Innehållsförteckning för Summer 2016 från Whisky Advocate

Since William Grant & Sons Ltd. acquired Ireland’s second-best selling whiskey, Tullamore Dew, in 2010 there has been significant activity around the brand. William Grant & Sons gave the Tullamore Dew range of triple distilled blended whiskeys containing Irish grain, single malt, and pure pot still spirit a thorough makeover, rebranding them as Tullamore D.E.W. The company also added a number of new expressions, including Phoenix, which boasts a higher proportion of pot still whiskey and more sherry-matured spirit than usual. Most recently, Tullamore launched 14 year old and 18 year old single malts, bringing a whole new dimension to the range, which previously only contained a 10 year old single malt. According to Grant’s master blender Brian Kinsman, “These are exactly the same triple distilled single malts that we…

We’ve come a long way since the Compass Box Spice Tree debacle. Over a decade ago, Compass Box founder John Glaser added inner staves to barrels to enhance the surface area ratio of spirit to wood. Criticized by the Scotch Whisky Association for non-traditional practices, he withdrew the original bottling from sale to research alternative methods. Now it is commonplace to hear of whisky producers sandwiching alternative cask ends onto existing barrels. There have been designer casks from Glenmorangie, quarter casks from Laphroaig, and an exhausting array of finishing initiatives. Master of Malt developed promising 50-liter oloroso and Pedro Ximenez hybrid casks for their Darkness! range. Now, there has been a breakthrough. Amrut revealed the results of a five-year program developing one of the most innovative custom-built casks ever conceived.…

With the hedonistic madness of the Islay Feis Ile 2016 and the annual scramble for bottlings behind us, Scottish auction houses will be bracing themselves to process the surge in consignments from weary festival returnees. Time for a Feis Ile 2010 retrospective to see which releases delivered the best percentage of profit. Can those bottles pay for your trip to Islay? Nine official bottlings were released for Feis Ile 2010 and all have proven to be highly profitable (no Jura bottle that year, and the extra Bruichladdich masterclass bottle was not considered the official festival release). Comparing the original price paid by those committed souls at the front of the queue with the best price achieved at Scotch Whisky Auctions throws up some interesting figures. The late John MacLellan was…

Let me tell you a little secret about fellow writer Jonny McCormick. He likes whisky, and knows a ton about it…but he’s in love with the packaging too. The curve and heft of the bottle, the look of the label, the crack of the sealing plastic or wax, the smell of the ink and cardboard (or leather and wood in the higher end): he’s truly keen on it. Mind you, he’ll happily open one up at any time! Recently I got a press release that got me thinking about Jonny’s interests. It was from Stillhouse Spirits, a new brand of unaged corn whiskey, with an 80-proof unflavored type and five 69-proof flavors. Unremarkable, though they do note buzzwords like “estate grown corn” and “copper whiskey stills,” except for one thing:…

You might be wondering just who this guide to enjoying whisky is for. Is it for beginners? Absolutely, so you can learn how to approach new whiskies and to avoid bad habits that could lead to spending more than you need to or enjoying whisky less than you could. Is it for more experienced whisky drinkers who are looking to try new categories? Of course, because we can all use some guidance on what else we might like if we like Whisky X, Y, or Z; more whiskies to enjoy is a beautiful bonus in life. We wrote it for the young whisky drinker looking to build up their confidence with solid knowledge. It’s most definitely for the newly-hired whisky representative, the bartender, the store clerk, the whisky bar chef,…

Before you can do anything else with whisky, you have to buy it, and that’s where a lot of people go wrong. They pay too much, or get the same old thing they always get, or they get what a reviewer said to get, or they go to the wrong store, or they buy something expensive that’s way out of their comfort zone without tasting it first. If you’ve done this (or if you think you may have done this), don’t worry: we can help. Know Thyself The ancient Greek aphorism works pretty well on buying whisky. Don’t buy what the crowd’s buying (if you’ve heard of “supply and demand,” one very good reason should be clear); figure out what it is that you actually like, and pursue that. Self-confidence…

Even if you’re more the put-my-whisky-ina-glass-and-let-me-hear-no-more-of-it drinker than the sort who doesn’t cringe at the shrill bark of the cocktail as it is shaken, you should still know how a few essential drinks are mixed. You have friends, after all, and presumably they’re not all exactly like you. And who knows: learn to make or at least identify a proper cocktail and your opinion of the things might “evolve,” as they say these days. At the very least, such knowledge arms you against incompetent or, even worse, creative bartenders. It helps that you don’t need to master all that many drinks. Only a few whisky drinks are truly important, to the degree a drink can be important (ask me how much that is at 6:00 this evening). Here are a…

“Of course wood plays a huge part,” says Glenfarclas’s brand ambassador George Grant, “otherwise we would all be drinking clearic.” That’s true, of course, but for many years past, the majority of the Scotch whisky industry has been content to employ bourbon casks to mature the majority of its new make spirit (or clearic). The casks are readily available, comparatively cheap, and add flavors that complement scotch, so everyone is happy. Again, speaking broadly, the relatively small amount of scotch matured in sherry casks can be used by the blender to add a touch of richness and depth to the final product. For all the ink spilled in blogs and magazines over single malts matured in sherry casks they make up a very small part of the market. While they…

Hundreds of polished stills are boiling away in Scotland at this very moment, distilling new spirit to make more whisky. Each copper still is idiosyncratic, and they come in a surprising diversity of shapes and sizes. Copper pot stills may epitomize the Scotch whisky industry, but their job goes beyond being just a giant kettle designed to concentrate the alcohol. Stills are thoughtfully designed with flavor in mind and those elegant copper swan necks make a fundamental contribution to the final spirit character. A typical Scotch whisky distillery will have one or two pairs of stills, but there are numerous exceptions where they use extra stills (e.g. Glenfiddich), or where the distillation cycle is uncommonly complicated (e.g. Mortlach), or where triple distillation is preferred (e.g. Auchentoshan). To explore the relationship…

90 Ballantine’s Limited, 43%, $229 If Willy Wonka was ever inclined to condense a knickerbocker glory into a dram, it would nose and taste like this: caramel toffee, hints of cocoa, peeled banana, chewy marshmallows, cream, and gooey fudge sauce. The palate has banana, slightly burnt caramel, poached pear, and Banoffee pie layered over mixed peel flavors, adding to its delicious appeal. It’s sweet, dry, smooth, and comforting, like that final satisfying mouthful drained from a mug of hot chocolate. Comfort food for thirsty people.—JM 89 Ballantine’s 30 year old, 40%, $380 The nose unravels with milk chocolate, thick hazelnut spread, and a slender twist of orange peel, though that delectable goodness is evenly balanced with peppermint patties and detectable light, floral top notes. This has a lush softness, with…

93 Wiser’s Last Barrels, 45%, C$65 Distilled in May 2001 from a bourbon-style sour mash, this whisky was intended for blending. However, times change and Wiser’s recently vatted all 132 barrels as an Ontario exclusive. High esters, sweet pitchy resins, clean wood, caramel, barley sugar, floral notes, burley tobacco, green grapes, and Granny Smith apples. And that’s just the nose. Rich toffee, vanilla, brisk white pepper, ripe black fruits. Lingering, peppery, caramel corn finish. (Canada only)—DdeK 92 Canadian Rockies 35 year old, 50%, NT$19,800 What a shame this whisky will sail to Taiwan with nary a bottle left for North America. It would be the oldest and most expensive Canadian whisky on the continent. And bottled at 50%, one of the strongest. Wood, age, toffee, cooked sweet corn, fruit, and…

89 Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 Edition, 48%, $300 I tried this alongside the ‘legendary’ 2013 which, while good, remains too tannic for me. This though, has refinement and some complexity, with roasted tea, scented wood, resin, new brogues, and then the fruity Yamazaki undertow. In time you’ll get perfumed, incenselike sherried elements. It’s the finish where things take off into rose petal, strawberry, and Yamazaki’s pineapple signature. Water increases the tannin. Better than 2013, but still only for sherry bomb and tannin lovers.—DB…

77 Amador Ten Barrels Straight Hop-Flavored Whiskey, 48%, $130 This literally tastes like pan-fried mushrooms and roots. It’s earthy; you don’t really expect such intensity from a flavored whiskey. After earth, hops, chocolate, and root beer, I finally taste the whiskey; a nearly absent sensation toward the end. But I guess that’s the point: if they wanted you to taste whiskey, they wouldn’t flavor it. Still, there are no chemically-imbalanced flavors here. This is worth trying, even for us curmudgeon purists.—FM You can search the entire database of Whisky Advocate reviews online at whiskyadvocate.com…

BOURBONS: PAST AND PRESENT Dear John, I’ve been a regular bourbon drinker for over 50 years, so I guess I was ahead of the times and got to enjoy many top brand, limited production bourbons at original release prices. Finding them now is an impossibility. It was only a few years back that I was browsing at one of my favorite retailers and came across an entire shelf of George T. Stagg at the original release price. My few bottles purchased are now down to just one, and I’m afraid to drink it for fear I will never see it again. (But the same phenomenon has affected the wine industry, where bottles in top vintages from top producers are traded and re-traded at staggering prices.) Not sure that there is…

The Emerald Isle 1865 that Tad Seestedt, distiller and founder of Ransom Spirits in Portland, Oregon produces is a straight American whiskey distilled from a mashbill containing oats. The idea was inspired by the long-lost manuals of a British excise agent who, in 1865, recorded mash recipes of distilleries he visited. The treasure, a spirit geek’s fantasy, was unearthed by David Wondrich, legendary drinks historian (and Whisky Advocate contributor), who shared it with Seestedt, who then set to work tweaking percentages of the grains in the 100-plus-year-old recipe, aiming to get a sense of what traditional Irish whiskey tasted like. Seestedt, of course, isn’t producing an “Irish whiskey,” he’s essentially playing detective, investigating the recipes. The old records are a window into a past when oats, in various proportions, were…

This limited-edition Orcadian bottling may have been released 25 years ago, but prices have been noticeably climbing this year. It is now valued at ￡500-￡600/$575-$860 and it’s one of those overlooked collectibles that suddenly strikes you as having rather attractive credentials. The beautiful detailing always drew me in; the slim black panel of the box slides up like a guillotine blade, the bottle resting in a curved chamber decorated with an ancient sepia map of a mysterious archipelago, it could be Westeros but it’s actually the Orkney islands, Kirkwall blazing at the center of the universe. Then there’s the twinge of impatience regarding the distillery’s upcoming bicentenary planted within the information panel, the mighty 93 rating from Michael Jackson praising its perfumed smokiness, the glassware shared with the Highland Park…

In the beginning, there was gin and there was fruit beer. Disparate tastes though they were, the two nevertheless once represented nearly the entire scope of extraneously-flavored alcohol beverages. Sure, there were also spiced beers and variously fruit-infused liqueurs. However, when you thought about booze that got its principal flavor from other than its ingredients or a barrel, or beer that didn’t taste of merely malt, hops, and fermentation, that odd-couple duo was pretty much it. Until, of course, the arrival of the juggernaut: flavored vodka. For those old enough to recall, the early days seemed benign enough—a hot pepper vodka here, a little lemon added there—but little did we know, those tiny, timid steps were to presage a market shift of seismic proportions. Lemon was followed by other fruits,…

Do you drink whisky? Or do you taste whisky? There’s certainly a time for each, but if you want to get more out of your whisky, there are things you can do to taste at a higher level. When you do, you learn more about what you like, and about what other whiskies may appeal to you, and which ones probably won’t. I have a theory about tasting whisky that I call the “Karate Kid” method. You’ll recall the iconic scene from The Karate Kid where the young man seeks to learn karate from the old master, and instead is put to work waxing his cars, painting his fence, and sanding his deck. He then learns that the work has built muscle memory of reflexive karate moves. Similarly, you’ve been…

Once you discover good whisky, it becomes astonishingly easy to accumulate bottles. Purchase by purchase, you can plot your way around the world’s great whiskyproducing nations, delving into a rich world of flavor. But after parting with your hard-earned cash, you owe it to yourself to look after your whisky collection properly. Whisky is pretty hardy, but it’s not indestructible. Educate yourself on how to store and make the most of your best whiskies with our advice. Aging vs. Staling: why whisky isn’t wine Take it easy. That fresh bottle of whisky you just bought at the store is in perfect drinking condition. You’re going to enjoy it. Yet you think you might just save it for a special occasion. Stored properly, whisky should still be perfect if it waits…

♦ Composed of the same kind of spirits produced from the same class of materials; ♦ Produced in the same distilling season by the same distiller at the same distillery; ♦ Stored for at least four years in wooden containers wherein the spirits have been in contact with the wood surface except for gin and vodka which must be stored for at least four years in wooden containers coated or lined with paraffin or other substance which will preclude contact of the spirits with the wood surface; ♦ Unaltered from their original condition or character by the addition or subtraction of any substance other than by filtration, chill proofing, or other physical treatments (which do not involve the addition of any substance which will remain incorporated in the finished product…

LANTERN-SHAPED/LAMP-LIKE STILLS Glenkinchie, Jura, Ardbeg PEAR-SHAPED STILLS Lagavulin, Dufftown, Allt-A Bhainne, Miltonduff ONION-SHAPED STILLS Bruichladdich, Kilchoman, Springbank FLAT-TOP STILLS Cragganmore, Dalmore, Old Pulteney BOIL BALLS Cragganmore, Glenmorangie, Kilchoman PURIFIERS Arbikie, Ardbeg, Glen Grant, Isle of Harris, Strathmill INTERESTING LYNE ARMS Talisker (U-bend) and Tobermory (S-bend) WORM TUBS Ballindalloch, Balmenach, Benrinnes, Cragganmore, Craigellachie, Dalwhinnie, Edradour, Glen Elgin, Glenkinchie, Mortlach, Oban, Old Pulteney, Royal Lochnagar, Speyburn, Springbank, Talisker…

SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT 91 Tomintoul Five Decades, 50%, £250 The soft fruit theme continues in this vatting of whiskies from, you guessed it, five decades of the distillery’s life. This has a heavy, heady, honey element alongside apple blossom and then peach and apricot pulp. There’s real complexity. The palate is lighter, although still layered with some heat. With water there’s more apricot skin and some banana. Don’t overwater, as it becomes a touch too tannic. You want that unctuous elegance. Highly recommended.—DB 90 Glenfarclas 50 year old, 41.4%, £1,700 Teetering on the edge in terms of strength, here’s another ancient ‘Farclas. A powdery opening leads into roasted almond, dried black fruit, and a hint of meatiness and that light smoke. Complex, but robust. The palate has a slight fragility…

IRISH SINGLE MALT WHISKY 86 The Quiet Man 8 year old, 40%, $50 The nose on the single malt is spicier than their blend (see below), with salted caramels and a smear of honey to boot. Key to the palate is the fresh fruitiness: melon, pear, and white grape. Additionally, there’s honey, a hefty malt presence, and spices keep things interesting. The finish of bruised fruit makes a greater impression at the back of the palate. Water emphasizes sweetness and blushing summer fruits. Great quality, though it doesn’t shout it from the rooftops.—JM IRISH SINGLE POT STILL WHISKEY 92 Midleton 1991 Single Cask, 55.2%, £245 From this first-fill bourbon cask emerge light, delicate, aromatic fruits: think white peach, poached pear, lychee with creamed coconut, nutmeg-spiced latte, Simnel cake, Chinese five-spice,…

AUSTRALIAN SINGLE MALT WHISKY 87 Starward, 43%, A$83 Vanilla pod, dark toffee, fudge, manuka honey, and chocolate-dipped banana bites greet the senses, quickly followed by a palate of tiffin, raspberry jam, damsons, poached pear, slightly bitter cacao, and Nutella scraped across hot toast. Smooth, medium weight. Malty notes emerge, yet sweetness battles to the fore. This is the taste of modern, young Australian whisky: Australian barley, Australian barrels, and matured in the Australian climate at Melbourne’s New World Whisky distillery. Unsurpassed drinkability: it just wants to please.—JM 84 Nant Bourbon Cask, 43%, A$165 The Nant estate is self-sufficient for about a third of the barley it needs to make its Tasmanian Highland malt whisky. Nosing reveals a lemon tree, light summer fruits of melon, lychee, and grape, floral honey, barley,…

Ah, summertime. Clear skies, bright sun, 85 degrees—shorts and T-shirt weather. I hate every minute of it. Not least because it’s vodka and “lite” (you should pardon the expression) beer weather. I’m a whisky and heavy fellow myself, in several senses, and summer isn’t the best season for a fat man. There are plenty of other reasons I hate it, however. The streets are full of men who should know better wearing short pants and those aforementioned T-shirts, which usually have something printed on them. Geezers dressed like Charlie Brown, except Charlie’s shirt didn’t have a logo and he didn’t have varicose veins. The worst among them wear tank tops, treating us all to their hirsute oxters (which you should look up if you need to). And yes, Irwin Shaw…

From spectacular cliff-top castles and coastal links golf courses, to wild remote glens and brooding mountains, Northern Ireland has a great deal to offer any visitor. ‘Norn Iron’ (if you want to sound like a local) was formed from six of the nine historic counties of Ulster when Ireland was partitioned in 1921. With The Troubles largely confined to the 20th century, these days the country is well recognized for the quality of its food and drink, its welcoming hospitality, and the achievements of Rory McIlroy, Liam Neeson, and Kenneth Branagh. A whiskey visitor can drink in more than just the landscape; there are a growing number of distilleries, whiskey bars, and restaurants to experience. This year has been designated the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink. From pints…

John MacLellan, general manager at Kilchoman, former manager at Bunnahabhain distillery, died at his home in Port Charlotte, Islay on Easter Sunday, at the age of 60. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014. John was a true Ileach, born and bred. He began working at Bunnahabhain, then the most obscure of Islay’s distilleries, as a mash man in 1989. He was appointed distillery manager in 1997. John was instrumental in persuading the then-owners to promote the single malt more actively, in particular releasing special bottlings for the Islay Festival. In 2003 Bunnahabhain was acquired by Burn Stewart, who further increased its profile. Paying tribute to his work there, his former colleague Lillian MacArthur wrote, “John was so full of fun and enjoyed life so much. I will always…

Are you doing anything at the weekend?” Normally (in the UK at least) that’s one of those phrases, like “how are you?’ and “isn’t the weather terrible?” which are uttered only to pass the time. Your response is rarely noted, it’s simply a way of moving a conversation on to something more interesting. “I’m going to New Zealand” did, however, elicit some rather surprised reactions. After all, given the distance (11,700 miles) and time (24 hours) involved, the Land of the Long White Cloud isn’t noted for being a popular destination for Europeans wanting a quick city break. When you factored in the time difference, I was to spend as much time in the air or in transit as I did on the ground. I’m writing this on the return…

For some reason, Harold Hopkins wanted to go to the Aleutian Islands. Sure, they were drab and cold (not just cold, but cold cold) and, when they weren’t cold, they were foggy, boggy, and very, very buggy. But no matter. He wanted to go. To get there though, he had to see Charles “Soc” (short for Socrates) McMorris at Pearl Harbor, and Soc didn’t want him to go. And since Soc was a rear admiral and chief of staff of the Pacific fleet and Hopkins was only a captain, and not even an American one—he was the fleet’s British liaison officer—Hopkins had to do what the admiral said. And what the admiral said was basically to forget about the Aleutians, you’re going right back to the Marshall Islands. Why? “I’ve…

Mindfulness is one of today’s buzzwords. It translates into being aware of and then living in the moment, oh, and being compassionate when you are doing so. That last bit is the most important, by the way. Without wishing to trivialize what strikes me as an ideal model for life, this framework can apply to whisky. Being conscious of what flavors and serves will suit your mood at this moment will go some distance to ensuring you have a happy experience. Extend that to the people around you—guests in a bar, friends in the pub—and picking the right drink puts you and your friends in a better mood. Being in a good mood generates warm feelings, those feelings then manifest themselves in your behavior and you become, if only for…

Come and celebrate! From the lush southern Highlands, past a cluster of Speyside gems, to the rocky coastline of Islay, five Scotch whisky distilleries are reaching major anniversaries this year. Lagavulin becomes the fourteenth working bi-centenarian distillery in Scotland, while near neighbors Strathmill and Craigellachie clock up 125 years, and Deanston and Tamnavulin reach their half centuries. Intriguingly, despite geographical and chronological separation, their individual strands of history have become intertwined occasionally across time. Behind the doors of these distilleries, stories emerge of influential characters from the whisky trade, the origins of great blends, and the whisky company equivalent of plate tectonics as a timeline of consolidations, breakups, and amalgamations are revealed which have shaped the configuration of today’s modern Scotch whisky industry. DEANSTON 50 YEARS Beside the roaring flow…

83 Singleton of Glen Ord 18 year old, 40%, RM481 One in the trio of age-stated Singleton of Glen Ords, this 18 year old has a nose of sultanas, hazelnuts, sherry, vanilla, and a note of pine. Silky on the full palate, with vanilla, milk chocolate, sherry, and caramel. The lengthy finish is drying, with licorice and chili.—GS 81 Singleton of Glen Ord 15 year old, 40%, RM329 Released in Taiwan in 2010, 15 year old Singleton of Glen Ord offers deep, smooth sherry and ginger notes on the nose. There’s vanilla, cocktail cherries, orange, malt, and dark chocolate on the palate. Long in the fruity then drying finish, cocoa powder, and finally, rather bitter oak.—GS 81 Singleton of Glen Ord 12 year old, 40%, RM247 Launched in southeast Asia…

Value Pick 90 Henry McKenna 10 year old Single Barrel Bottled in Bond, 50%, $33 One of the few remaining age-stated bourbons. Henry McKenna’s color is beautiful. You can hold it up in sunset light and just enjoy the russet and amber hues reflecting. Sweetness, savory, and floral fragrances followed by brown sugar, freshbaked rye bread, and malt. Caramel and vanilla, with roasted pine nuts and spice, and a slight hint of strawberry lead to a long and savory finish. Balance is the point of this sipper.—FM BOURBON 91 Booker’s Batch 2016-1, 63.95%, $60 If Picasso sketched bourbon, it would look like Booker’s, with deep golden and auburn hues. But higher-proof color can deceive. Not here. Think bourbon warehouse: oak, caramel, tobacco leaf, cinnamon, vanilla; floral with hints of honey…

Chicago Distilling has released four limited bottlings of whiskeys distilled from mashes much like beer styles. They’re not distilled from finished beers, just meant to taste similar to those beers; a somewhat different approach. All four are interesting; all four could clearly use more age, maybe in used cooperage. 82 Dunkel, 45%, $35/375 ml Label says “Dunkel,” release says “Dunkelweizen,” two very different beers. Mostly strong sawn oak on the nose, with some clove (so maybe Dunkelweizen is closer). Springy, spicy, and a bit oily on the tongue; German gingerbread on the finish.—LB 81 Belgian Dark Strong Style, 45%, $35/375 ml Nose is tight, closed, what’s there is like a raisin bun; softly sweet pastry and dried fruit. Gentle in the mouth, warming but not hot; still like the pastry,…