Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or Review

Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or 12 Years Old - 46% abv.

My second Glen-mo review is another whisky in the same series as the previous Quinta Ruban. This one is a Glenmorangie that was started in american oak and then moved into Sauternes casks for finishing. Sauternes is a sweet French wine that is made from the juice of grapes that were allowed to stay on the vine until the shrivel in the sun. This juice is more concentrated and higher in sugar and makes a delicious, thick, sweet white wine.  Sounds like a great way to additionally evolve some scotch whisky!

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Colour: Deep golden mellow yellow colour.

Nose: I get a peachy/apricot type thing going on along with some overripe pear. Very sweet smelling. Smells like a dash of lemon juice is in amongst the other things as well. Nice!

Palate: Sweet on entry and pretty soft. The white wine character is there along with some of the salt typical of Glenmorangie. Honey and lemon with apricot and some under-ripened peach. A little salt in there too.

A few drops of water seems to this one some good.  It softens and spreads the fruits a bit and brings out a nice vanilla note. With the Quinta Ruban, I generally found I didn't want to touch it but this Nectar D'Or seems to become just right with 2 - 4 drops of water.  Really good just like that. A great thing is that this is non chill-filtered so the water actually doesn't really affect the texture much and, in this case, seems to make even a little bit more velvety.

Finish: The persistence is medium in length and it makes it down to about the Adam's apple.

When would I drink this? Probably more of a summer whisky for times where some added richness over a simple american-oak aged profile is desired. Evening drink on a nice day, maybe?  Whatever it is, I suggest trying a couple drops of water in this one to reveal its true goodness. I think the Quinta Ruban makes for a great value as a night cap. This one would fit the bill of digestif, I think. The folks at Glenmorangie struck a good balance with this one.

Glenmorangie The Quinta Ruban Review

Glenmorangie - The Quinta Ruban - 12 Years Old - Extra Matured in Port Casks - 46% abv.

As discussed previously, you come across gems in tastings from time to time - in fact, probably most tastings yield something new and exciting. This Glenmorangie was revealed to me in a tasting focussed on different cask maturations.

This particular Glenmorangie was matured in american oak and then evolved further, or "finished," in Port casks.  Thankfully, it is non-chill filtered and served up at 46% alcohol.  

Colour: dark amber with a pinkish hue.

Nose:  soft with grape juice and maybe even overripe strawberry. A hint of chocolate and salt.

Palate: definitely has flavours of the darker purple ports rather than a tawny port. Sweet with hints of fruit and a little chocolate. Some salty tang there too. Quite nice balance of soft and tart and sweet. Simple and good. Upon further reflection, I get what I believe is a nice note of the lighter maple syrups - the nice natural stuff. Sugary and viscous.  Not necessarily something I would expect from a port cask but I'm guessing this is coming from the bourbon barrels this would have started out in.

Finish: some spices without substantial heat - just a little warmth - and stays richer rather than drying much.

When would I drink this? For sure this is a night cap. Easy to drink, should please anyone, and is honestly good whisky. Glenmorangie should present a greater percentage of their whisky this way. I'll be moving on to the Nectar D'Or next as the weather appears to be moving into Spring conditions.

Springbank 12 Year Old Single Cask - Gold Metal Marketing Cask Review

Springbank 12 Year Old Single Cask - Gold Metal Marketing Selection - Refill Sherry Cask - 58.1% abv.

Springbank produces produces very flavourful products. From time to time you come across cask strength versions, single casks, or special editions.  This one is one of 522 bottles from  a refill sherry butt (a refill barrel is one that has previously held at least one different run of scotch whisky).

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Colour: Gold with copper highlights (not the darker brown typical of first fill casks)

Nose: Light smoke with butterscotch and raisins. Orange marmalade. Honey. Water brings out more fruit like raisins and dates. Orange zest with even more water.

Palate: This is punching its weight. A little hot but sweet with butterscotch flavours. Medium to light smoke and slightly minty peat.  

Water brings out more butterscotch and makes the heat become more spicy than hot with some back palate warmth. This can take quite a bit of water and become what you want that day.  Add some more and move from butterscotch flavours to more orange marmalade type flavours and orange zest.  Some mint in there too.  Time in the glass seems to develop the spiciness into more a white pepper.

Finish: Warm down the throat and past the Adam's apple. Pretty long persistence.

When would I drink this? Its gotta be a colder day.  Perfect time is doing a project in the garage with a buddy and you need something to keep warm but want good flavours and quality.

My opinion is that this benefits from adding water to reduce heat and show the typical Springbank flavours.

Arran Malt The Millennium Casks Review

Isle of Arran Malt - The Millennium Casks - 53.5% abv. - 13 Years Old

I haven't reviewed an Arran Malt yet but have tasted only one previous to this one - The Port Cask Finish. I've constantly heard good things about the quality of the whisky being produced by the Isle of Arran distillery and have been dying to get something from there for some time. I have really been looking hard for something done in American Oak, though, because I feel like American Oak really helps to see the intrinsic character and quality of a distillery. This limited bottling consists of a marriage of whisky from 35 American Oak casks and 10 Sherry casks. Close enough especially with the cask strength, natural colour, and non-chillfiltered-ness of this one.

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Colour: Gold.

Nose: creamy with whack of fruit coming through. Soft for cask strength. Sweet honey with some orange in there for sure. Really nice! Its like a fruit plate that you get at brunch with a hint of vanilla... some apple, some citrus, some melon.

Palate: for a cask strength whisky, this is soft and creamy! Really thick texture too. Wow! That is delicious. This is sweet and creamy with some vanilla and, again, a whack of fruit coming though.  Some citrus in there along with other fruits... melon, I think. Honey. Zesty. Yummy. I love how thick the texture is and this moves in layers. There is some nice spices that come through as well but it never gets hot or dries.

Water seems to open up the flavours and fruitiness without thinning that super thick texture. You won't need it for the alcohol... just if you want to open it up a little.

Finish: long persistence with satisfying heat at the back of the neck/throat. Finishes really nice.

This is top shelf whisky. Again, a great example of how you don't need to be a hundred years old or thousands of dollars to be really good. This malt is one of high intrinsic quality. When would I drink this? Honestly, it could work really well as an afternoon dram where you want something a little richer or as an evening dram where you need something that can cut through whatever you had for dinner. Its clean and fresh but balances that with a creamy richness. I'll be paying much closer attention to Arran going forward.

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2006 Review

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2006 - 50% abv. - Dunlossit Farm

Bruichladdich have done many things that only independent, small batch makers like them can make. Distilling whisky from Islay Barley (they were the first since, I believe, WW2) was another very independent thing to do. It was also extremely important for the farmers on Islay and they have since continued to work with the farmers to produce more local barley for whisky production. Incredible stuff for the industry and the local people, whisky made from Islay barley truly is unique and different.

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Colour: Straw.

Nose: Sweet on the nose and very unique. Different from anything else. Honey and lemon. Cereal. Salt. Floral notes. Herbs and some mint. Lovely.

Palate: Sweet and creamy leading into lemon sherbet and salt. Different and lots of herbaceous notes. Truly different from anything else. So pure. Delicious! This isn't soft and its not hot either. There is a real maritime character and saltiness to this too.

This whisky responds to water in a neat (pun!) way. Water adds a creaminess to the palate and a richness. I get marzipan in here. 

Finish: Makes it down to the Adam's apple but has good persistence. Clean. So clean. 

This is a great dram to have as an aperitif. After work or in the afternoon before dinner. Maybe at breakfast? Another thing that comes to mind is this would work really well as a stand-in for a martini. Refreshing and clean and revitalizing. 

The Islay Barley 2004 was like this, but not as rich. I am really curious how the Islay Barley 2007 will turn out (currently available in some markets but I think is due in North America in April). I really hope that Bruichladdich and Remy Cointreau are committed to this whisky enough to put out some age-stated versions... I think it would be really neat to see what happens to this whisky when its 10, 15, or even 20 years old!

Bunnahabhain Aged 12 Years Review

Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old - 46.3% abv.

This Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old is always a neat malt to serve to people. I enjoy it very much and appreciate its very different character to all other Islay Single Malts. Its bottled at 46.3% without colouring and is non-chillfiltered. What's not to like?

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Colour: Golden colour like it was in first-fill bourbon casks. It has a bit of brown in the colour as well and since this is the natural colour I wonder if that comes from some sherry butts in the mix?

Nose: fruity - tart, crisp fruits - followed by a very light wisp of smoke. Honey and chocolate. Some lemon too. Again, feels like there are bourbon casks working together with oloroso sherry casks on this one. Adding water seems to make smoke and chocolate come out a little more. There is a little mint or rosemary in there too, I think. Lovely, really.

Palate: honey and some fruit and a faint wisp of smoke way back on the palate. Hold this on the tongue and it goes in waves - honey - melon - touch of citrus (grapefruit?) - hint of smoke.

Finish: Finishes medium in terms of persistence and makes it just below the Adam's apple with a some back-palate heat. All enjoyable!

This is a very tasty and different whisky, especially when compared to most people think of when they think Islay. There is nothing offensive here - just a good and distinct profile. When would I drink this? Tough one - probably fits in the digestif category but, honestly, once you've had this I think you drink this when you feel like you need some Bunna 12. 

Tomatin 12 Year Old Review

Tomatin 12 Year Old - 43% abv.

I keep being impressed by the products coming out of Tomatin.  This 12 year old is bottled at 43% (although I can't seem to find any records on the internet of the 12 year old having been bottled at this strength - they all say its 40% but this clearly has 43% alcohol by volume on the bottle and box) and, from what I understand, has done time in bourbon casks followed by time in Spanish sherry casks.  The good news is that, after probing around a bit, it appears that PX (Pedro Ximenez) casks were used in the process. Oloroso may have been too, but I'm not sure.

Colour: light amber or auburn (maybe?)

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Nose: I think what smell in this, after getting past the "sweet" thought, is super-ripe pears and cooked down apples with maybe some melted down brown sugar or something. Its very soft on the nose and makes me want to just dive in.

Palate: That is really good! First thoughts are sweet, soft, and nice body. Tasting again brings me back to thoughts of very ripe, soft pears and sweet apple juice. It has a layer of spices that comes in on the back of the fruit. Its soft but has solid body at the same time. Very tasty! This tends to make the mouth water rather than dry and is really satisfying. This doesn't have any sharp edges but putting in two drops (literally) of water seems to do nice things to this anyway - the flavour open a little more without losing body. 

Finish: soft and decently long. The flavour lasts and there is a back palate heat with some lingering spices.

Tomatin keeps impressing me with their products. I attended their master class in the fall and I was honestly impressed with every dram there. Simple suggestion for simple folks wondering what to buy and for what occasion: get a bottle of Tomatin 12 Year Old for the winter and a bottle of Tomatin 15 Year Old (previously reviewed) for the summer. You won't break the bank and you'll have very tasty drams for any time of day.