Single Malt Archives - Page 14 of 16

Category: Single Malt

Glendronach “Black Pearl” 19 Year 1993 Sherry Butt #1616 59.2%

Nose: Dr. pepper/mr. pibb, chocolate, umami, sweet, leather, almond, coffee cake, pomegranate.

Palate: Everything from the nose and so much more. No point in repeating the same words.

Rating: 9 / 10 – hits every part of the tongue. Complex and insane. If it weren’t for a fleeting deeply intense herbal note, this might be a 10. But that is a personal preference and not a flaw. I have gone out and acquired two bottles since taking this note.

Tasting Note

Imperial 18 Year 1995 #50290 / #50291 46% for Signatory Vintage

Nose: Pear drops, vanilla custard, panna cotta, lemon, honeysuckle, nectarine, very light violet

Palate: Touch of honey in white tea, lime peel, unripe nectarine, waxy.

Rating: 7 / 10 – en elegant and light summer pour

Tasting Note

Imperial 20 Year 1995 #50226 / #50227 46% for Signatory Vintage

Nose: Warm cedar, sandalwood, vanilla caramels, cantaloupe.

Palate: Rose hips, marshmallow, creme brûlée, caramel, nabisco vanilla wafers, coffee

Rating: 7 (Ryan) 8 (Shane) / 10 – sweets shop notes, time for a sweater and cup of something warm.

Tasting Note

Imperial 19 Year 1995 #50180 46% for The Ultimate Van Wees

Nose: Almond biscotti, sweet squash

Palate: Roasted sweet potatoes, marzipan, pimiento padron, salted gummies, anise, elderflower, coconut – an almond joy

Rating: 7 / 10 – there is a deep earthy sweetness paired with bitterness that makes for a fascinating pour.

Tasting Note

Imperial 19 Year 1995 #50206 46% for The Ultimate Van Wees

Nose: Hops, honeydew melon, yellow peach, the light metallic note from cooking liver and onions, bong water.

Palate: Bright nectarines and tangerines, vanilla pudding, the fruit notes holds through the finish and keeps singing, tiny hints of violets, waxy and dusty to the max

Rating: 7 / 10 – what a finish… fruit forward!!!

Tasting Note

Imperial 19 Year 1995 #50208 46% for The Ultimate Van Wees

Nose: Oatmeal creme pie from little debbies.

Palate: Biscoff, dark tea without any bitterness, marshmallows, oatmeal with brown sugar, chocolate dusting

Rating: 8 / 10 – Unlike all the prior fruits, this is just lovely brown sugar sweetness.

Tasting Note

Glendronach 20 Year 1993 Oloroso Sherry Butt #1626 54.6% for Taiwan Exclusive

Nose: Date nuggets, hoisin sauce, cloves. espresso chocolate-coated bean.

Palate: Plums, salt, acidity, umami, toasted figs … wow wow

Rating: 8 / 10 – this is exceptional… it’s so damn close to a 9, if only the finish held a touch more of the syrupiness.

Tasting Note

Glendronach 21 Year 1993 Oloroso Butt #6 52.3%

Nose: Brown sugar, stone fruit, monkey bread, Kouign-amann, cloves.

Palate: Red vines, cloves, full on juicy fruit sweetness but the finish has a slight Asprin note that detracts from the moment.

Rating: 6 / 10

Tasting Note

Glendronach 21 year 1993 Oloroso Cask 626 45.7%

Nose: Fig jam, dates, stewed prunes, pink peppercorn, teriyaki sauce, almonds, vanilla bean wafers

Palate: Soft prunes, luden’s wild cherry lozenges, tobacco leaf, salted licorice, sweet chili biltong, the teriyaki umami factor nicely tampers down the sweet

Rating: 8 / 10 – from beginning to end, everything is aligned and consistent, a truly lovely experience. God we’ve missed you Glendronach ‘93!

Tasting Note

Glenallachie 2011 10 Year #4531 61.6% for Denmark Batch #3

Nose: Astringent, light touch of urinal cake (sounds worse than it is), wood, dusty

Palate: Consistent with nose, cabinet spices, butterscotch, finish is heavy on the wood and astringent

Rating: 5 / 10

Tasting Note

Glenallachie 1996 22 Year #5270 53.4% for Signatory Vintage

Nose: Wax, buttery, really lovely subtle sweetness like powdered sugar, there is a green note to this that is not unpleasant (akin to cucumber water).

Palate: Front of the palate is delicate and complex, lemon balm, white tea, subtle peach and greenhouse vibe (tomato vine, bell peppers), back of the palate veers towards endive/dandelion greens

Rating: 7 / 10 – what a wonderful pour. Elegant, complex, gentle.

Tasting Note

Glenallachie 2007 13 Year #UC002 50% for Uncharted Whisky Co.

Nose: Werther’s originals, vanilla, golden raisins, twinkie.

Palate: Tastes like feet. Which probably leaves you with questions… best unanswered. Good god uncharted, what are you doing?!?

Rating: 4 (Ryan) 3 (Shane) / 10 – this sux

Tasting Note

Glenallachie 16 Year Present Edition 50th Anniversary Billy Walker 48%

Nose: Smores, bottom of the tray of burnt ends, Kouign-amann.

Palate: Floral, tart cherrie tart. Ryan gets subtle sour note on the finish but I do not. I love the mouthfeel

Rating: 5 / 10

Tasting Note

Glenallachie 30 Year Batch 2 50.8%

Nose: Smells intensely floral – stargazer lilly, grassy, unripened berries, red velvet cake, loganberry, unrippened berries

Palate: Quite perfumed with strong grassiness on the palate veering toward bath and body works soapiness. Cherry syrup. A powerful palate and well rounded.

Rating: 5 / 10 – I have to admit I’m disappointed. Not because this is terrible, but because batch one for me was a truly special pour. And so I made the extra effort to score a second batch two since I was given the option. Buff.

Tasting Note

Glenallachie 30 Year Batch 1 48.9%

Nose: Violet, nutmeg, cacao, cedar planks, dried dates / apricots, smells like a drier forest, juniper berry, rich chocolate cake, tobacco leaf, a touch meaty

Palate: Dark chocolate and olive oil, tobacco, intense amaro note.

Rating: 8 / 10 THIS IS SPECTACULAR. For all the highs and many many lows that Glenallachie single casks have put me through, I want to call out the blending skill from this team. They just elevated the brand with this release. I need another bottle, but not paying secondary. Will probably have to wait for batch 2.