Viimeisimmät viskit, osa 1

Hojo hojo! Arviointivihkoon on muutama viski taas tarttunut ja voisin ne purkaa tähän nopeilla nooteilla (parhaimmista pisteistä huonoimpaan).

Arran Madeira Wine Cask Finish

Tumman meripihkan värinen viski on tuoksultaan kypsän hedelmäinen, mausteinen, vaniljainen, viinimäinen ja puinen. Maussa tulee esille myöskin hedelmää, mausteita, toffeeta, viiniä ja puuta. Jälkimakukin on pitkä ja viinimäinen. Pisteet: n22+t23+f22+b22 = 89/100. 

www.arranwhisky.com

Wikipedia

Edradour Burgundy Cask Matured Batch #2 (d 12/2003, b 7/2012)

Kyseessä siis Skotlannin pienin tislaamo ja heidän erinäisten tynnyrikypsytysten sarjassa vuorossa Burgundy Cask. Tuoksussa nahkaa, tammea, viinimäisyyttä ja puuta. Maussa luumua, hunajaa, viiniä ja kypsiä hedelmiä. Täyteläinen suutuntuma ja pitkä viinimäinen jälkimaku. Pisteet: n22+t22+f21+b22 = 87/100. 

www.edradour.com 

Wikipedia

Bowmore 1982 Vintage Release (1982/2011)

Täyteläinen viski monienkin viskiharrastajien arvostamalta Islayn saarelta - itse en ole ihan niin daft aboot Islay, vaikka savuviskeistä myöskin pidän ;-)  Tällä kertaa ei kuitenkaan mikään savupommi kyseessä, vaan tuoksussa karamelliä, suklaata, suolaisuutta ja tuoretta kurkkua. Maussa hedelmää, suolaa, savua ja vaniljaa. Jälkimaku pitkä ja suolainen. Kyllä Bowmore hyviä viskejä osaa tehdä. Pisteet: n21+t22+f22+b21 = 86/100. 

www.bowmore.com

Wikipedia

Kilkerran Sherry Wood

Uusin tislaamo Campbeltownissa on Glengyle'n tislaamo ja heiltä tuleepi Kilkerran -nimistä viskiä. Tuoksussa tammea, sherryä ja savua. Maussa hedelmää, sherryä ja savua. Keskipitkä jälkimaku myös pitää sherryä sisällään. Ihan miellyttävä sherryviski. Pisteet: n21+t22+f21+b22 = 86/100. 

www.kilkerransinglemalt.com

Wikipedia

Mortlach 21 YO (Gordon & MacPhail)

Tuoksussa kahvia, nahkaa, pientä savuisuuttakin ja vaniljaa. Maussa hedelmää, sherryä ja vaniljaa. Jälkimaku keskipitkä ja hedelmäinen. Pisteet: n21+t21+f20+b20 = 82/100. 

Wikipedia

Balvenie Golden Cask Aged 14 Years, Caribbean Rum Cask

Balveniet ovat yleensä erittäin laadukkaita viskejä, mutta tämä jää pikkaisen etäisemmäksi minulle. Tuoksussa omenaa, sitrusta ja voita. Maussa sitrusta, hedelmää ja vaniljaa. Keskipitkä jälkimaku. Ei oikein tee sen ihmeellisempää vaikutusta. Pisteet: n21+t21+f19+b20 = 81/100. 

www.thebalvenie.com

Wikipedia

Scapa 2001/2013 (Gordon & MacPhail)

Auringonlaskun värinen viski ei kauheasti isompia värinöitä aiheuttanut. Tuoksussa omenaa, hedelmää ja meren suolaisuutta. Maussa sitrusta, sherryä ja vaniljaa. Pisteet: n19+t21+f19+b20 = 79/100. 

www.scapamalt.com

Wikipedia

Knockando 12 YO

18-vuotiaskaan versio ei tehnyt kauheata vaikutusta ja tämä 12-vuotiaskaan ei poikkea tuosta. Voinen tuoksu ja maku. Seassa pikkaisen hunajaa ja vaniljaa. Jää vähän tylsäksi viskiksi, on sarjassa "ihan OK - ei huono, mutta ei mikään superkaan". Pisteet: n20+t19+f20+b20 = 79/100. 

Wikipedia

Glen Garioch Highland Tradition

Tämä tuntuu olevan hutaisten tehty taxfree-markkinoille. Kuparinvärinen viski on aika heikko joka osa-alueeltaan. Tuoksussa ruohoa ja maussa voita ja vaniljaa keskipitkällä jälkimaulla varustettuna. Pisteet: n18+t19+f18+b19 = 74/100. 

www.glengarioch.com

Wikipedia

In English look at www.legless-scotsman.com

Whisky tasting at home (19 November 2011)

It's Saturday and I'm tasting some whiskies. You don't have to wander around from pub to pub whenever you want to have a dram. You can do it at home and that's what I'm about to do. I tasted six whiskies and here are my thoughts.

1) Glen Scotia, aged 12 years. Amber-coloured whisky had scents like coffee, cooked vegs, grassy, leather and cereals. On the palate I found maltyness. It had a medium long finish. Points: n19+t19+f20+b19 = 77/100 (that's Grade 7.5).

2) Caol Ila natural cask strength. Nose has scents of leather, tobacco and band-aid while on the palate I noticed peatyness, salt and smoke. Finish was long and peaty. Points: n21+t22+f22+b22 = 87/100 (that's Grade 8.5).

3) Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve. Pale ambered whisky had a scent of fruitiness and honey. Taste was fruity and toffee. Finish was fruity and medium long. Points: n20+t21+f20+b20 = 81/100 (that's Grade 8).

4) Tobermory aged 10 years, new bottling, 46.3%. This was a huge step forward. The old 10 was a bit too boring and light-bodied. This edition had citric, floral and grassy scents but also fruity, honey and salty flavours. Much better than the old one. Points: n20+t21+f22+b21 = 84/100 (that's Grade 8+).

5) Bunnahabhain, aged 12 years, new bottling, 46.3%. I remember the old 12 YO what was 43% and that was good. Then came 40% version and now they've released this 46.3% version. This is awsome. Very deep amber colour and nose has many characters like chocolate, fruity, honey, nutty, spicy and winey. Taste has caramel, coffee, fruity, honey, sweetness and toffee. Excellent whisky. Points: n23+t23+f23+b23 = 92/100 (that's Grade 9).

6) Royal Lochnagar Distiller's Edition batch RL/96 - 9T. I've always like the 12 year old version which was very fruity. This wasn't that good but still very nice. Nose: chocolate, coffee, fruity, honey, winey and after water grassy. Taste: fruity, malty and sweet. Points: n22+t22+f21+b22 = 87/100 (that's Grade 8.5).

The new Bunna 12 YO was the clear winner today.


Dinnae girn an' ging off tae buy a flask.

Bowmore Legend and Old Pulteney Row To The Pole later on...

Uisge2011 (12 February 2011)

Thanks to organizers and Gallows Bird (pub in the city of Espoo) for the first Finnish Whisky Festival. Marvelous happening. Lots of different single malt whiskies, including Finnish Old Buck and Teerenpeli. Also lots of Scottish distillery representatives there. I hope there will be Uisge2012 next year somewhere in Finland. I read that there were huge queues in the evening so perhaps a bigger place would suit better next year. But of course this first festival is just about learning. Next time the organizers will be wiser.

I started my Friday afternoon with Old Buck 4th release (6 years old). After that sherry version I notice this as quite different. Very vanilla flavoured. At least to my mouth. Not so good as the previous releases but still not bad at all. I gave 89 points to this. I also tasted that other Finnish distillery product: Teerenpeli 8 years old which was quite fruity with praline notes. Also toffee in the taste. Teerenpeli's whiskies are getting better as they get older. 89 points also to this and I have to say that this is the best Teerenpeli so far I've tasted. Next one was Glen Garioch 1991 (1991/2010) after a nice chat with Morrison-Bowmore's representative. This was very fruity whisky with oranges in the taste. Excellent whisky. And... also 89 points. But don't worry, the next whisky didn't get 89 points. This was Auchroisk 1999 by Duncan Taylor. Grassy, heathery, sweet, fruity and marmalade flavoured whisky. "Only" 84 points. This was the worst of the lot. And let's move on: Bruichladdich 1998 Oloroso and this was a step towards a better whisky. Very winey whisky, especially Madeira wine came to my mind. Sweet and winey aftertaste. 90 points. And the next one was the winner: Highland Park 30 Years Old. Marvelous winey, nutty, toffee and tobacco scented liquid with fruity, winey, salty, honey and spicy taste. Aftertaste was long, winey and fruity. And definitely doesn't need any drop of water innit. 93 points. I ended the whisky tasting with Bruichladdich's Octomore 3_152. Very peaty whisky indeed. What else can you say about it. Nevertheless the peat was overwhelming it still was enjoyable dram. Very dry aftertaste. You feel your throat's just drying. 90 points. Of course I also enjoyed real ale as Gallows Bird have two of that yummy yummy available. Now I drank Dark Star's Hophead and Acorn's Sovereign. Especially the latter was very nice ale.
All in all, I enjoyed this first whisky festival that was held in Finland. Hope we see next year.

Here are couple of links to the pictures of the happening:
http://smokeonthewater-fin.blogspot.com/2011/02/uisge-2011-kuvina.html
http://www.karhut.org/kuvat/smws/Uisge_2011/index.html

Slainte mhath