of whisky, honey, herbs and oats.  But I'm not reading into that currently (you get a reprieve from the history lesson for now...), I'm more into the beauty of the liqueur.  It's quite sweet (to be expected), but over shaved ice it would be a real after dinner treat.  The nose is sweet and filled with a complex note of eucalyptus, menthol and roasted oats.  There is a sweet honey note and some hints of herbs (like cardamom and clove), but I found it a little cloyingly so.  Hence the ice comment (I can add ice to this because it's not straight whisky but a liqueur).  My dad has always been a fan of Drambuie with shaved ice, so I'm thinking this might make a much higher quality replacement to that after a rich meal.  This is a well crafted liqueur, and should you be into such things you're looking at $50 for a half litre bottle.  Check you local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle.

  Enough about that, lets get down to the good stuff.  First up is one of my favourite Speysiders... err Highlanders... wait... High-Speysider? (Everywhere I see their bottles they're credited as both, so I'm not really sure anymore.  I'll stick with Highland as that's what it says on my bottle). Glenfarclas 105, a cask strength 10 year old sherry monster.  Be ready for a slap in the face with a whopping 60% ABV!  This is a strong and brutish dram, but don't think of it as being all brawn and no beauty. When you get over the muscle flex there is an incredibly beautiful floral, spicy, sort of warmth in this whisky.  The nose on this is fantastic, hugely rich with oily sherry, grape and malt almost overwhelming everything.  The longer you play with this, the better it gets; and it takes quite a while to loosen up but can be convinced with some water.  There is a deep rich raisin and sweet spice cake note, the grape note settles and sweetens quite a bit (much akin to crape syrup), and there are tonnes of sweet malt and deep sherry oak spice.  In fact there are lots of spices in the nose and the palate; think of a bulk foods store or even a spice shop.  The nose and palate both exude an oily note that becomes some sort of toasted oily nut (like Brazil nuts maybe).  There is so much happening in that glass it's almost hard to put a name on everything.  Think of this as like putting your face out a car window on the highway... awful hard to smell the fields of flowers, but if you slow the car down and take your time you'd be surprised what you pass along on your journey.  This is a journey in a glass (so to speak), and comes highly recommended. Yes it's expensive at $82/bottle, but you're getting a hell of a bottle of Scotch!  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle.

  Another returning bottle left over from the Robbie Burns celebration; Isle of Arran Robbie Burns Single Malt.  This is a simple fruity and spicy bottle of great quality single malt whisky, at a reasonable deal (LCBO rules apply here).  What you're getting is a non chillfiltered, no colour added Isle of Arran 8 year old single malt (or so I've been told through the rumour mill), that is endorsed by the World Burns federation.  Coming in at only 40% for $42 doesn't seem like a great deal until you taste the spirit.  What's in the glass is a fruity and spicy malt that will get you hooked, and keep your attention.  The nose is very forward fruity, lots of pears and green apples with notes of vanilla and toffee.  The palate is lively and spicy, lots of baking spices (more cassia and cardamom), and quite a punch of heat like ginger and pepper.  The finish is short, but very rewarding with lots of wood spice and fruit preserves.  This isn't a deep contemplating dram, but rather a light-hearted single malt that doesn't always take itself seriously.  Treat this as a gateway malt to an evening of tasting, it makes a great first dram to warm up your tastebuds before delving into the bigger malts of the evening.  This, for me, was the gateway malt to the Arran distillery profile.  I bought my bottle a couple of years back for $38, and dug into it right away.  It was an eye opener, and really got me into researching the drams a little deeper.  I'd suggest you check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle, and at only $42 it's a pretty slick deal well worth hunting for.

  Tomintoul 16 is the next bottle on our listing.  Tomintoul (pronounced Tome-in-tool), is a gentle Speysider which is owned by the independent company Angus Dundee (as of 2000 when it was purchased from Whyte & Mackay).  Their 21 year old was released to our shelves not that long ago (review HERE), and the 16 is no newcomer to our shores.  I'll admit that I like the 'Speyside-Glenlivet' moniker on the label; it gives you a peek into the heritage of the dram. I'm not so crazy over the colouring and the 40% ABV, but seeing as this is a nit-picky thing for me, I won't hold it against them.  I'm quite a fan of gentle whiskies and this is a great example.  I feel the asking price of $95 is a bit high, but then again the 21 is only $125, so it's not far off the mark; and most importantly you're supporting the little guys in the industry.  What's in the glass is a great floral-sweet dram.  Very soft nose with hints of field flowers and honey, some notes of fresh leather and distant roasted nuts.  In the mouth it's very full with more fruit creme and honey taking the reins.  There's a lot going on in the palate, rich roasted nuts, linseed oil and ripe pears.  There are hints of barley sugar and rich custard, with subtle notes of wood spice and candied orange in the background.  The finish is quite nice, still quite fruity and spicy with a running vanilla cream and subtle wood smoke in the background, very light but medium in length.  Either way, should you feel flush enough to grab a bottle at the LCBO prices, check <HERE> for the 16 year old and <HERE> for the 21 which is a sublime sipper.  I don't think you'll be disappointed in either dram.

  Last but not least is the marketing juggernaut 'Thor' from Highland Park (I think you can see where this is going already...).  It's a limited edition 16 year old from the 'Valhalla Collection', arriving in a smug wooden 'Viking Ship' package, proclaiming itself to be a great warrior god of old. Pfft, yeah you guys really cooked up some stories for this one.  The case features a pair of Norse bowsprits carved from oak surrounding a glass oval bottle (similar to the modern HP bottles but with thicker more natural glass to give it some character).  Be forewarned though, it's huge!  It will take up a small end table in any room.  It's so large that when I first noticed it, it was blocking my view of a hand-blown XO cognac bottle in a display case (think of something around the size of a Louis XIII bottle).  Let me just say that at almost foot across, this packaging is more than a little excessive. To top that off the price tag rests at $250; I both appreciate what they've created, but feel that the marketing monster has fattened itself on all your ideas.  Checking the bottle I'm rewarded with 52.1% ABV, but the colour leads me to point the finger at some heavy colouring.  My unrequited jabs aside, what lies within the bottle is what we're interested in, so I'll delve into my notes on that.  It's a great spirit, with good depth of character.  The nose is vibrant and expressive with lots of hot notes and earthy tones.  There are notes of fresh cut ginger, macerated plums and sweet barley syrup, but behind this there are notes that I'm not crazy over.  There's a metallic earthy note, and a slight violet sharpness note (these typically arise in bad whisky).  There is also the stereotypical HP aromatic smoke and subtle peat, and that drying sensation that makes my mouth start to water.  The earthy note is fine with me, in fact it's quite nice and deep (like wet garden soil), but it's the metallic notes and the violets that make me worried as these are precursors to bad whisky in my previous experience (see most Bowmore DB's from the 80's).  In the mouth there is a very strong dry burn with overly hot ginger snap cookies... it needs some water to relax.  Upon hosing the mighty Thor down, we are rewarded with herbal vanilla and dark yellow fruits (like ripe peach and mango), mingling on a warm malty base.  There is still quite a kick of baking spices (especially cinnamon), and wood in the finish making it very dry and intense but not overly long.  I also found an orphan note of mint (which is a marker of excellent old school style whisky), but it seems out of place here; almost placed there to fool us into believing this is better quality than it is.  I dunno... I'm not sold on the marketing ploy and the whisky itself isn't what I expected after hearing so much about this.  As great as it should be, it never seems to live up to what they sold to us.  It looks like what we have is a Thor cosplayer (Wiki reference HERE);  it's a great outfit but underneath is just another kid from the block looking to show off to his friends at a comic convention.  Should you feel the need to toss $250 away, please contact me personally and I'll recommend 2-3 bottles far more worthy of your hard earned money and time.  Check your local LCBO <HERE> to see the boat bottle in person.

  Well there we have it, January has been finally completed, lots of interesting bottles, but not a lot of substance (IMHO).  There are much fewer bottles coming in February (Thank goodness), but still some very good things coming our way.  So ladies and gents, until next time keep your stick on the ice and the ice out of your glass.

January 05/2013 Vintages release

  Well here we are in a new year.  Someone once toasted 'I hope the best of 2012 is the worst of your 2013'.  The LCBO has seen fit to start the year of with only a single bottle of whisky, but boy what a dram it is!

  The first, last, and only dram this round is another bottling from isle of Arran distillers.  The Cask Strength 12 year old is a fantastic offering and a great bottle to finally hit our shelves!  I've been pretty excited to see this coming, and I'm really looking forward to getting my teeth into this one.  If your new to the blog, or haven't heard my ranting on about the big players in the whisky trade; I apologize in advance and I'll try to keep it short.  I've got nothing but praise to sing for Isle of Arran, they abide by some very simple wishes of the whisky community: No chillfilteration, no e150a colouring, and providing you (the connossieur) with higher proof than the standard 40% ABV.  These hallmarks in a bottle make the investment worth while because it shows respect for the whisky drinker (IMO).

  First up a little history lesson (everyone needs a little lesson from time to time).  Arran distillers is a relative newcomer to the whisky industry (distillation started in 1995), and is one of the few independently owned distilleries on the market.  Situated on the Isle of Arran, between Ayrshire and Kintyre, the distillery was built there for a couple of reasons.  The primary reason being that the micro-climate supplied by the Gulf Stream allows Arran malts to be matured slightly faster, providing greater reward for their work.  The purest water in Scotland was also found at Loch na Davie just north of Lochranza (where the distillery was built), supplying them with a fantastic quality source of water to begin the spirit construction from.  Their distillery manager, James MacTaggart, worked with Bowmore for 30 years. In his capacity as Arran's manager, he has been given a chance to run free with the spirit.  Their bottles proudly proclaim that within lies nothing but a pure spirit, with no chill filteration and no colour added to cloud your judgment.  Without any monkeying around; what's in your glass is a reasonable facsimile of what's in the barrel.

That aside, what we have here is a full on, high proof (54.1% ABV), limited edition bottling of their 12 year old spirit (12,000 is sort of limited).  This is a combination of first and second fill sherry hogsheads, giving a wonderful rich fruity overtone to the spicy Arran spirit.  Let's delve into the glass and see what we have.

The nose is wonderfully expressive, with huge amounts of sherry taking the forefront.  This is a great sherry nose, loads of red fruits and yellow fruits here.  As it settles, more peaches and apricots start to poke through along with macerated raisins, loads of baking spice (cloves, mace, nutmeg, and the like), sweet malt, and vanilla.  In the mouth, it's an explosion!  It's quite hot for the first sip, but settles quickly on the tongue.  It becomes very creamy and starts to stack up the spices.  There is quite a bit of peppery heat at the full 54%, but it's not unpleasant.  The baking spices seem stronger and sweeter now, with more cinnamon, mace and nutmeg driving the palate.  There is a subtle trickle of briny salinity throughout the palate and sweet barley sugar shines through underneath, bringing with it green pears and toasted oats.  The finish pushes the green fruits and spices back a bit, becoming more mulled in character.  Orange zest and worked oak provide a bitter note to counter act the sweet burnt sugar and spice cake notes.  The finish is quite long and very rewarding on this. Okay, I'll admit I'm a little taken with this one.  It's a hell of a dram but I feel it's a little overshadowed by my love of the distillery.  I thinks that's with good cause too; especially as they seem to be consistently be putting out said quality of product.

So that's all for the start of January, more to come soon.  Some interesting reviews coming up of a pair of Japanese blends. So as usual; stay tuned to this channel... err blog. Keep your stick on the ice, and the ice out of your glass.

LCBO Vintages Release for October 2012

Ahh, so here we are beginning anew on a new blog space.  Lots of new bottles this round, in fact the most I've seen released since Father's Day.  The October 13th release has no whiskey, lots of Grappa and some other bottles of mild interest, but noting to write home about.  On the other hand, the October 27th release is chock full of goodies.  In this big release we have a few new bottles and a returning favourite.

First up let's start with the new stuff, Masterson's 10 year old Straight Rye. Hailing from the USA by way of Alberta, and featuring a 100% Rye Mashbill,  this is a deep and fulfilling rye.  Named after a Canadian lawman who became a legend in the American Wild West (William Barclay Masterson, Bat to most), he lead the life that became iconic to the Wild West ideal.  The rye produced in his name, follows the same sort of story line... y'all sit a spell while I spin this tale.  The opening nose is punchy rye grains and floral rye fruits.  There is a subtle pickle note, dry straw and grains and mineral-y soil note in the bottom.  Very much what I think of when I think of the West (deep rolling plains of wild grasses and flowers).  The palate brings floral notes forward and backs it with tobacco leaves, vanilla, and dry oak.  Interestingly, the mineral-y clay notes like fresh turned clay soil are still hanging about here, but buried under the oak and vanilla.  The palate here I feel is an era akin to Bat's middle life as he settled down in the west, and eventually left to become a newspaper man in New York (I do even get a bit of newsprint/paper in the end of the palate).  As we round out the finish, it's a medium-long finish with oak-y vanilla ever present and some subtle hints of prairie wildflowers, but an underpinning of citrus and earthiness (oily too).  Bat Masterson died at his typewriter in New York in October of 1921.  His final words were a poignant sentence on our modern society and how he viewed the world.  Interesting man, very interesting whiskey.  The main problem that I have though, is as usual, the LCBO markup on the bottle.  $110/bottle even at 45%ABV is just not enough for me to buy the bottle.  So check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle if you're so inclined, but more oft, check your local bars for a sample and at least try a shot of the old West.

Next up is a Kiwi!  Hailing from New Zealand, Dunedin Doublewood 10 year old is a great blend from Willowbank Distillery..  Aged 6 years in American Oak and finished for 4 more years in French Oak red wine barrels, the burgundy colour says it all.  Blended at a 70/30 mix of single malt to grain spirit and bottled at 40% ABV, this is an excellent bottle to get your nose into something  different.  Now before we delve deep into the spirit, those who know me know I like weird finishes and wild whiskies (so be sure to take this with a grain of salt as it might not be to all of our palates).  The nose opens with beautiful rich floral notes with deep red fruits and hints of toffee and sweet candies.  Hidden in the background are notes of quality chocolate and creamy notes [like quality dark hot chocolate (if someone says Starbucks... I'm gonna find you)].  In the mouth, this is a rocket!  Warm cocoas, barley cream cereal (think cream of wheat made with malted barley), roasted hazelnuts, dried peaches, red fruits and subtle vanilla shine through.  The mouth feel is great, beautiful whisky, and the finish is medium and warming.  Lots of vanilla oak and fruits on the finish.  Dried cocoa and apricot jam in the end.  This is a real cracker of a bottle, and an excellent introduction to the far reaches of the whisky world.  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle.  Even at $90 and only 40% ABV, this is interesting enough to peak my radar but may be more than most are willing to spend.  I strongly suggest you try this one out and make your own opinion. I'll guaranty though, it will be worth the search.
It has also been brought to my attention that the LCBO has yet to release this to their shelves.  So keep a close eye out on this one, my notes are from Spirit of Toronto in 2011, when I tasted the entire available Dunedin range.  There are some amazing bottles there, but my batch my have variations.  Just an FYI.

Next up is another sweetie of a wine finish, The Arran Sauternes Cask finish.  This comes from a favourite distillery of mine, and is presented without any screwing around.  No chill-filtration, no colouring, no monkey business and 50% ABV.  That's a positive 4 mark advantage (y'know... if I gave out marks), but let's see what the bottle holds for our enjoyment.  The colour is a rich golden straw, and the nose immediately carries you away.  Lots of grassy rich notes, ripe melons and pears intermixed with flowers and warm marzipan cookies.  This finish works very well with the light and grassy Arran spirit; the Sauternes notes simply lift the base spirit to a new level (IMO).  The palate is sweet, almost a little too sweet, but is immediately cut with warm spices and citrus notes.  There is a warm apple pie and hint of brine in the palate that shows itself with some water.  There is also a hint of violets which is a bit concerning (I find these in whiskies that I don't really like), but it seems to turn into an iodine note that balances the sweetness.  The finish is medium-short and beautifully floral/honey.  I'm of the opinion that this is another cask finish hit for me, although some of our group are not convinced.  This is a try before you buy bottle (aren't they all?), but I've got my eyes set on this one for sure.  Check your local LCBO <HERE> for your bottle.

And the last of the new releases, but by no means the least, is Tomintoul 21. We don't often see Tomintoul at the LCBO, but when we do it's not usually even a big release.  We did have the peaty tang, and still have 10 year old hanging about the shelves, both good releases, but nothing stellar.  This release gives us something new though, a 21 year old for a fairly reasonable $127.  Now before you go and blow a gasket, I'll justify that last response by saying, I bought my bottle of Glenfiddich 21 for $145, within 18 months the price has skyrocketed to $230+, there has been a packaging change, but before that, the base purple bottle went up to $175 for no reason in 8 months.  It's not often that you see things in this age bracket for a reasonable price; so getting an indie owned 21 year old bottle for $127 is a pretty good compromise.  Menial squabbles aside, the spirit itself is of no compromise.  The nose is rich with toffee sweetness, vanilla, butterscotch and baked apples.  In the mouth the palate is very subtle and gentle, waves of vanilla chews, ripe melon, sweet malty bread and butterscotch come across in an incredibly smooth mouth feel supported by hints of oak and spiced nuts.  The finish is creamy, soft, and long with the same butterscotch notes and gentle oak backing it up.  This is an absolutely more-ish whisky, so soft and creamy that is begs for another glass.  I'd suggest checking your local LCBO <HERE> if you're looking for that special bottle for the holidays.

Lastly the Ardmore Traditional cask is making another return, check out the earlier review on the blog <HERE>.  This is great buy into peaty whisky for only $45.  LCBO item <HERE>.


Holy cow!  I've finally finished the October releases.  There isn't a whole lot for November, so that should roll out a little easier.  That being said, there are many interesting things coming to the blog soon, and quite a few bottles arriving from the LCBO. Keep an eye on the blog and my twitter feed (@ScotchGuyTO), and I'll see what news I can drum up.  Don't forget...  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.

LCBO Vintages Release for August 2012

Back once again, with more whisky in tow.  This month has a rather short list of bottles coming in to the LCBO, but there are a few interesting items (some good, some not so good) that are on the shelves that will get posted in a separate review.  So without further adieu, let's get down to brass tacks.

August 04/2012 Release:

Well this is more of a 'we had nothing new to get out yet, so here is something we found on ours shelves' release.  The LCBO proudly re-releases Longrow CV.  This is a heavily peated version of Springbank's distillate (we're not talking Islay smokey heavy here folks, more like manageable amounts of peat).  Springbank Distillery has a very fond place in my heart as they are one of the few distilleries that still do it all by hand.  I mean all of it: there are no computers, no complex machinery in the production line, and nothing to get between you and the final spirit.  Longrow came about as an experiment in making an Islay style whisky on the mainland.  It was so successful that by 1992 the distillation became a regular part of the Springbank family, and adopted the now silent distillery name of Longrow (c. 1824).  The double distillation process used is true to it's name and the distillery itself is a true relic, resurrected from the ashes of many years of neglect.  Now, it might seem a little worrisome in regards to quality control issues to not have any machinery or intense scrutiny of the distillate, however there is actually very intense scrutiny, from the senior production staff.  They are quite frequently nosing and tasting the distillate to monitor the quality and changes.  Think of it this way: this is based on an agricultural product which will change with the seasons, ambient conditions and even the soil quality it's grown in.  This makes it a challenge to continually make the same flavour profile, which requires blending single malts into a 'super-malt'... I'm looking in your direction Macallan & Glenfiddich.  It's not the the quality that changes (in fact Springbank is one of the best quality whiskies on the market IMO), in fact the spirit itself changes ever so slightly.  Batch variations are the subtle differences that make it so good.  It shows that if Joe on the production line cuts the tails coming into the spirit safe a little early on one day to catch a football match, and later then next day to avoid cutting early 2 days in a row, the changes in the final product produce subtle variances.  That aside, this is a great whisky and an excellent intro to Campbeltown region whiskies  (there's only about 4 of them... Hazelburn, Springbank & Longrow in one distillery and Glen Scotia being the other).  The CV variation (curriculum vitae), is exactly that:  a resumé of sorts showcasing what Longrow is all about in a single bottle.  It's a blend of Longrow finished in a variation of casks (including Port, Sherry, Bourbon and Rum), giving this malt a fantastic creamy nose and slow developing peat.  On the nose you'll find things like vanilla marshmallows, subtle wood fires, heather, sweet spice cake, minerals chalk or ground limestone, subtle brine and hints of medicinal iodine, with peat being ever present throughout.  In the mouth, spice and peat right upfront.  Notes of dried tobacco, candied lemon peel, smoked fish, sweet grains and vanilla (like oatmeal and vanilla pudding together), dried cocoa powder (the regular, not dutch process... which is less acidic) and sweet oak.  The finish is long and slow, bringing waves of peat, limestone, brine, oak and caramel all over the place.  It seems sort of unorganized but also incredibly complex akin to a brilliant scientist's notebook.  There are notes in the margins, notes written in other languages, newspaper articles glued in, pictures stapled onto pages and such.  In the whole sense of things it seems like a notebook of random jottings, but really it's a window into the scientist's head and their inner workings.  This is a great starter to get into the peats, and also into Springbank's large collection of malts.  This comes highly recommended, and at only $82.95/bottle for a unchillfiltered, no colour added premium mega-blend.... this is a great deal.  Check your local LBCO <HERE> for your bottle today.

August 18/2012 Release:

Up next is... wait, what?  You thought there was more?  No, sadly that's all they gave us that round, and only another single bottle for  this round too.  Isle of Arran Amarone Cask Finish makes a glorious re-appearance at the LCBO for this release.  This beautiful pink whisky (like seriously Rosé pink), is a fragrant and richly finished Arran whisky.  Jim Murray called it 'pehaps the best Arran nose of all time' (which is the Madeira finished CS IMO), and awarded it a 96.  Jim Murray is an over-reference whisky writer in my opinion.  He has both a great nose and palate, but just because he's toted as the next Michael Jackson doesn't make his word law (Editor's note:  expressions are my personal opinion so feel free to take this with a grain or three of salt; especially should you actually be Jim Murray).  That being said, I do love the Arran malts and I really love this finish!  This one is a trifecta of excellence: Served at 50% ABV (this is an old school drinkers preference referred to as The Golden Strength by die hard Scotch fanatics), 100% natural colour, and no chill filtration takes place on any Arran malts (See ref: HERE).  These are the things that get me excited (yeah, as I write that I realize my life may need more excitement), and get my mouth watering.  In the glass, it's a gorgeous pink colour.  On the nose the whisky is quite subtle to start.  Notes of rose petals, toasted almond cakes, sweet chewy candies, chocolate covered orange peel, hints of subtle floral notes, cranberry, dark cocoa and dried cherries all intermix creating a fantastic breath.  Then you put it in your mouth.  Holy!  This goes from soft an subtle to incredibly complex and deep.  This list here is long: Turkish delight candy, dark chocolate covered cherries, toasted almonds, cooked fruits, honeydew melon, brine, butterscotch like a salted caramel, dark plums (very ripe and fruity), a dash of cinnamon and a twist of nutmeg make for something other-worldly in the mouth.  The finish is medium in length, but rich and rewarding.  The cooked fruit, almond and cherry, and brine go on and mix with worked oak, subtle wood smoke and more dark fruits but also don't detract from the whisky at the same time.  Great balance, great body and flavour and a great bottle.  Check you local LCBO <HERE> soon as these don't last long once someone has tried it.  Even at $77/bottle this is a great buy.

So there we go, 2 bottles re-released, and what great bottles at that!  I strongly suggest that you look into one or both of them should you be interested in trying real artisan made whisky.  The 2 distilleries mentioned above are 2 of just a handful that make astonishingly good spirits among the many that are controlled by the beverage giants.  So as usual I wish you happy dramming, and as always: Keep your stick on the ice, and the ice out of our glass.

LCBO Vintages Release for November 2011

Well I was called out on my lack of updates.  Good to hear that people are really reading something that I produce, it really brings me a warm fuzzy feeling.  Like that first dram on a cold winter day, warmed to the cockles.

So what came out in November that looks delicious and is worth your hard-earned pennies?  Let's take a look!  Due to the mass releases in October, there are only 2 for November.  The first being November 12th:

The first item we see is Auchentoshan Three Wood [LCBO Sku #70532 / $76.95] -  The last time I tasted it, it was woody, sherry, and spicy hot (as in my mouth and lower extremities of my brain are on fire).  I don't know how old this is (there isn't an age statement), but it definitely needs some water to loosen it up.  There is a lot of wood at play in this bottle, and I'm honestly not a big fan.  It seems a little too busy, with a reliance on over sherry-ing to cover up a rough young spirit.  I do love sherry finishes however, but my money goes to the Auchentoshan 12-year-old [LCBO Sku #107359] at $54.  It has a much better balance with a much more subtle sherry finish that I find doesn't overwhelm the palette.  There is a ton of caramel in the bottles, giving that weird electric marmalade colour, but they do redeem themselves by serving the spirit at 43%.  Being heavily chill-filtered the bottle is immaculately clear though, and I believe that this takes some serious body away from the spirit.  I am a huge lowland fan, and really believe that if Diageo took the time and created something without all the gubbins, they would have a real prize.  On a side note, there are some excellent bottles from independent distillers out there for Auchentoshan; but they are few and far between.  Lowlands have a rich, refined, soft and smooth palette that suits drinking at any time, I only wish there were more of them left!

Next up is Bruichladdich 7-year-old Port Cask finish.  If you know me, then you'll know I'm a sucker for a good glass of port and this is no exception!  Rich marmalade and copper tones throughout the scotch (no colour added), this gives way to rich dark fruits, oats, and gentle smoke and brine.  This is an excellent foray into the Islay subculture and a great showcase of quality finished scotch.  At only 7 years this tastes like a much older whisky, and the port notes back up the smoke and peat with a rich and vibrant fruitiness all their own.  Served at a healthy 46%, this is produced by an indie distiller for real drinkers like us.  Check your local LCBO [Sku #220905], bottles are $95 (a bit steep, but worth the investment come the first heavy snowfall; you know the one where you'll be sitting indoors watching those fat flakes fall to the ground).

Last, but certainly not least is one of my favorite distilleries, Isle of Arran.  Their entry into the peat saturated world began in 2004 and continues today with Machrie Moor (said Mach-ree More).  This is absolutely one of my favorite peated scotches currently.  I'm not a huge smoke and peat fan as yet, and am still developing a nose for what lays beyond the smoke and brine, but the sweet, punchy and tropical fruitiness of Arran malt characteristics blends so well with the gentle peat and smoke.  If you're not sure about testing the waters of Islay, go for Machrie Moor!  Named after a the peat bog, the Machrie area of the Firth of Clyde area is one of few areas to have Megaliths (standing stones like Stonehenge).  Once said to even been home to Robert the Bruce, and legendary characters such as Fingal.  Fingal's hound, Bran, is represented on the tin/bottle anchored to one of the stones.  As usual with all Arran malts, no colour, no chill-filtration, and served at 46% gets the grades.  Apples and iodine, pears and smoke, vanilla and smokey bergamot on the nose.  This became a favorite at the WhiskeyLive show in Toronto with our tasting group.  Check your local LCBO [Sku #254920], bottles are $72.

I'm going to mention two other spirits that caught my eye on this release:

Moniack Mead - a traditional mead from Scotland.  It has a wonderful rich amber colour.  Nose shows clover and spices.  It's marked as a sweet, so I'd expect it to be around the same sweetness as a port, and at only $16 it would make a great cellar companion.  Check you local LCBO for Sku #987263.

Quinta do Noval Black Port - A dark and serious entry into the competitive world of ports.  Stewed prunes and black fruits on the nose with an intensity that lasts into the finish.  This sounds like something tasty, and something that you could sip with friends after dinner.  At $25 it would be worth a try, or drop it into the cellar for a year or two.  LCBO Sku #235689.

The second November release for the 26th was a little bit lacking. Featuring only 2 malts and a couple of honorable mentions.

First up is Bowmore with the 15-year-old Darkest.  This is a heavy sherry finished Bowmore, produced by a big box distiller.  It's a good one, but it's not my sort of Bowmore.  Dark auburn colour (yeah that's pretty real AKA a big gob of caramel e150a),  and so clear you can see the third or fourth bottle behind it (that's some seriously heavy filtration).  This is the most popular Islay in the world, and this is reflected as they colour and filter out all the best parts to make it super attractive to shoppers in the ever competitive world of Scotch.  It is a heavily sherried Islay, with notes of dark chocolate, raisin and nutmeg on the nose.  I found it a bit lively on the palette; and with a bit of water citrus and worked oak come out, with peat and smoke to follow.  There is a dark rum note in the background that seems sort of alienated, but not out of place.  Check your local LCBO [Sku #503649] for a bottle, be forewarned though at $90/bottle there are many better choices for a peaty sherry treat.  In fact, I'd highly recommend looking for the beefier Laimrig instead, no filtration, no colour and served at cask strength... That's a real sherried Bowmore.

Second is the Balvenie Port Wood 21-year-old.  Great, a second port wood finish... I'm gonna go broke!  Especially on this one!  This is a monster and possibly my favorite Balvenie (in fact until the Caribbean Cask, the only Balvenie I really enjoyed).  This is a monster and exhibits all the right notes in all the right places.  Rich warm mahogany colour gives way to a butter cream richness.  Honey, red fruits, over ripened pears, salty caramels and a wonderful drying finish round out one of the best Balvenie expressions I've ever had.  Now the real problem is the price; $225!  For a bottle of great whisky - yeah I can cough that up.  The problem comes from the lack of distiller's information, there is no mention of colouring, or filtration, and it has been diluted to 40% ABV.  If you've got the cash for a seriously good bottle, check your LCBO fro Sku #500090, or take my advice and skip it for it's cousin The Balvenie Caribbean Cask.

The second release of the Balvenie Caribbean cask has arrived!  This is an excellent 14-year-old Balvenie!  The nose seems a little muted at first, but then as it opens it really seems to take off.  Sweet notes abound, lots of rum sweetness mingle witht he typically sweet Balvenie spirit.  Rich notes of  banana bread, roasted pecans, soft oats and grains in the mouth .  Demerara sugar and spice cake on the finish makes this a real keeper.  Sure, it might not be the ultimate Balvenie expression, but at only $100/bottle this is a lot more affordable than the $800/bottle 30 year old.   The flavors are just as pronounced as the finish is as long as the coveted older range, which is to be expected in a well crafted Balvenie.  Check your local LCBO for SKU #221200.

There are a couple of honorable mentions that I believe are far better than some of the released vintages.  A little bird on my should from the distillery mentioned that there would be a shipment of Old Rip Van Winkle lot 12 'B' to hit our shelves.  Sure enough it did (LCBO Sku #976852).    This is the 'Lot B' Special reserve of the Old Rip Van Winkle, and wow is it good.  At 45.2% ABV (standard range for a bourbon ~90 Proof), and no colour added by law in the US (way to go USA for that choice), this is a rich and deep bourbon that can rival any fine Cognac.  Excellent and smooth, this is a definite purchase.  I did get to try this at the tasting bar, and went back a couple of days later only to find it gone!  Grab yourself a bottle of this before it's gone from the shelves, as there seems to be a lot of eager people waiting for a Van Winkle to grace our shelves, and the moment is nigh!  Well worth the $72 they're asking.

Also released was an Armagnac that caught my eye.  Castadère 20 ans d'âge X.O. Bas Armagnac was quietly placed onto the shelves.  I had to search this one out, and I won't lie, it was the price that grabbed my attention.  $100 for a 20 year old Armagnac is sort of like stumbling across a Ferrari in the auto trader for under $10,000.  It's not uncommon, but when you do see it, you need to seize that moment and check it out.  I still have no Ferrari to my name, but I do have a fantastilicious (yeah that's my own word), Armagnac sitting on my shelf.  Incredibly rich; with the wine flavors of Brandy, the fruity notes of port, and the oak of a well aged spirit, this is a great buy.  There is a wonderful smokey/earthiness in the background of an Armagnac that isn't present in the buttery finish of Cognacs.  Check your local LCBO for SKU #260190 for a bottle.

So that sums up November in a nutshell.  I am also simultaneously working on a recent mega update for what's been happening over the last month, and will post that in good time.  Until the next update, Keep your Stick on the ice and the ice out of your glass. Happy Dramming!

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.

LCBO Vintages – Preview for April 02/2011

Well another Vintages email leads to another Vintages Release date:  April 02/2011.  Not a whole lot to report this month, the offerings are a bit sparse.

Just in time for Easter, a new Isle of Arran Single Malt.  A new comer to the single malt world (well relatively new as its only been around since '95-ish).  Isle of Arran distillery is the first legal distillery on the island in over 150 years.  The LCBO does have a few bottles of Arran already on their shelves including the Robbie Burns single malt [Sku #981084] (only a few bottles left of this from Mr. Burns' January birthday), Isle of Arran Sherry single cask [Sku #191783] (A single sherry cask, distillery bottled at cask strength of 54.5% - Absolutely fantastic whisky.  Incredible depth and flavor.), and the Distiller's Pomerol Bordeaux [Sku #202069] cask finished @ 50% (cask finished Scotch, this one showing great selection with heavy red fruit notes and excellent balance of flavors).

Isle of Arran 14 Year Old Single Malt is presented just in time for the egg lay-ing rabbit's arrival. Tasting notes show a well developed 14 year old (to replace the 12 year old), coming from a combined sherry and bourbon casking.  The sherry provides a rich depth, and the bourbon provides the smoothness and the floral notes.  Smooth and creamy on the palate, the nose provides a very perfumed experience.  Floral notes, peaches, brandy and ginger snaps, with vanilla and mild oak.  LCBO tasting notes are provided by Whisky-Pages.com. Sounds like an excellent Easter present for the Whisky connoisseur in your family.

LCBO product ID: 210229


From ArranWhisky.com

Color: Sunset Copper

Nose: Dried fruits, vanilla and toffee up front.  With a little water a salty tang appears, with caramelized fruits indicating a depth of flavor.

Palate: An initial burst of brine leads onto warming toffee apples and hazelnuts.  This is followed by dates, chocolate orange and spiced tea cake.  The mouth feel is overwhelmingly rich and weighty.

Finish: A trademark Arran finish with cinnamon spices leading back to where the experience began, with a classic island-style salty wave balancing the sweet-fruit of the palate.