Auchroisk 8 (Brachadair)

“Only the Strong Survive” 

Whisky Review # 1054

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Auchroisk - Distilled in 2010

Bottled by: Brachadair in 2019

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Cask # 79

Age: 8 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59.7% - Cask Strength
Maturation: First-Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask 
Chill Filtration: No

Average Price: US$ 90 (January 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay  

Buying Advice: 😔 Probably a bridge too far for many. Try a sample first!

Color:

Deep Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

The Alcohol is quite strong so please avoid sticking your nose in the middle of the glass. The Nose is Sweet, Dry and a little Dirty and there's a slight impression of Baby Vomit at first. Fortunately this disappears after air contact. The Youth of this Auchroisk is noticeable in a slightly Rough way. It's interesting though with hints of Ledaig, Jura and the JW Blended range.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, Butter Biscuits, Caramel, Dried Fruits like Sultanas, Apricots, Raisins, Plums and Dates, Mixed Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Sherry, Mint, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.       

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Dark Red Berries & Cherries, Floral Perfume, Salted Meat or Beef Broth, Cigar Box, Leather, Tobacco, Orange, Peach and a hint of Espresso.    

 

Palate:

The Alcohol is quite strong and attacks your throat in a rather Sharp and Dirty but not really unpleasant way. This Auchroisk really needs Water though. The Palate is mainly Sweet but with a few Bitter tones for balance. The cask influence is very strong.

Main Flavours:

Toasted and Malted Barley, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots, Sultanas & Figs, Dark Red Berries & Cherries, Mixed Salted Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Menthol.        

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Dark Honey, Vanilla, Orange, Yeast, Slivovitz, Molasses, Leather, Tobacco, Floral Perfume, Beef Broth, Licorice and strong Espresso.  

Finish:

Quite Long. This one definitively needs a little Water. The Alcohol really burns in your throat. Bitter-Sweet & very Dry. Strong cask influence. I find Toasted Barley, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Figs, Plums and Apricots, Dark Red Berries and Cherries, Caramel, Dusty Oak, Mixed Nuts & Nutshells, Dark Chocolate, Leather, Tobacco, Honey, Orange, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Menthol, Licorice, Metal and Strong Espresso.  

Drinking Advice:

I added quite a lot of Water to this Auchroisk. In fact probably a record quantity of 4 tea spoons. It's still quite noticeable on the Nose though. It is a relatively Young Malt after all. The Palate becomes almost "palatable". The overall profile does not change a lot although it becomes a bit more Malty and quite Spicy. You should try it out both ways but it's more enjoyable after adding Water.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5 - 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: Young and Strong but Interesting.

Conclusion:

Auchroisk was founded in 1972 by Justerini & Brooks and became part of Diageo in 1997. The annual production arounds to 5.8 million litres. Almost all of it goes into the Diageo blends. The only official bottling is the 10 Year old Flora & Fauna.

Brachadair is a family-based Belgian independent bottler. Patrick Vanderlinden and his nephews Cedric and Alexander run the business.

This Auchroisk is not for the faint of heart. The combination of a relatively Young Single Malt and a very high ABV might be too much for many. Even with a lot of added Water the general feeling of Young, Strong, Dirty and Sharp remains. IMO the ABV is too high and a 2nd Fill cask would probably have been a better choice for this young Auchroisk. Still it's way more interesting than today's Mainstream Malt Madness and that helps in my final score. I would not buy a full bottle but I enjoyed tasting the sample.

Cheers 🥃 

Jan                                                                                       January 19, 2025  

                                                                                             

Ledaig 12 (Gordon & MacPhail)

“The Slightly Dirty 12”

Whisky Review # 1053

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Highlands - Islands - Mull

Brand: Ledaig 

Distilled at: Tobermory Distillery

Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail, Elgin - Discovery Series

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Mix of Ex-Bourbon casks and Sherried European Oak casks
Chill Filtration: Yes

Price range: US$ 60-70 (January 2025)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Okay

Buying Advice: 😐 It's okay but I kinda prefere the standard 10 Years

Color:

Golden (Natural Color)

Nose:

The characteristic "Dirty" smell of Ledaig is there but in a milder form. The Nose has got Sweet, Sour and Salty elements and is a little Rough. The Alcohol is there but does not really interfere with the Nosing procedures. There's a bit of a Farm yard feel to this Ledaig. The Sherry Cask influence is limited.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Dough, Smoked Pork on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon, Salt and Herbs, Grass and Straw, Green Apple, Farm-yard, Dried Apricot, Salted Peanuts, Dusty Oak, Cinnamon, Ginger & Mint.    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey-Nut Cereals, Banana, Orange, Strawberry, Grapefruit, Dirty Earth, Petrol Station, Hospital, Burnt Rubber, Ashes, Fish, Metal, Leather and Slivovitz.  

 

Palate:

A little on the Thin side but still my favorite part of this Ledaig. It's like tasting a dram in a factory facility temporarily used as a field hospital. It's a Medium-Dry mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour, Salty and Dirty notes. Bourbon cask notes are in the lead.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Fish and Bacon on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon, Salt & Herbs, Dusty Cask, Dirty Muddy Peat, Ashes, Tar, Soot, Green Apple, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Licorice.    

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey-Nuts Cereals, Toffee, Seville-Orange, Tobacco, Leather, Hospital, Banana, Strawberry, Rubber, Plastic, Metal, Wet Rocks, Cocoa, Aniseed, Mint and Nutmeg. 

Finish:

Middle-Long and mainly Bitter-Sweet. Additional Sour & Salty notes. Medium Dry. A light Plastic off-note. I also find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Smoked Fish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon, Herbs & Salt, Ashes, Tar, Dirty Muddy Peat, Green Apple, Grapefruit, Banana, Orange, Dried Apricot, Wet Rocks, Rubber, Peanuts, Tobacco, Leather, Cocoa, Licorice, Dusty Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves. Some Mint/Menthol as well. 

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Ledaig

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 except for the Plastic Off-Note

Conclusion:

Ledaig means Safe Haven. It's the name of the peated expressions of Tobermory. The core range of the distillery now includes the Tobermory 12, the Ledaig 10 & 18 Years as well as the Ledaig Rioja Finish.

I'm usually a big fan of Gordon & MacPhail but this 12 Year old Ledaig doesn't fully convince me. The Sherry cask influence is very limited and I'm not too fond of the Plastic off-note. And it's somehow also slightly less "Dirty in a Good Way' than the official distillery bottlings. The P/Q ratio is okay and it's not a bad Single Malt. But I slightly prefer the standard Ledaig 10 Years

I wish all my readers and their families a very Happy and Healthy 2025!

Cheers 🥃 

                                                                                             January 5, 2025

Jan van den Ende                           

BenRiach Smoky Quarter Cask

“To Peat Or Not To Peat That’s the Question”

Whisky Review # 1052

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: BenRiach Smoky Quarter Cask 

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46% 
Maturation: Ex-Bourbons Casks followed by Quarter Casks 

Chill Filtration: Yes 

Price Average: US$ 55-65 (December 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good

Buying Advice: 👍 Good place to get to know Smoky Malt. A bit too Thin for me!

Color:

Golden (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Young and Light. The Alcohol is noticeable so don't Nose in the middle of your glass. There's Campfire Smoke and Dusty Peat but it's not as pungent as in Young Islay. It's a good place to start your Smoky Whisky trip. The Nose is not unpleasant but it is a little on the Thin side.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Grass & Straw, Campfire Smoke, Dusty Peat, Ashes, Banana Bread, Dried Apricots, Toasted Nuts, Charred Oak, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Vanilla, slightly Tart Apples & Pears, Tar, Soot, Dusty Track, Wet Paper or Cardboard, Plastic, Smoked Meat, Leather and a hint of Slivovitz.      

Palate:

A youthful mix of Campfire Smoke, Tart Fruit and Spices. It will certainly warm you after a walk in the cold. The Alcohol remains noticeable. Quite Dry.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Campfire Smoke, Dusty Peat, Ashes, Banana, Tart Apples and Pears, Lemon, Charred Oak, Toasted Nuts, Pepper, Ginger, Licorice and Salt. 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Wax, Burnt Toast, Soot, Tar, Dried Apricot, Plastic, Petrol, Leather, Black Tea, Dried Herbs, Slivovitz, Cinnamon, Menthol, Bitter Espresso & Dark Chocolate. 

Finish:

On the Short side as a whole. The Chili Pepper stays a little longer. The BenRiach can't hide its Youth anymore and the Finish is slightly Rough and Edgy. It's a mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour and Salty notes. Increasingly Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Campfire Smoke, Earthy Peat, Toasted Nuts, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Charred Oak, Dusty Track, Tart Apples and Pears, Lemon, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Menthol, Licorice, Leather, Plastic, Strong Espresso, Burnt Toast and a distant hint of Smoked Salmon. 

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and although it calms down the Alcohol it also transforms this BenRiach in a sort of peated Barley Juice. I prefer it neat.

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 but a little too Thin for me.

 

Conclusion:

The BenRiach distillery was founded in 1897 by John Duff & Co and is located in Longmorn, Elgin (Morayshire). It changed hands a couple of times in its history but in April 2016 it was bought by Brown Forman. BenRiach produced more or less 1,5 million litres in 2024. The core range includes a/o the original 10, the Smoky 10, the 12, the Smoky 12, the 16,21,25,30 and 40 Years. I have not yet been able to visit this Distillery. We passed by in 2014 but it was closed for maintenance at the time. BenRiach Spirit is also used in Blends like Chivas Regal, 100 Pipers and Queen Anne.

The Smoky Quarter Cask was launched in 2021 and was initially released for the Travel Retail market only. It is made with both peated and unpeated Spirit. As such it's certainly not a Peat monster and a good way to start your peated Whisky adventure. I can therefore clearly see the attraction this Single Malt presents, even more so as it is pleasantly priced. The more experienced Peat fan will miss the punch of Young Islay Malt and in general will find this BenRiach on the Thin side. I also detected a few light off-notes. But if you're looking for an affordable day-to-day lightly peated dram, this BenRiach might just be what you're looking for.

Merry Christmas to all of you and your families!

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                December 25, 2024

Macaloney's The Peat Project (Portuguese Red Wine Casks)

“Born in the USPeat”

Whisky Review # 1051

Country: Canada 🇨🇦

Region: Vancouver Island

Brand: Macaloney's The Peat Project -Single Cask Series - Double Distilled

Type: Canadian Island Peated Single Malt Whisky - 54PPM
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Portuguese Red Wine STR* Casks

*STR means:  Scraped (Shaved), Toasted and Re-Charred

Sample provided by: Graeme from Canada. Many Thanks!
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 70-90 (December 2024)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 Borderline acceptable at around US$ 70

Buying Advice: 😐 It's nice to try a sample but I miss the power of young Islay

Colour:

Deep Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Light and Young but not Sharp. Almost Creamy. The Alcohol is well-integrated. The Peat is certainly noticeable and although it's not overdone it still dominates most of the other Aromas. The Red Wine casks bring some Fruity notes. It's not a very complicated Nose but it's pleasant and not too Sweet. Only in the background I detect some Burnt notes as well as a little Plastic. Nothing serious though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, (Dark) Red Berries and Currants, Dried Fruit like Dates, Lemon and Raisins, Orange, Earthy Peat, Grass, Burnt Herbs and Heather, Green Coffee Beans, Butter, Leather, Floral Perfume, Cinnamon and Ginger.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Syrup, Red Wine, Honey, Ashes, Soot, Burnt Toast, Cow Dung mixed with Straw, Charred Oak and Shavings, Wet Rocks, Plastic, Coconut Shavings, Cooked Vegetables, Tobacco Leaves, Nutmeg, Steak Tartare and Slivovitz.   

Dr. Graeme Macaloney

Palate:

Young, Thin and a little Rough but surprisingly Creamy at the same time. Sweet but not in a cloying way. A few Burnt, Sour and light Bitter notes provide balance. The Peat & Smoke are present of course but are less dominant than on the Nose.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, slightly Sour Red Wine, Red Berries and Currants, Earthy Peat, Dirty Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Coconut Shavings, Orange, Melon, Figs & Dates, Charred Oak, Burnt Heather & Grass, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Ginger. 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Yeast, Wet Rocks, Grilled Meat and Pineapple, Tobacco Leaves, Leather, Licorice, Cloves, Strawberry-flavored Candy and Dark Chocolate.   

Finish: 

Thin and on the Short Side although the Dirty Smoke, Ashes and Soot stay with you for a while. The Spirit can't hide its Youth anymore at this point. The Alcohol is a little Rough now as well. Quite Dry towards the end. It's also more Sweet at this point while Peat and Smoke are less dominant when compared to the Nose. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Honey, Nutshells, Red Wine, Red Berries and Currants, Orange, slightly Dirty Smoke and Soot, Ashes, Burnt Heather and Herbs, slightly Burnt Toast, Charred Oak, Floral Perfume, Coconut Shavings, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves and Ginger. A hint of Meat on the BBQ.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Single Malt.😐

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 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:

Good but a little Young, Edgy and Rough in places.

Conclusion:

This Island Distillery is equipped with a one ton semilauter Mash Tun, 7 stainless steel wash-backs, a 5500 litre wash still and a 3600 litre spirit still. The first Single Malt was released in December 2020. Part of the Barley is malted on site and the complex also includes a craft beer brewery called TWA Dogs.

The Potstill whiskies are traditional Irish-Style triple distilled whiskies. Dr. Macaloney, the founder, is a Scot of Irish Heritage who attended the Midleton Irish Whiskey Academy and learned traditional Irish methods a.o. with ex Master Distiller Brian Nation. Back in Canada he then learned to optimize the traditional whisky process following Dr. Jim Swan's methods. The resulting New Make Spirit won several global awards. 

The Peated Series was launched in 2023. The Canadian Barley is smoked using the Washington peat and follows the process of distilleries like Laphroaig, Bowmore & Kilchoman. Canadian and Islay Peat will be used in the future.

Washington Peat is not the same as Islay peat but nevertheless Macaloney's did a good job on the peaty part of this Single Malt. As such the Peat Project can be safely called a success. My issue with the Macaloney's so far is the lack of Wood contact. Call me old-fashioned but all the new methods that speed up maturation processes do not (yet) make up for sufficient time of good Fruity Spirit in a well-made quality cask. In this specific case you would not notice this on the Nose that, while a bit heavy on the Peat, is still quite pleasant. But Palate and Finish are Thin despite the adequate ABV and do not provide a fully satisfying mouthfeel. I truly hope Macaloney's will be able to fix this issue in future releases. At least for me as the distillery wins prizes all over the place anyway! 

Glenlossie 2009 (Carn Mor)

“Sweet and Innocent”

Whisky Review # 1050

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenlossie 2009

Bottled in 2021 by: Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers

Series: Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited - 1603 Bottles 

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 47.5% 
Maturation: Red Wine Casks (Barriques)

Chill Filtration: No 

Price Average: US$ 80 (December 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Okay

Buying Advice: 👍 A very easy-going Speysider, ideal for beginning fans

Color:

Tawny with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Soft and Pleasant. Mostly Sweet but with some Sour, Dusty and "Wet" notes as well. The Alcohol is there but certainly not in an aggressive way. It's a Nose that serves perfectly as a start to your whisky adventure!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Toffee, Grass, slightly Sour Red Wine and Red Grapes, Dark (Red) Berries and Cherries, Tangerine, Dusty Oak, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint. 

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Honey, Sugared Almonds, Dried Fruit such as Raisins, Apples and Figs, Assorted Citrus Fruit, Marzipan, Fresh Herbs, Wet Leaves and Paper, Coconut, Cappuccino and a distant hint of Licorice.       

Palate:

An easy-going and pleasant mix of mostly Sweet and Sour notes. The Red Wine casks come to the front but not in an overpowering way. Other than that I find most of the notes I already found on the Nose. It's a well-made Single Malt with only a slight Metallic off-note. 

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Toffee, Nutella, Grass, slightly Sour Red Wine/Grapes, (Dark) Red Berries and Cherries, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Fresh Herbs, Sugared Almonds, Honey, Orange-flavored Chocolate, Wet Rocks and Paper, Lemon, Grapefruit, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Aniseed, Licorice and Tobacco Leaves.  

  

Finish:

Middle-Long. A mix of Sweet, Sour and light Bitter notes. The Alcohol is more in the picture at this point. The Red Wine Cask influence is more clear now as well. I notice a light Metal off-note. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, Honey Nut Cereals, Red Berries and Cherries, Sugared Almonds, slightly Sour Red Wine/Red Grapes, Wet Rocks and Paper, Fruitcake, Dusty Oak, Strawberry-flavored Candies, Fresh Herbs, Orange-flavored Chocolate, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint, Grass and a light hint of Tobacco leaves.    

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water & get a nice Peach/Nectarine Aroma on the Nose. It becomes  too Light on the Palate though and the Finish practically disappears. I prefer it neat despite the Peach!

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 8 - 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: Good

 

Conclusion:

The Glenlossie distillery was founded in 1876 by John Duff and is located in Birnie-Elgin (Morayshire). In 1919 DCL bought the distillery and subsequent mergers & take-overs brought it under the almighty wings of the Diageo Group. The Spirit is recognized as an important Blending Whisky and is mainly used in the Haig and Dimple Blends. In 1990, a 10 Year Old Flora & Fauna was launched and until today is the only official distillery bottling. The annual production amounts to around 2 million litres.

Pleasant and good quality Red Wine cask matured or finished Single Malts are not that easy to find. I'm glad to report that this Glenlossie is an exception to the rule. It's well-made and the Red Wine does not overpower the Whisky flavors. I only found a light Metallic off-note on the Palate and in the Finish but it's nothing serious. If you're starting your Whisky journey this is a perfect place to do so. Pleasant, mostly Sweet, slightly Sour and quite Fruity. What's not to like there! The P/Q ratio is okay as well. 

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                December 12, 2024