My Whisky Shelf 4

The collection at the end of October - it just about fits on the whisky shelf

Whisky Discovery #20

Ardbeg 10 Year Old (46% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2011 100cl)

Islay Single Malt Whisky

Circa £60

 

October's Official Dram

Another Islay single malt and their standard ‘entry level’ malt that critics have raved about. 

The stills at Ardbeg differ from others on Islay, being taller and having a curious purifier on the spirit still. Certainly this is a highly peated and complex whisky.

I bought this in Stavanger Airport on the way back from a business trip in Norway, so hence the full litre bottle.

I am an Islay fan and have other Ardbeg expressions on my wish list, and with so many great distilleries on this small West Coast Island I can’t wait to take a trip and visit them all !

Whisky Discovery #19

Highland Park 12 Year Old (40% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2011 70cl)

Island Single Malt Whisky

Circa £25

September's official addition

All the way from the Orkney’s, Highland Park is rich and smoky. 

Made from barley malted over burning peat, this Highland malt has a smoky sweetness and a glowing amber colour. Smoothly opulent and tingling with spices and hints of orange peel through to a powerful finish.

Highland Park 12 Year Old remains one of the gold standard malts for other distillery bottlings to aspire to. With a delicious sweetness (heather-honey is their preferred description) and a warming, silky mouthfeel, this is a whisky that never lets you down.

“The greatest all-rounder in the world of malt whisky”. Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion ’The Best Buy amongst single malt whiskies.’ Whiskies to Warm To, Which Consumer Magazine.

I love it - so very smooth !

Whisky Discovery #18

The Balvenie 12 Year Old Double Wood (40% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2011 70cl)

Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Circa £25

August's official bottle

With Balvenie being fresh on my mind, and also on my wish list I thought I ought to buy this entry level malt for the collection. 

The Double Wood is their entry level malt, and a delicate Speyside which is first aged in oak and then in sherry wood. With soft notes layered with honey and vanilla for a subtle sweetness. 

Taste it and you’ll notice it’s nuttiness, sherry and even cinnamon.

A smashing dram !

Whisky Discovery #17

The Balvenie 21 Year Old Port Wood (40% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2011 70cl)

Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Circa £85

Thank you Balvenie

Oh what a lucky boy I was in July !

A fourth bottle and a gift from The Balvenie ! I joined as many whisky sites as possible in my quest for knowledge, and answered an email from the Balvenie regarding a meeting in London. I was accepted to join their ‘focus group’ and spent an  enjoyable evening discussing The Balvenie, their website, and drinking their whisky. For taking part was given this bottle of 21 year old single malt, a leather bound hip flask and my expenses paid for the train ticket to and from London.

This whisky is created by the hand of a master blender, David Stewart. delicate Port wine flavours, silky and full bodied.

Whisky Discovery #16

Talisker 10 Year Old (45.8% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2011 70cl)

Islay Single Malt Whisky

Circa £25

July's official addition

Talisker’s signature bottling, and my official July addition to my collection. 

Made on the shores of the Isle of Skye, you can sense seawater saltiness alongside this malt’s peaty smokiness. It tastes of dried fruit in a smoke surround with barley malt flavours followed by a warm, peppery, sweet finish.

I love it and am keen to try more from this distillery!

April 2013 update

I wrote this almost two years ago and was just six months into my whisky journey. This bottle has long gone, but I have been fortunate to try some fantastic whisky from Talisker since writing this post (this was written pre-blogging days and was part of my original liquid log) trying both the Talisker 25 and Talisker 30 at the first show Kat and I ever attended, Whisky Live 2012. I've also tasted the 57º North, however the 18 Year Old and Distiller's Edition have alluded me so far, but are both on my list to buy 

We've recently been sent some new Talisker releases to review and reading back through these notes for the 10 Year Old decided I really ought to do something about this post, and so went out and revisited the 10 Year Old, was it still as good as I remembered?

So What Did I Think?

Firstly I was pleased to note that I still enjoyed it. There's a real maritime note to this malt with a definite seafood liquor note to it reminding me of raw seafood being prepared, sitting on a plate ready to be cooked, raw tiger prawns, squid, sea bass and mackerel, our kitchen is often full of these ready to be tossed into the wok. Beach camp-fire notes start to creep through the smell of the sea, salty driftwood smouldering. The spicy white pepper eventually shows itself after a little while in the glass.

On the palate there's a gentle sweetness of honey at first before the spicy white pepper builds up it's presence, The beach camp-fire gives up a charred wood taste and I could detect soft notes of wild fennel. The gentle smoke and white pepper remain on the long finish that has a pinch of salt too. The empty glass on the following morning smells of that beach camp-fire again, though it's been left to die out overnight now.

So yes, it's still as good as I remembered it and should get a bottle for the shelf again soon. However my shelf is overflowing and I really want a bottle of DE or 18 Year Old first, and if my lottery numbers came up last night, might even run out for a bottle of the 35 Year Old that I missed at last years Whisky Exchange Whisky Show, but I wouldn't hold your breath!

My Whisky Shelf 3

By the end of June the 'whisky shelf' was looking well stocked
(and sadly in alphabetical order !)

Whisky Discovery #15

Bunnahabhain 13 Year Old 1997

Heavily Peated Cask Strength Collection (54.60% abv Signatory 70cl,)

Islay Single Malt Whisky

Circa £60

My first cask strength !

Another Birthday treat, this time from daughter Kat.

Distilled at the Bunnahabhain (pronounced BOO-na-HAven )on the 11th December 1997 and aged in two hogsheads (numbers 5501 and 5550 ) for 13 years before bottling on the 13th December 2010. 

A release of 588 bottles of cask strength, heavily peated Bunnahabhain. Mine is No. 248

Deriving from the Gaelic for ‘mouth of the river’, Bunnahabhain was founded in 1881 by William Robertson and brothers James and William Greenless. A very smooth, easy-drinking Islay malt. In relative solitude, Bunnahabhain is the Northern-most Islay distillery. It sits in a large bay to the North East of the isle, drawing its water from the Margadale Spring.

Whisky Discovery #14

Glenfiddich 18 Year Old (40% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2011 70cl)

Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Circa £40

June's second bottle

A Birthday treat from son, Carl. Patiently matured in the Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks, before being married in small batches to create an extraordinarily smooth, rich and mellow single malt.

Married for at least three months in small, individually numbered batches in wooden tuns, the Glenfiddich 18 Year Old has a unique depth and complexity that has been acclaimed in the industry.

Nose: Remarkably rich aroma with ripe orchard fruit, baked apple and a robust oakiness

Taste: Richly delivers luxurious dried fruit, candy peel and dates overlaid with elegant cinnamon notes

Whisky Discovery #13

Lagavulin 16 yo(43%, OB, Bottled +/- 2011 70cl)

Islay Single Malt Whisky

Circa £40 –£45

June's 1st bottle

I had heard plenty about this malt from numerous web sites as well as personal recommendations so was really looking forward to this. First tasted in the Loch Fyne restaurant in Woburn on my 48^thbirthday.On the way home from lunch, popped into Costco and got my own bottle for my birthday present.

This Islay malt is one of my favourite drams and will always feature on my wish list.

Massive, peat-smoke typical of southern Islay, yet with a dry finesse that makes up a classy package.

Apparently the teetotal Johnny Depp sometimes orders a dram of this and just sniffs it (it’s that good). A worthy classic.

My Whisky Shelf 2

This was the state of my collection by early June.  Six months into my journey and all bottles were open. 

Whisky Discovery #12

Singleton of Dufftown 12 yo (40% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2011 70cl)

Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Circa £20 –£30

May's official bottle

Distilled since 1896 with water so pure, legend has it rival distillers have even tried to divert its course.

The Dufftown distillery first drew water from Highlandman John’s Well in 1896 and continues to do so to this day.

Curiously, the new-make spirit that runs from the three pairs of stills is best described as spicy in character. However, 12 years in a combination of American and European Oak casks soften the spirit to deliver sweet fruity notes with a charming warmth and perfect balance.

The unique bottle shape of bottle is inspired by a traditional hipflask while the colour of the glass reflects the blue flint glass used at the turn of the previous century.

“Perfectly Balanced, Naturally Rich and Smooth” is the wording on the label, and it is the ideal summary of this striking single malt.

Whisky Discovery #11

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old (40% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 2011 70cl)

Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Circa £20 –£30

April's official bottle

One of the most famous malts in the world.

Another Speyside Malt, The Glenlivet 12 Year Old has a soft smooth balance of sweet summer fruits and the floral notes of spring flowers.

The Nose is remarkably flowery, clean & soft. The body is light to medium, firm, smooth

Flowery, peachy, and notes of vanilla on the palate. A delicate balance between sweetness & malty dryness. The finish being long and gently warming.

Whisky Discovery #10

Glenfiddich 12 Year Old (40% abv, OB, Bottled +/- 1998 70cl)

Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Circa £20 –£30

March's official bottle

Another eBay purchase and too good a bargain to refuse.

I understand the Glenfiddich range of whiskies is the most awarded whisky in the world.

The pioneer of the prestigious single malt Scotch whisky category, Glenfiddich 12 Year Old is probably enjoyed by more people around the world than any other single malt whisky.

This signature single malt Scotch whisky has matured for at least 12 years in American and Spanish oak casks. Elegantly rounded flavours with notes of fresh pear and subtle oak.

My Whisky Shelf 1

My Single Malt Collection – Early March 2011 (note nosing glasses as well !)