Kilchoman Saligo Bay

“Set Fire To The Rain” 

Whisky Review # 1031

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Islay

Brand: Kilchoman Saligo Bay

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS - (Stated at Around 5 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon barrels

Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 60-100 (August 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 if you can get it at max. US$ 70
Buying Advice: 👍 if you like Young Smoky Islay Malt

Colour:

White Wine - Chardonnay (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Relatively Young and a little Rough with lots of Smoke and Burnt Peat. Quite Dry as well. Not Unpleasant! Give it enough time in the glass to be able to spot the other Aromas. There is a bit of Alcohol in play. All in all a typical Young Islay Malt.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Wet Hay and Grass, Bonfire Smoke, Burnt Peat, Tar, Ashes, Charred Oak, Smoked Fish and Shellfish on the BBQ sprinkled with lots of Lemon and dusted with Green Herbs and Pepper.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Farm Yard, Dirty Earth, Iodine, Seaweed, Green Apple,  Cooked Vegetables, Tangerine, Grapefruit, Bitter Orange, Leather, Pipe Tobacco, Licorice, Mint and Plastic.

Palate:

Mainly Sweet with a few Sour and Bitter notes as well. Quite Dry. Oily but a little Thin at the same time. It can't hide its relative Youth but it remains pleasant.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Driftwood Fire, Tar, Ashes, Hay and Grass, Farm Yard, Butter, Fish and Shellfish on the BBQ sprinkled with lots of Lemon and dusted with Green Herbs and Pepper, Charred Oak and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Heather-Honey, Toffee, Iodine, Seaweed, Green Apple, Ginger, Herbal Tea, Milk Chocolate, Sour Orange and Grapefruit, Rubber, Plastic, Licorice and Nutshells.

Finish:

Middle-Long. Young, a little Rough and mostly Sweet with a few light Bitter notes. The Sweetness presents itself a little Artificial. Quite Dry. I find Sweet Barley, Wet Hay and Grass, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Driftwood Fire, Tar, Ashes, Farm Yard and Dirty Earth, Slightly Sour Green Apple, Lemon, Herbal Tea, Charred Oak, Strong Espresso, Plastic, Metal, Rubber, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Licorice. Hints of Milk Chocolate, Pipe Tobacco and Gasoline after a while.

Drinking Advice:

In an odd way added Water seems to enhance the Young character of this Saligo Bay. Be sure to try it out! I prefer it neat though.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Kilchoman distillery is located at the Rockside farm, close to Bruichladdich. This farm distillery only started production in 2005. It is owned by Anthony Wills and his sons are involved in the day-to-day business as well. It's a  small distillery that currently produces around 600.000 litres per year. The core range consists of the NAS Machir Bay and the NAS Sanaig. Kilchoman has its own malting floor responsible for malting around 25% of their needs. The rest was bought from Port Ellen but since 2022 they only sell to Diageo distilleries. Therefore Kilchoman has ample plans to increase their own malting and distilling facilities.

The Saligo Bay was launched in 2016, initially for Travel Retail only. As of 2021 it is widely available elsewhere. Saligo Bay is one of the three beautiful bays on the West Coast of Islay.

The Saligo Bay is a typical Young Islay whisky that matured for around five years in good casks. There's a lot of Smoke and Burnt notes around and if you like that this Kilchoman will not disappoint you despite a few light off-notes. All in all not a bad effort by this relatively young distillery.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                 September 5, 2024

Clynelish 14 Years

“Daydr(e)am” 

Whisky Review # 1030

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Clynelish

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 14 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Mix of mainly Ex-Bourbon casks and some Sherried Wood

Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 45-60 (August 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good
Buying Advice: 👍 Good day-to-day Highlander at an affordable price

Colour:

Golden Sunlight (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

There are lots of Fruit to be found but also healthy portions of Clynelish Wax, Malt and Caramel. The Alcohol is slightly noticeable. Sweet, Sour, Mineral and Grassy tones are also a part of the mix. Not spectacular but certainly pleasing.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Wax, Grass & Straw, Sweet Apple, Nectarine, Lemon, Tropical Fruit Cocktail, Wet Rocks, Dirty Earth, Mint and Ginger.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Resin, Dough, Green Vegetables, Orange, Grapefruit, Pear, Sugared Figs, Dusty Charred Casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Pepper, Cloves and mere hints of Smoke, Polish and Rubber.

Palate:

A pleasant mix of Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter and Mineral notes. It would even be better if the Alcohol would be fully integrated but that's not the case.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Grass and Hay, Wax, Apple, Pear, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Dusty Earth, Charred Oak, Sugared Almonds, Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon.

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Honey, Brown Sugar, Dough, Nectarine, Tropical Fruit cocktail, Herbal Tea, Wet Rocks, Mint, Cloves, Cardamom and Nutmeg. Hints of Polished Leather, Rubber and Gasoline.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Punchy and with a little Alcohol kick towards the Medium Dry end. Quite Mineral as well. A Mix of Sweet, Salty & Sour notes with some Bitter accents as well. I find Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Vanilla, Wax, Brown Sugar, Yeast, Resin, Grass and Hay, Apple, Pear, Tropical Fruit Cocktail, Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Nectarine, Chocolate/Dried Fruit Bar, Wet Rocks, Dusty Oak, Varnish, Pepper, Herbal Tea, Cloves, Ginger, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Drinking Advice:

I prefer it neat but you can carefully add a few drops of Water.

Rating: 8 (********)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

Clynelish was founded in 1819 by the 1st Duke of Sutherland in the small town of Brora. It is owned by Diageo and the spirit is an important ingredient of various JW Blends. It produces around 4,8 million litres of Alcohol per year. Its sister-distillery Brora lies next to Clynelish and has been reopened recently after having been closed in 1983. The pictures were shot during our visit to Clynelish/Brora in May 2019. A new Visitor Centre was opened in 2021. The 14 Years I'm reviewing today is the only official core expression.

There's a lot to like about this Clynelish 14 years. It's pleasant, easy-going and without significant off-notes. And it has an affordable price tag. It's quite Waxy & the Alcohol stings a little at times but other than that you can easily consider this Clynelish 14 Years if you're looking for a suitable daily dram.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                      August 15, 2024

Mackmyra Brukswhisky

“Don’t Take a Chance On Me”

Whisky Review # 1029

Country: Sweden 🇸🇪

Region: Valbo - Gävle

Brand: Mackmyra Brukswhisky (Blended by: Angela d'Orazio)

Type: Single Malt Swedish Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 41.4%
Maturation: 1st Fill Bourbon casks plus added whisky that aged in Sherry Oak and Swedish Oak plus some Smokier Malt 

Chill Filtration: No 

Price Range: US$ 45/60 (August 2024) - 700 ML
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎

Buying Advice: 😡 This is not for me. And I don't recommend it to you!

Colour:

White Wine (Chardonnay) -  Natural Color

Nose:

Young, Modest and a little Plain. New Make Spirit boosted by some Swedish Oak. The Sherry influence is very limited. There's a clear note of Limonene. It's used a lot in Brazil in cleaning products for toilets in Shopping Malls. It's not unpleasant but I never found it so clearly in a whisky. A very distant hint of Smoke.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Bread and Margarine, Yeast, Grass, Green Apple, Pear, Limonene & Lemon, Tangerine, Dusty Oak, Coconut and Mint.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla-Banana Milkshake, White Wine, Tutti Frutti Bubble Gum, Herbal and Floral Tea, Alcohol, Musty Cellar, Smoke, Cinnamon, Aniseed and Metal.   

Palate:

Young, Thin and a little Sharp. A Bitter-Sweet and slightly Sour mix of Grapefruit Juice and Limonene-based cleaning agent. I've had some Mackmyra malts in the past but this ranks amongst the worst

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Caramel, Yeast, Green Apple, Pear, Limonene, Lemon, Grapefruit, Bitter Orange, Coconut, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Salt, Cinnamon and Ginger.   

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Vanilla, Perfumed Soap, Sweet Almonds, Banana, Herbs, Mint, Aniseed, Unknown Cola brand and a very distant hint of Smoke.   

Finish:

Short with a little Alcohol kick in the end. A rather Thin and Spicy mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. It reminds me a bit of a sparkling Lemonade soft drink. The Limonene is back again as well. I also find Malted Barley, Caramel, Green Apple, Pear, Lemon and Limonene, Grapefruit, Floral Soap, Herbs, Dusty Oak in a Musty Cellar, Pepper, Salt, Ginger & Aniseed. After a few minutes a hint of Banana Bread pops up. Too late to save the day.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water makes it worse!

Rating: 5.5 (*****1/2)

Nose: 6 - Taste: 5.5 - Finish: 5.5 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Not very pleasant

Conclusion:

The first Mackmyra distillery was founded in 1999. In 2012 a new distillery started production. It is located just outside Gävle, only a few miles away from the first distillery. The new structure is one of the highest in its kind and follows the gravity model where the production process starts on the upper floor and works it way downwards. This process decreases the energy costs substantially. The owners (Mackmyra Svensk Whisky AB) suffered some financial problems in 2014, probably as a result of the huge investment in the new distillery. As a result production went down considerably. But it seems that the situation is back under control now & the future looks bright. 

I must admit that I'm not really impressed by the Malts from Mackmyra that I've tasted so far. And this Brukswhisky is certainly not going to change my mind. It's Young, Flat, Plain, Sharpish & very Lemon-driven. But don't worry, I'm not giving up the search and I truly hope to discover a good Swedish Single Malt from this 25 year old distillery in the future.

Skål 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                       August 8, 2024

Bowmore 15 Years Golden & Elegant

“Bow More Mr. Nice Guy”

Whisky Review # 1028

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Islay

Brand: Bowmore Golden & Elegant

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 15 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Marriage of 1st Fill Bourbon Casks and Hogsheads

Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 60-90 (July 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Quite good for a 15-Year old Single Malt
Buying Advice: 😐 It's not bad but too Thin and Artificial for me

Colour:

Deep Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

A bit Thin and Artificial with Sweet, Sour & Salty notes. Light Smoke coming from a BBQ party held by your neighbor a few houses down the road. The Sherry cask influence is very limited. Bowmore's Perfumed Tea is certainly there though. I would expect more from a 15 Year-old Single Malt from Islay.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Lightly Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Farmyard, Grass, Hay, Perfumed Tea, Milk-Nuts Chocolate, Tropical Fruit Cocktail, Banana Bread, Sweet Apples, Citrus Fruit, Dusty Oak, Aniseed, Ginger and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Ham, Bacon and (Shell)Fish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Soot, Iodine, Resin, Peat Smoke, Marzipan, Wet Newspaper, Archive Boxes, Tobacco, Polished Leather and Rubber/Plastic.

Palate:

Slightly Thin & a little Sharp. The Alcohol is certainly more noticeable now. As on the Nose the general feeling is slightly Artificial. Peat, Smoke and Ashes are more present as well. Mainly Sweet but with Sour, Salty and Bitter accents. It's okay but no more than that.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Yeast, Smoke, Peat, Ashes, Soot, Meat & Fish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon & Herbs, Perfumed Tea, Banana Bread, Red Apple, Citrus Fruit (Orange, Grapefruit), Toasted Pineapple, Coconut, Licorice, Pepper and Aniseed.

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Honey, Toffee, Resin, Milk-Nuts Chocolate, Polished Leather, Tobacco, Apricot Jam, Cloves and Nutmeg.

Finish:

Short/Middle-Long & on the Thin side. A little Harsh as well as the Alcohol is more noticeable. Sweet at first but with a light Bitter note toward the Dry end. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Caffe Latte, Resin, Peat/Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Perfumed Tea, Nuts & Nutshells, Red Apple, Nectarine, Apricot, Citrus Fruit, Dusty Oak, Tobacco, Leather, Roasted Pineapple, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed & some Menthol. Artificially-flavored Candy after a while.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water kills this Bowmore.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good

Conclusion:

Bowmore is the oldest Islay Distillery and was founded in 1779 by David Simpson. It changed hands various times along the years but since 1994 the Japanese Suntory group controls Bowmore. Bowmore still malts around 25% of the Barley on their premises. They currently produce over 2.15 million liters of Alcohol p.a. The Bowmore core range includes the 12, the 15 the 18 and 25 Years. Some of the Bowmore Spirit is used in Blends like Rob Roy and Black Bottle. We visited the distillery in 2014 & 2017. I absolutely love the Malting Floor, the Shop & Visitor-Centre. Certainly well-worth the visit.

It's not easy to find really good Whisky in the Travel Retail shops these days. And this Bowmore 15 Years is not an exception. It's not really bad and certainly fairly priced but it's also Thin, slightly Artificial and Emotionless. And that's not what I look for in a 15 Year old Single Malt from Islay. What a difference with the great old 17 Years. But unfortunately they don't make Whisky like that bo more 😜

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                          July 25, 2024

Ben Nevis 2013 (Signatory Vintage)

“Dirty Work”

Whisky Review # 1027

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Western Highlands

Brand: Ben Nevis - Distilled: 17-10-2013

Bottled By: Signatory Vintage SWC Ltd, Pitlochry on 19-11-2021

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Casks # 426 & 430 - Bottle: # 441

Age: 8 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Refill Hogsheads
Chill Filtration: No

Sample provided by Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!

Price Range: US$ 40-45 (July 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 Okay I suppose but not worth buying

Buying Advice: 😡 Unpleasant is such a nice British understatement!

Color:

Pale White Wine (Natural Color)

Nose:

Young, Light, Raw, Funky and, frankly, not very pleasant. New Make Spirit mixed with Metal parts. Rotting Fruit/Vegetables. It's been a while since I nosed anything like this. Please give it enough time in the glass to be able to spot some slightly more conventional Aromas as well. The Alcohol is not integrated at all.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Margarine, Grass, Green Apple, Sour Berries & Yellow Prunes, Pear, Lubricant, Plastic, Cabbage, Dirty Smoke and Soot, Nuts and Nutshells, Overripe Banana, Musty Oak, Cheese, Licorice, Milk Chocolate and Aniseed.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Nectarine, Orange, Rubber, Rusty Metal, Chalk, Dirty Earth, Herbal Tea, Wet Rocks, Leather, Tobacco, Pepper and Ginger.

Palate:

Young, Thin, Harsh, Unfinished. The Raw Alcohol is King here. The label states that this is a Ben Nevis but if it would have stated "Cheap Blend" I would have believed it as well. I can't understand that Signatory Vintage would see fit to bottle this Single Malt at this point in time.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Grass, Dirty Smoke and Ashes, Grass, Sour Green Apple, Grapefruit, Mirabelle Plums and Berries, Nut-Shells, Musty Oak, Licorice, Aniseed and Pepper.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Wax, Pear, Nectarine, Unripe Banana, Citrus Peel, Metal, Wet Stones, Wax and Chalk, Milk Chocolate, Fish Oil, Stale Black Coffee, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Finish:

On the Short Side and quite Thin. Some Sweet notes initially but with increasing Bitterness towards the Dry end. The harsh Alcohol is very present at this point. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, slightly Sour Apples, Mirabelle Plums, Grapefruit & Berries, light Factory Smoke, Dirty Earth, Nut Shells, Fish Oil, Yeast, Musty Oak, Licorice, Grass, Metal, Cinnamon and Pepper.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the size of the sample I only tasted this Ben Nevis neat.

Rating: 5.5 (*****1/2)

Nose: 5.5 - Taste: 5.5 - Finish: 5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is 8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Unpleasant

 

Conclusion:

Ben Nevis Distillery was founded in 1825 by Long John MacDonald and is located at the foot of the famous Ben Nevis Mountain, close to Fort William (Inverness-Shire). Since 1989 it is owned by the Nikka Whisky Distilling Co.Ltd (Asahi Breweries). Some of its Malt is used in Blends like Dew of Ben Nevis, Glencoe and some Japanese Blends. The annual production currently amounts to around 2 million liters.

I have reviewed a few Signatory Vintage expressions in the last few months and I was not overly enthusiastic about them. But this the worst of them all by far. This Ben Nevis is Too Young, Thin and Harsh and presents various funky off-notes. It should not have been bottled this way. I like Ben Nevis as they are usually not as mainstream as many other distilleries today. But this SV expression should be left alone. Maybe it's a good idea to bury the remaining bottles deep below Mount Ben Nevis and open them in 50 years or so. Who knows!

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                          July 11,2024