Westvleteren 12 ja muutama viski

Westvleteren 12 on olut, joka on monesti palkittu Ratebeer.com'in mukaan maailman parhaimmaksi olueksi. Tätä herkkua on yleisesti saanut ainoastaan luostarin kaupasta, mutta nyt sitä löytyi Helsingistä, Black Door -pubista. Vihdoin ja viimein tuota ylistettyä herkkua pääsin maistamaan. Oliko se niin hyvää kuin on puhuttu. Noh, kaadoin pieneen Westvleteren -lasiin olutta ja annoin sen rauhassa asettua. Tuoksussa oli banaania, kukkaisuutta, hedelmää ja mausteita. Sitten hörppy: kukkaisuus ja hedelmäisyys jatkui. Myöskin happamuutta, mausteisuutta ja sitä banaania löytyi lisää. Täyteläinen ja pehmeä trappisti. Pisteitä tuli annettua 44/50. Huomasin, että olen antanut enemmän pisteitä saman luostarin 8-versiolle ja Rochefort 10:lle tuli annettua 47/50. Eli minulle tämä ei ollut maailman paras olut. Erittäin hyvää kuitenkin. Ja sen verran harvinainen, että kannattaa maistaa aina kun tähän törmää.

Muutaman viskinkin maistoin samalla. Ensimmäisenä Suomeen pullotettu 16-vuotias Bowmore. Mukavan nahkainen, mausteinen ja savuinen tuoksu. Maussa karamellia, sitrusta, hedelmää ja savua. Sherryäkin. Pehmeä. Pisteet: n22+t23+f22+b23 = 90/100.

Toisena Glenmorangien Artein. Tämä tislaamo ei kuulu minun suosikkitislaamoihin, mutta tätäkin oli pakko maistaa. Pienoiseksi pettymykseksi tämä muodostuukin. Olihan tässä kivasti hedelmää ja sherryä. Löytyi myös päärynää, marsipaania, hunajaa, makeaa. Pisteet: n20+t21+f20+b20 = 81/100.

Kolmantena Gordon & MacPhailin pullottama Bladnoch 1993. Tämä oli kyllä sitten illan pohjanoteeraus. Tuoksussa märkää kaislaa? Sipuleita? Ilmapalloja? Kurkkua? Eiköhän tämä ollut tässä. Pisteet: n17+t18+f17+b17 = 69/100.

Neljäntenä Hazelburnin 8-vuotias viski. Tislattu 2002 ja pullotettu 2011. Rubiininpunaisessa viskissä on tuoksuna karamellia, suklaata, nahkaa ja viiniä. Maussa hedelmää ja sherryä. Pisteet: n20+t22+f21+b20 = 83/100.

Pari bitteriäkin tuli maistettua, mutta eipä niistä sen enempää.


Westvleteren 12 is a beer that Ratebeer.com has awarded as the best beer in the world. After many years of seeking this rare bottle I finally found one at Black Door pub in Helsinki. It was floral, fruity, spicy, sour, full-bodied and had lots of bananas. I gave 44/50 points and noticed that their 8 was better and my favourite trappist still is Rochefort 10.

I also tasted few single malts: 16 year old Bowmore that was bottled especially for Finland (90/100), Glenmorangie Artein (81/100), Bladnoch 1993 by Gordon & MacPhail (69/100) and Hazelburn 8 year old (83/100).

Uisge2012

How come 12 months go so fast? It was just like yesterday when the Uisge2011 was held at Gallows Bird. This time the whisky festivals were held at Vanha Ylioppilastalo at the centre of Helsinki. Pub environment was perhaps better when it comes to enjoy whisky but VY had more space inside and I assume there weren't any queues outside like last year. I did miss some really interesting items this time but all in all it's great that the powers behind this event had the enthuasism to organize this. Thank You and hope we see you next year.

Me and my wife tasted 14 different single malts (+ Tia tasted also Balvenie 21YO) and had a really great time. I even tore down the stand of Grant's - of course, this was an accident. Believe it or not. Excellent feeling and great that so many foreign whisky experts travelled to Finland just for this happening. Hopefully there will be Uisge2013...

My ratings this evening:
Talisker 25 YO (2005 edition) = 93
Tobermory 15 YO = 92
Highland Park Thor = 90
BenRiach Rioja Wood Finish = 90
Glenmorangie 25 YO = 89
Old Pulteney 21 YO = 88
Glenlivet Guardians = 87
Bruichladdich PC9 = 85
Macmyra Special 07 = 84
Bunnahabhain 32 YO = 81
Isle Of Jura Boutique Barrels = 81
Auchentoshan Bordeaux Cas Matured = 80
Glenlivet Archive 21 YO = 80
Hakushu 12 YO = 73

Congrats to Talisker!

BTW. The gentleman behind Balvenie desk suggested us to taste Port Wood 21 YO and Parmesan cheese together. That sounded a wee bit odd but after tasting I was gobsmacked. Great combination. Thanks for the idea.

Here are some other links about this marvelous event:
http://viskisieppo.blogspot.com/2012/02/siepon-uisge-2012.html
http://smokeonthewater-fin.blogspot.com/2012/02/uisge-2012.html

Few drams at Galle, Pori (22 November 2010)

Spent some time with friends at Steak and Whisky House Galle at Pori couple of days ago. After Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish and Glenkinchie 1989/2002 DE drams that nevertheless weren't that bad starters of the evening I yearned something better. I took a dram of fantastic smoky and smooth Caol Ila 18 years old. It had fruity and tobacco nose and ripe fruits on the palate and excellent long and smoky finish. But that wasn't the highlight of the evening. It was Glenfarclas 1954. This version was distilled at 16 June 1954 and bottled at 27 July 2000. So it was 46 years old! That's a long time. My father was 16 years old when it was distilled and I was 30 when it was bottled. The colour is amber, looks very tasty. After nosing this sweet whisky I could find sherryish notes, medicine, honey, red wine and some strange way sauna with a wooden stove (kiuas in Finnish) and it's getting colder. This was a full-bodied whisky and on the palate I could trace notes like winey, fruity, treacle, fudge and spices. The finish was sherryish, spicy and long. Quite complicated whisky. After drinking the empty copita glass still had strong scents inside. Marvelous whisky.

Points:
1) Glenfarclas 1954 (n24+t24+f23+b23. Total points: 96, Grade: 9.5)
2) Caol Ila Aged 18 Years (n23+t23+f23+b23. Total points: 92, Grade: 9)
3) Glenkinchie 1989/2002 DE (n20+t22+f21+b21. Total points: 84, Grade 8+)
4) Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish (n20+t20+f21+b20. Total points: 81, Grade: 8 )