Whisky Reviews

Whisky Review #39: Quaich Bar Exclusive – Springbank 17 Years Old

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We have previously reported the 10th anniversary of Quaich Bar Singapore and their exclusive range of whiskies. We went down to the bar last week to have a try of their Springbank 17 Years Old whisky! As this expression is the most exclusive among the range with only 114 bottles available, Whiskygeeks feels that we have to try this before it is all gone!

This precious expression is part of a cask taken from the Springbank distillery in Campbeltown. Specially bottled for Quaich Bar Singapore, this expression cannot be found elsewhere. An interesting note about the liquid in this bottle is the fact that the original cask did not belong to the distillery but was sold to a private collector. Quaich Bar’s owner, Mr Khoon Hui, persuaded the cask owner to sell him part of the cask while the rest goes to the private collector. If you think just a little deeper, this bottle is the same liquid that is now housed in crystal decanters and displayed in a big mansion!

So what do we think about this? Let’s check out the tasting notes!

Tasting Notes:

Colour: Amber
ABV: 49.2%

Nose: Reasonably strong maple syrup and caramel waft up the nose before hints of vanilla come through. Oakiness remains in the background for a while before coming through strongly afterwards. It feels like going to a furniture warehouse sales where you can smell lots of new wood.  (16/20)

Palate: Maple syrup mouthfeel with quite a bit of oil. Strong wood spice hits you in the face before fading into the background where it stays. Vanilla and caramel sweetness come through the spiciness to coat the palate and reduce the spice in the palate. The spice lingers in the throat. (18/20)

Finish: Long, dry finish with woodiness or hay and hints of sweet caramel. The long finish also creates bits of tannin at the end. (17/20)

Body: Highly balanced whisky with sweet maple syrup, caramel and vanilla. The wood spice seems unpleasant at first but develops after some time into a pleasant warm mouthfeel.  (33/40)

Total Score: 84/100 

Comments:

Geek Flora: “I think this is an interesting Springbank that is slightly different from the core range. The heavy wood influence is evident in this well-balanced expression. Worth a try if you have not tried it!”

 

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    Whisky Reviews #38 – Fettercairn 875 (1970s) – For Italian Market

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    Fettercairn distillery is situated under the Grampian foothills in the Howe of Mearns. It shares the same name as the town that it is located. The distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Ramsay, the owner of the Fasque estate. He was forced to sell the distillery in 1829 to the Gladstone family after losing his fortune. In 1973, Whyte & Mackay acquired the distillery and it remains with the company till today.

    Fettercairn 875 is a 1970s bottle produced for the Italian market. It was matured in a bourbon cask. The 875 on the label simply means it is 8 years old and of 75 proof. It is almost impossible to get this bottle anywhere now; maybe except in auctions where a price war should be expected.

    Tasting Notes:

    Colour: Pale Straw
    ABV: 43%

    Nose: Sweet sherry with milk chocolate and vanilla cream. A slight vintage feel in the nose, likely due to the age of the whisky. (17/20)

    Palate: Power-on vanilla cream with sweet sherry rush into the palate. The sweetness of the sherry makes it feel as if you are having a vanilla ice cream or a full cream vanilla cake. (19/20)

    Body: Wonderfully balanced whisky. All rounded in both nose, taste and finish. (36/40)

    Finish: Long finish with vanilla cream lingering long after your last swallow. (18/20)

    Total Grade: 90/100

     

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      Whisky Review #37 – Dufftown-Glenlivet 8 Years Old (1970s)

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      Dufftown Distillery is founded in 1895 as “Dufftown-Glenlivet Distillery”. Currently owned by Diageo, this Speyside whisky is part of the component in Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd’s blended whisky. Dufftown distillery markets its single malt as Singleton of Dufftown.

      This particular bottle appeared to be bottled around 1978 to 1985. There are quite a few versions of the Dufftown-Glenlivet 8 Years Old. Some bottles are 70 proof (40% abv) and some are 75 proof (43% abv). Both versions are claimed to be from the 1970s or the 1980s. We believe that it is possibly bottled in the 1970s and marketed till the 1980s. As for the difference in abv, it could be due to the slight difference in conversion between the Scottish way and the American way. That might explain the confusion. Nonetheless, it is a bottle that is worth your bucks should you choose to buy it.

      Our bottle is appeared to be the version of the 43%abv.

      Tasting Notes:

      Colour: Amber
      ABV: 43% (75 Proof)

      Nose: Strong sherry nose followed by sulphur and ginger spice. Slight peat that fades in and out. (17/20)

      Palate: Full spice palate that does not overwhelm the sweet tropical fruits that come in shortly after. Slight coconut and vanilla cream follow after. (18/20)

      Body: Well balanced whisky with a good mix of sweet fruits and wood spices. It fills you up like a warm blanket, making it a perfect drink for winter. (36/40)

      Finish: Medium to long finish with lingering spice. Vanilla, toffee and ginger ale combines to make a pleasing finish to a worthy dram. (18/20)

      Total Grade: 89/100

       

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        Whisky Review #36 – Dufftown-Glenlivet 12 Years Old

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        Dufftown Distillery is founded in 1895 as “Dufftown-Glenlivet Distillery”. It is currently owned by Diageo. This Speyside whisky is part of the component in Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd’s blended whisky. Dufftown distillery markets its single malt as Singleton of Dufftown.

        This particular expression of Dufftown-Glenlivet is matured in an Oloroso sherry butt. It is likely distilled in the 1970s and bottled in the 1980s. It is one of those bottles which saw the expansion of the distillery from four stills to eight stills.

        Tasting Notes:

        Colour: Amber
        ABV: 43%

        Nose: Fresh blackcurrant (something like Ribena), dried fruits and definite sherry influence with hints of vanilla and toffee. (17/20)

        Palate: Perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Sweet tropical fruits with vanilla essence coupled with juicy wood spice and beeswax. (18/20)

        Body: Love it! Good balance of sweet berries with wood spice makes this a really pleasant drink. (34/40)

        Finish: Medium to long finish. Tangy orange zest with fresh gentle wood spices lingers. (17/20)

        Total Grade: 86/100

         

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          Whisky Review #35 – Allt-A-Bhainne 1991 Gordon & MacPhail

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          Allt-A-Bhainne is founded as a workhorse to supply whisky for blending houses. In 1975, Chivas Brothers commissioned the distillery to supply malt whisky as a component of the Chivas Regal brand. Allt-A-Bhainne makes light estery malt for blending houses regularly but produces a heavily-peated variant occasionally. Single malt variants are rare and few in between.

          This particular expression of Allt-A-Bhainne was released as a single cask bottling by Gordon and MacPhail (G&M) during a brief closure of the distillery. Labelled as part of G&M Connoisseurs Choice, this expression is a rare single malt whisky from the Allt-A-Bhainne distillery.

          Tasting Notes:

          Colour: Pale Straw
          ABV: 43%

          Nose: Nature nose of grass, slightly flinty. Vanilla comes on strong in a short while with some citrus zest. Hints of smoke and nutmeg follow, making the nose spirity. (16/20)

          Palate: Creamy vanilla ice-cream with citrus fruits combine with grass. Some nutmeg comes in to add some complexity to the palate. (17/20)

          Body: Simple yet flawless as an easy drink. Not complex but refreshing and clean on the palate. Ideal as an aperitif or as a long drink. (33/40)

          Finish: Medium to long finish with caramel and some sea salt. (17/20)

          Total Grade: 83/100 

           

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            Whisky Review #34 – Royal Brackla 12 Years Old

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            Royal Brackla Distillery has a long history that dealt with Kings and Queens. It started with the Highland whisky winning the heart of King William IV of the United Kingdom. Captain William Frasers of Brackla House founded Brackla Distillery on the estate of the Cawdor Castle in 1812. After King William IV chose the Brackla whisky as his whisky for the Royal Court, the distillery was granted a Royal Warrant. This precious warrant allowed the distillery to wear the word “Royal” in its name, making it one of the three distilleries ever honoured with such a title.

            This particular Royal Brackla expression is bottled specially for John Bisset & Co. and made available only in the Italian market.

            Tasting Notes:

            Colour: White Wine
            ABV: 43%

            Nose: Freshly cut grass with aromas of wild flowers and spicy toffee opens the nose. A little peat comes through as you nose it longer. (18/20)

            Palate: Sweet toffee comes through with the first sip, with bbq meat sauce becoming more evident as you savoured it. Slight smoke but yet grassy and mellow on the palate. (17/20)

            Body: Well balanced with a good mix of smoke and grass. A pleasant old style malt. (35/40)

            Finish: Short finish. Pleasant toffee sweetness lingers just a while. (17/20)

            Total Grade: 87 /100 

             

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              A guide to Glenfiddich Signature Whiskies

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              Picture Credits: www.glenfiddich.com

              Glenfiddich ranks number one in the world in terms of having the best-selling single malts in the world. Most of their best-sellers come from their Signature range of whiskies. Here’s a simple guide to their Signature range.

              Glenfiddich 12 Years Old

              The 12-years-old expression is the entry level to the Glenfiddich Signature range. It is matured in Amercian oak and European oak sherry casks for at least 12 years before being married in oak tuns to create its sweet and subtle oaky flavours. The smooth palate coupled with a long and mellow finish makes it an easy drink.

              The 12-years-old has also won awards in 2014, clinching the Gold medal in the International Spirit Challenge (ISC) as well the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC).

              Glenfiddich 15 Years Old

              The 15-years-old expression is the next level in the Signature range. It is created using a special technique invented by Glenfiddich’s Malt Master using the alchemy of the Solera Vat. Aged in European oak sherry casks and new oak casks, the whisky is then mellowed in their special Solera Vat.

              The Solera Vat is a large oak tun inspired by the sherry bodegas of Spain and Portugal. This oak tun is never emptied but kept at half full all the time since 1998. It becomes a unique way to create this 15-years-old expression that pushes it to become one of the best-selling 15-years-old single malts.

              This particular expression has won 2 awards. One of them is an Outstanding Silver Medal from IWSC in 2014 while the other is a Gold Medal from The Scotch Whisky Masters in 2015.

              Glenfiddich 18 Years Old

              The 18-years-old is the third in the Signature range and one which has done exceptionally well in our opinions. This whisky is matured in Spanish Oloroso wood and American oak to create a rich, fruity and robust oak expression. In addition, this whisky receives an intense marrying period to ensure that the consistency and character of the whisky do not change from batch to batch. Each batch is also individually numbered and watched over by their Malt Master.

              The 18-years-old expression has similarly won awards. In 2012, it won the Outstanding Silver Medal in the IWSC and in 2013, it won the Gold Medal in the ISC.

              Glenfiddich 21 Years Old

              The 21-Years-old expression has a special finishing touch from Malt Master, Brian Kinsman, before getting bottled. After maturing for 21 years, selected barrels were hand-picked and finished in Carribean rum casks. The special finishing adds extra exotic notes and spices to the whisky, creating a truly extraordinary 21-years-old.

              This expression also won awards similar to the rest of the range. It was awarded the Best Scotch Malt Whisky 21 years or over in 2015 by the ISC and also received the Master Award in the Scotch Whisky Masters in the same year.

               

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                Whisky Butler’s September Curation

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                September is coming right up! As we draw nearer to the end of the year, things are also dwindling to a slower pace. This is the best time to start planning for December holidays with a dram or two. In anticipation of the slower pace this coming month, Whisky Butler is launching 4 new independent bottlings from The Single Cask (TSC).

                The 4 bottles hail from 3 different countries – 2 from Scotland, 1 from England and 1 from America. The differences between them are not just their country of origins, but their individual flavour profiles and characteristics.

                The September Whiskies

                1. Deanston 15 Years Old

                Deanston 15 YO is a single malt Scotch from Deanston Distillery. It was distilled in 1997 and matured in a cask for 15 years before it was selected by TSC. Cask #1958 was then bottled at 45.8% abv under the label of TSC. As one of the 4 whisky choices offered to new members of TSC as a welcome gift, you can be sure that this is a bottle worth keeping!

                2. English Whisky 7 Years Old

                English Whisky 7 YO is a single malt from The English Whisky Co. It is a young whisky of 7 years and bottled at a high strength of 60% abv. Some may think that young whiskies are bad, but guess what, this whisky is not! Rich and flavourful, it packs a serious punch.

                3. American Sour Mash 5 Years Old

                American Sour Mash is an interesting whisky. It can only be produced in Tennesse, due to governance from the United States. As unique as it gets, this whisky is also bottled at cask strength of 59.7% abv by TSC. It may be just 5 YO, but it packs a serious tasting profile worthy of an 18 YO!

                4. Auchroisk 21 Years Old

                Auchroisk 21 YO is another single malt Scotch. It is from the Auchroisk Distillery that was distilled in mid-1991. By the time TSC bottled it in early 2013, it has been sitting in its cask for a whole 21 years! Interestingly, it is still a youthful whisky, with soft notes and gentle florals. It is an easy drink, despite the “advanced age”!

                Find out more about these whiskies as we share the tasting notes in our next few posts!

                 

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                  Whisky Review #33 – The Single Cask Auchroisk 21 Years Old

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                  Auchroisk 21 years old is by far the oldest expression in this collection. It has an interesting flavour profile and is considered one of the unique whiskies in The Single Cask (TSC). It is also one of the four choices offered by TSC to its new members as a welcome gift. If you like this one, grab one before it is gone too!

                  Tasting Notes:

                  Colour: White Wine
                  ABV: 48.4%

                  Nose: Green grass and flinty on the nose, it reminds you of green bananas in a field. Perhaps it is also green raisins with lime skin. Some sweetness close to a lime custard tart formed as you nose it a little longer with hints of sour plum in the background. (15/20 points)

                  Palate: Umeshu with some pepper, it is sweet and citrusy like a lime soda before giving way to a combination of winter melon, guava, summer berries and peaches. (17/20 points)

                  Body: Good balance between green and sweet with pepper to add to its complexity. (30/40 points)

                  Finish: The finish is medium long with sweet and minty notes. (16/20 points)

                  Total Grade: 78/100 points

                  Comments:
                  Geek Choc: “One of my favourite flavour profiles with a good balance. While not everyone will like the flinty profile, I do find it unique and interesting as a drink.”

                   

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                    Whisky Review #32 – The Single Cask English Whisky

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                    English Whisky is truly one rare whisky which everyone’s got to try. The Single Cask (TSC) has specially chosen a whisky that is not from Scotland for this bottling. It is from England, hence the name “English Whisky”. This whisky is a fantastic dram to chill with even though it is only aged for 7 years. Do take note that it is a small release with only 249 bottles if you are interested to get one!

                    Tasting Notes:

                    Colour: Straw
                    ABV: 60%

                    Nose: If you like peanut butter and smoked honey bacon, this is for you! The notes of peanut butter with sweet corn juice drift up the nose before smoked honey bacon invades. Hints of salt and wet wool follow after. (18/20 points)

                    Palate: It is sharp and spicy with a big punch, as expected from the high alcohol content. Rich and buttery on the palate, smoky oak chips follows the spice before giving way to hints of toasted nuts and creamy vanilla ice cream. Gradually, it gets dry on the palate like a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. (17/20 points)

                    Body: Well balanced whisky with a punch. Sharp and spicy versus rich and buttery, it has quite a complex flavour profile. (31/40 points)

                    Finish: A long and dry finish with a pleasant hint of vanilla ice cream (16/20 points)

                    Total Grade: 82/100 points

                    Comments:
                    Geek Flora: “This whisky definitely lives up to TSC’s motto of fine-quality single malt. A complex flavour profile coupled with its small batch release, this is a whisky that should fly off the shelves fairly quickly.” 

                     

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