Whisky I've Drank: Tomatin Legacy

By Jason at MaltReview
Finally, some Tomatin coverage as I know it’s been lacking. I had hoped to attend an evening with the distillery manager at Royal Mile Whiskies in 2016 but family news put paid to that and rightly so. Family comes first, then Tormore and then the other whiskies.
Tomatin brings back memories of driving north which I do several times a year, as I know when I see the distillery sign, we’re not far from Inverness and the final section of the drive. Needless to say I rarely feel the inclination to pull over due to the unsocial hour these trips occupy sometimes. However, I have made a conscious effort in 2017 to cover the distillery to some degree and I have a few single cask releases here kindly provided by Barry over at the Whiskyphiles. I’ll talk more about the distillery itself in subsequent articles so we’ll move on.
For now, the Tomatin Legacy seems the perfect place to start being the entry level No Age Statement bottling from the distillery. It’s designed to be your introductive whisky to this Highland outpost. A chance supermarket purchase as it was on special at just £20 rather than the average price I’ve seen circa £25 which always helps. Off the record the chat is that this is around 4 years old and that for some distilleries is enough if the spirit is good and the wood decent.
Legacy is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and virgin oak casks. The use of the latter is a popular trend as originally virgin oak generally tends to be too dominant for whisky. The degree of this varies depending on which continent the oak was felled as some varieties remain too encompassing versus the spirit. However here the blend and it is a single malt blend of sorts as its from one distillery has been smoothed out with the inclusion of those ex-bourbon barrels, which are the staple of the industry. Also worth considering is the style of the spirit. Some distilleries that prefer a Lowland tradition with more floral, citrus and lightness characteristics may not be ideally suited to virgin wood. Those producers with a more robust style of spirit may adapt to greater success.
Ultimately the details on the make-up of the Legacy are scant which the Scotch Whisky Association prefers. We could in theory just have a specific time mainly in ex-bourbon barrels before being finished off in the virgin oak. That’s the stimulating part of whisky as there are various ways and means and it comes down to the end result.
Bottled at 43% strength, I believe this also features artificial colouring and chill-filtration. Readers in North America will find this on the shelves as the Tomatin Dualchas, which is Gaelic for heritage or tradition so along the same lines as Legacy. I guess it sounds sexier? Legacy was revamped in 2013 and this here is the new bottle shape and styling that is quite likeable really albeit you’re paying for this. Visually it ticks the boxes especially at this price-point. Little details such as the bottle cork also give a good impression so what about the contents?
Colour: 

yellow gold
Nose: 

really punchy with the vanilla and pineapples. A hint of orange and Custard Cream biscuits. Some chalk dust, green apples and shortbread. Water brought out some caramel but also I felt highlighted the youthful spirit also.
Taste: 

creamy initially then vanilla and then a tinge of young spirit alcohol, toffee, lemons and a white pepper finish. There’s some greenness in here best expressed as Kiwi fruit. Water was beneficial delivering more honey, it felt much more creamy and reduced the spirit and green influence.
Overall: 

the nose is a little flat in that it just offers a handful of characteristics from the outset and there’s little progression. The palate offers even less. It’s a solid, well made whisky, but exceptionally young and the result of aggressive use of virgin casks to inject flavour.
At its original price point at my local supermarket shelf (£27.99) its overpriced despite the favourable presentation. Supermarket white-label whiskies are offering much more for about £10 less. It’s still better than some of the mass produced blended Scotches I’ve recently yet not hugely. I’m sure Tomatin can do better than this so we’ll move on and that’s a big issue as ultimately you want the Legacy to entice further interest in your whisky. 

With that in mind the Legacy isn’t successful, but for many will be a pleasant enough everyday whisky.

Whisky I've Drank: Loch Lomond Aged 12 Years

By ScotchMaltWhisky
The Loch Lomond 12 year old contains whisky produced in two types of still, Loch Lomond's traditional copper pot stills and their unique "Lomond" style copper pot stills equipped with rectifying heads which can be used to vary the length of the still neck. It was matured in a combination of three types of cask, Bourbon, Refill and Recharged casks and then brought together under the watchful eye of master distiller Michael Henry.
The Loch Lomond 12 year old is bottled at 46% ABV, it is currently available from specialist whisky shops such as Master of Malt for around £38 and a 1 litre bottle has recently been launched in travel retail at Glasgow airport and will soon be available at other airports.
William Morrison's Tasting Notes:
Nose: 

Sweet malt and candied pear, a little lemon and some spice in the background.
Taste: 

Deliciously sweet, fresh and rich mouth coating fruit, candied pear and lemon, a touch of vanilla and a mild touch of ginger.
Finish: 

A lovely longish finish. Crisp sugar and fruit fade to leave some oaky digestive biscuit and that little touch of ginger.
Comment: 

A deliciously sweet fruity malt with just a touch of gentle spice, loved it. It is a around £38 for the 70cl bottle and £45 for the 1 litre travel retail bottle, well worth the price tag. Great to see Loch Lomond turning out such quality whisky and at a very drinkable price. A thoroughly enjoyable malt whisky, don't overlook it.
SMW Score:  91/100

Whisky I've Drank: Loch Mond Inchmoan Aged 10 Years

ByAlex Bean
Loch Lomond is launching their Inchmoan 10-Year-Old single malt whisky.
The Loch Lomond Inchmoan 10 Year Old – which is named after the nearby Scottish island of Inchmoan – is a combination of malt whiskies from the distillery and is said to have notes of peat and smoke.
The Loch Lomond Inchmoan 10-Year-Old Single Malt will only be available at travel retail outlets [for $57 per bottle] beginning in early 2018.

Whisky I've Drank: Loch Lomond Inchmurrin Madeira Wood

By Distiller
Inchmurrin Madeira Wood Finish was launched in 2015 as part of the distillery's Loch Lomond Island Collection. This expression benefits from double-maturation, first in American white oak barrels, followed by extra finishing in casks that previously aged Madeira wine.

This non-chill-filtered single malt carries no age statement and is bottled at 46% ABV.

Whisky I've Drank: Glen Scotia Aged 16 Years

By @Nemesis101
Often in the shadow of its neighbour Springbank, Glen Scotia is the only other autonomous Campbeltown distillery. I tried one indie expression years ago which was largely forgettable. However, this is from their new revamped line-up. Natural Colour and non chill-filtered - just as it should be.
This definitely needs to breathe so I've left my sample to open up for approximately half an hour....
The nose is light, fairly grassy with strong lemon notes. There is a dryness and a slight salty-mineral edge. Quite a fresh bracing nose, but waves of sweetness, along with some apple and orange can be detected at times.
Palate -
Dry at first with salt and minerals. Then sweetness comes through but this is cut down by the tang of lemon. There is a hint of grassiness still. But this is all very delicate and subtle. It's a slightly thicker mouthfeel than I was expecting too.
Gradually the palate fades to a medium-length finish of dry bitterness.
This ia a very interesting whisky that demands all your attention and time. It's definitely not one for beginners or for casual drinking. But although very subtle, it rewards patience by ultimately being a very complex and delicious malt. Only quibble being the finish does not match the standards of the rest of it.
Also, an honourary mention has to go to the bottle it is packaged in. Brilliant opaque emerald green colour, it's probably the most artistic and attractive whisky bottle I've ever seen. :)

Whisky I've Drank: Glen Scotia Campbeltown 1832

GLEN SCOTIA 1832 CAMPBELTOWN
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

46% ABV
The higher peat content gives a more sweet and smoky character and a beautiful rounded finish.
NOSE:
Peat smoke on a salty sea breeze with background notes of crème caramel and vanilla
PALATE:
Golden syrup (light treacle), spiced apple and vanilla. Light medicinal peat notes bring balance to the mid-palate
FINISH:
Long, lingering peat with dried fruit notes adding sweetness

Whisky I've Drank: Glen Scotia Victoriana

By Josh at adramgooddrink.com
The Thanksgiving season is always so much fun, but it’s also a time when it can be pretty darn hard to get anything done. Between travel, family visits, and extra work obligations, many things I want to work on can easily fall by the wayside. And recently, this poor blog has gotten a bit of neglect! But now I’m back, and quite thankful for the tasty drams I have lined up to review. Today I’m here to kick off December with one that’s brand new to me, and newly available stateside: 

Glen Scotia Victoriana.
Until recently, the only Campbeltown Whiskies I had tried had been distilled by Springbank. I’d heard of Glen Scotia, but because of its lack of availability here, I’d never had the chance to try it. Now, thankfully, the Loch Lomond Group (the independent whisky brand that’s the parent company for Glen Scotia and quite a few other malts and blends) has brought this spirit Stateside, and I’ve had an opportunity to dive in.
Based on my prior experiences with Springbank, Longrow, and Hazelburn, I always figured I’d like Glen Scotia, because I’m such a fan of that sweet, funky, and briny Campbeltown profile. Glen Scotia Victoriana delivers in spades! This is a salty-sweet, fruity toffee bomb, and I really like it!
Victoriana is a cask-strength whisky, finished in “deep charred oak” (which makes me assume ex-bourbon casks), and that’s definitely evident from the spices that emerge on the nose and palate. Interestingly, Glen Scotia crafted this whisky to resemble the style of whisky popular in Victorian Britain. I’ll admit, I’m not too familiar whiskies from that era, so I can’t comment on historical accuracy. However, I certainly can comment on where it counts: this is a darn good whisky, bottled at cask-strength, and non-chill filtered. Presentation-wise, Glen Scotia nailed this one.
Nose:

I get a whiff of gentle smoke, coupled with sweet vanilla, and tangy lemon zest, and lots of toffee. There’s a bit of an alcohol prickle, but less than I expected, considering the high proof (51.5%). There’s also quite a bit of warm cinnamon and clove, mingled with milk chocolate.
With a bit of water, the alcohol dissipates immediately, as does the lemon. The smoke (probably evident due to the cask char, rather than peaty malt) becomes richer, mingling with more vanilla and milk chocolate, as well as some pipe tobacco and a bit of candied ginger.
Taste: 

The arrival is rich, viscous, and sweet! It’s packed with dark fruits like blackberry, plum, and ripe juicy cherries, and reminds me of a delicious fruit cobbler. The fruits break open toward the middle of the palate, blending bright, tangy-sweet fruit berry juice with a good dose of caramel and toffee. There’s also a pronounced, salty ribbon running through it, balancing out the sweetness and keeping it from getting cloying. It dries out a little toward the finish, with pickled lemon rind, more salt, and savory, earthy smoke and a hint of tobacco. The smoke lingers on the finish, which is long and bittersweet, bringing together some oak tannins, dark chocolate, and a bit of coffee.
A little water makes the arrival even more interesting. The dark fruits break up a little, joined by candied ginger, a bit more chocolate, and an added dose of vanilla. There are also more spices that emerge on the middle of the palate, particularly cinnamon and allspice. The saltiness is lessened, and the finish gets attenuated a bit, with less smoke and coffee. I think I like the finish a bit more neat, but a few drops of water does great things for the already tasty arrival and middle.
It’s a tough call (especially consider how easy this cask strength whisky is to sip neat!), but I think I have a slight preference for this with a little water. Or maybe I’ll just have a small glass each way – best of both worlds, right?
Oh, and I REALLY recommend a few bites of good chocolate with this dram. I went with a dark chocolate with sea salt and toffee, which really paralleled the flavors of this whisky quite nicely. In thinking about it, though, I’m tempted to try this one with some milk chocolate. Usually dark chocolate is my go-to whisky pairing, but I suspect milk chocolate might complement some of the sweeter notes in the dram. But what the heck, whatever you pair this dram with (even nothing at all), it’s going to be delicious.

Whisky I've Drank: Laphroaig Cairdeas Port Wood Edition

By Proof66.com
The Laphroaig Cairdeas single malt is a line of annual edition scotches aged in specialty woods with the word cairdeas translated from the Gaelic as "fellowship" or "friendship." The 2013 edition was the Cairdeas Port Wood edition, with the whisky spending 8 years in American oak followed by 14 months in port wood casks. The port casks will tend to give a fruit and floral note to the whisky as well as a darker color.
Like so many distilleries, the founders Donald and Axel Johnston began production illicitly, it's hard to know when they first started but the official founding was in 1826. There were legal battles between the owners of Lagavulin, who enjoyed ownership due to a lease that eventually expired in 1907. (The above from The Whisky Guide).

 Legend has it that the founder Donald Johnston drowned in a cask of his own whiskey. Pronounced "Luh-froy'" or "luh-froyg'" they call themselves the "most richly flavored of all scotch whiskies." Laphroaig recommends drinking it neat with a splash of water. 

The brand was acquired by Fortune Brands (later to become Beam, Inc) in 2005.

Whisky I've Drank: Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie

By The Dramble
Since its rebirth in 2000, the philosophy at Bruichladdich has been one of pushing the boundaries of whisky. The distillery has championed higher bottling strengths, experimented with cask and barley selection, employed innovative cask selection and demonstrated just what's possible with phenol manipulation. Bruichladdich have also taken an open minded approach to non-age statement whisky, but then in some ways they've had to given their rapid ascension in the whisky world ranks over the past decade.
In 2011 Bruichladdich released the Laddie 10 year old. Designed to be a permanent age statement entry level whisky in their range, it was met with critical acclaim - and a clamour for bottles. So much so, that the distillery felt unable to sustain the output required to keep the bottling on the shelves as their core expression. This necessitated a move back into NAS and the resulting whisky The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley was released around 2013. Still with the higher ABV of 50%, still non-chill filtered and naturally coloured....still with the bright baby blue bottle. Let's take a look.
Nose:

Sweet barley is certainly discernable, mixed with a degree of hay and damp earth. Toffee apples, grapes, butter and something akin to pancakes or dough. Both sweet and savoury.
Taste: 

Gentler arrival than the 50% ABV might have suggested. Candied fruits, particularly orange, but apples still there too. Fairly strong 'green note' in the form of a leafy earthiness or green bell peppers - akin to something you might taste in a younger white wine. Not challenging, but completely pleasant.
Finish: 

Astringency is quite high so expect a dry finish.
I tried this on a warm summery day and that's probably the very best time for it. The Classic Laddie is a light, generally delicate whisky which certainly does allow the barley to shine through. Not nearly as young as some NAS releases and, I suspect, in possession of a few older malts to smooth off the edges. This does exactly what is says on the tin.Score: 83/100

Whisky I've Drank: Jameson Signature Reserve

By Jan van den Ende
Country: Ireland
Brand: Jameson Signature Reserve
Type: Triple Distilled Blended Irish Whiskey
Age: NAS
ABV: 40%
Chill-Filtration: Yes
Whisky Review # 584
Buying Advice: 😒 I won't buy it again. There are better expressions in the Jameson portfolio at more or less similar price levels.
Colour: 

Pale Gold (Artificially Coloured)
Nose: 

The Alcohol is quite present so you have to find your way around it. Most of the Jameson expressions have similar, mainly light, Aromas and Flavours. On the Nose, the Signature Select is Sweet and a little Dusty. I find Sugared Cereals, lightly Buttered Toast, Puff Pastry filled with Apricots, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Straw, Red Apple, Pear, Nectarine, Toffee, light Coconut, Banana Ice Cream, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Raisins, Cinnamon, light Ginger, Fresh Mint and a little Oak.
Palate: 

Thin and slightly Sharp delivery. The Signature Reserve is basically a standard Jameson Blend with some added Ex-Sherry matured Pot Still Whiskey. I find Sweet Cereals, Straw, Vanilla, light Heather-Honey, Toffee, slightly Sour Apples, Grass, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Raisins, Coconut, Dried Apricot, Cheese, light Pepper, light Cloves, light Cardamom, light Cinnamon, light Ginger, light Licorice, light Citrus and some Fresh - and Dried Herbs. The Alcohol is not fully integrated.
Finish: 

Short, mainly Sweet but with a few Bitter - and Sour tones as well. I also find a light Metallic off-note right at the end. Other than that I get Sweet Cereals, Toffee, Vanilla, Nectarine, (Coco) Nuts, Alcohol, Dusty Shelf, Lemon, Wet Stone, Red Apple, Pear, Menthol, light Pepper, light Cardamom, Cinnamon, light Licorice, light Ginger and light Varnish.

I added a little Water and on the Nose you get a little extra Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate and some tropical Fruits. Palate an Finish become too Thin for my taste.
Rating: 80
Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20
General Remarks: 

The Jameson Signature Reserve was launched in 2008 and was originally only available in the Travel Retail Shops but in the meantime it's widely available and is still part of the Jameson core range. The Signature Reserve is said to contain a high proportion of pure Pot Still Whiskey which matured in a mixture of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. It is usually priced between 35 and 50 US Dollars (December 2016).
Drinking Experience Neat: Okay
Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good
Conclusion: 

The Jameson Signature Reserve is not a sipping Whiskey. Better enjoy it over a little Ice. When drinking it neat, the slightly Sharp Alcohol is a little bit irritating. Taste wise, the Signature Reserve leans heavily on Cereals, Dried Fruit, Vanilla, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate and light Spices. Most of the other Aromas and Flavours are merely hints. I'm not impressed by this Jameson expression. It's nicely priced of course and you get a full litre but it pales when compared to the Crested 10 that I tasted recently. I bought a full bottle at the Airport out of curiosity but I won't do that again. If you're into Jameson, better look for the Crested 10 or Crested as it is called today.

Whisky I've Drank: Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend

By MasterOfMalt
Upon uncovering a rare 1920s bottle of Hankey Bannister, Inver House Master Distiller Stuart Harvey, was tasked with recreating this piece of whisky history (much like the recent Mackinlay’s recreation but without the considerable excitement of an Ernest Shackleton Antarctic expedition!).
5,000 cases of this recreation have been produced using Hankey Bannister Original as a starting point. The recipe was then teaked with older and peated malts to match the flavour profile of the 1920s blend and create a fascinating insight into what Hankey Bannister was like some 90 odd years ago!

- 46% ABV.

By Chris at EdinburghWhiskyBlog 

“Sir, you are drunk.”
“I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.”
  - Sir Winston Churchill

It’s not entirely implausible that Winston Churchill was a bit squiffy on Hankey Bannister, one of his favourite whiskies, when he replied to Lady Astor’s accusation that evening. Even if he was drinking Hankey, it was doubtlessly quite different, in terms of flavour profile, from today’s liquid. Nobody could really say for sure though, because no liquid remained from around that time until a bottle dating back to the mid-1920s was discovered just last year. After undergoing all sorts of sensory evaluations and molecular analysis, Inverhouse master blender Stuart Harvey decided he would try to recreate this blend. Using Hankey Bannister Original as his starting point, he gradually morphed it into the ‘old style’ Hankey using some old whiskies and some peated whiskies. The result? Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend. This dirtier Hankey promises to be richly sweet with a smoky undertone – sounds like my cuppa tea.
Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend
Blended Whisky
46% ABV
£25
Nose: 

Toffee apples, Millionaire’s shortbread, vanilla custard, cinnamon spice, faint cocoa and some oily smoke.
Palate: 

Sweet berries, cherry cake, sultanas, cinder toffee, some cereal notes, pencil and a lovely rich smokiness.
Finish: 

Quite long, with gentle wood spice, smoke and a dash of oak.
Overall: 

A very well rounded, complex blend and great value at £25 – the sweet fruitiness and the smoke really work well together, solid stuff. The smoked glass bottle’s pretty cool too, and really helps it stand out from the crowd. I’ve not tasted the 1920s bottling, but I trust this is an accurate recreation of it, and therefore it’s great to gain an insight into what whisky was like back in the early 20th Century. And if it was good enough for Winston, then it’s good enough for me.