Tag Archives: speyside

Glenlivet 15 Years French Oak Reserve

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Distillery/Brand: Glenlivet
Region: Speyside
ABV: 40%
Colour: Sunlight

Nose: 22
Taste: 23
Finish: 23
Balance: 23

Review
This has been one of my favorite malts for a long time. Not because it’s the best malt out there but because it was one of the first I tried early on in my career as a malt enthusiast. And I’m glad it was this one for who knows what would have become of me had I tried something vile.

The uncomplicated Speyside nose is bursting at the seams with an orangey citrus burst on a bed of smooth melon rind. The honey and delicate flowers accompany this fruitiness and make for quite a nice bouquet of aromas.

The beautifully textured spirit is a touch spicy but that quickly gives way to a lovely warm fruit basket mixed with marshmallows. Something oddly comforting about this delivery.

The long and oily finish with a touch of oak keeps taking me back to why I began this glorious journey in the first place.

Rating: 91

Glenfiddich 19 Age Of Discovery – Madeira Wine Finish

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Distillery/Brand: Glenfiddich
Region: Speyside
ABV: 40%
Colour: Pale Straw

Nose: 21
Taste: 22
Finish: 20
Balance: 21

Review
This is part one of three of the, now über popular, Age of Discovery series. A 19 year old malt finished in Madeira Wine casks complete with gorgeous box that has, not one, but two doors! So you can understand if I was a little gutted that this one did not blow me away.

The honey sweet nose is both woody and citrusy at the same time. But you really have to coax the aromas out. If you keep at it you’ll be rewarded with a hint of sweet red melon and a touch of something grassy.

The same honey and oak mixed with white pepper are first to greet the palate followed by a spoonful of marmalade, roasted nuts and butterscotch.

The abrupt finish is a little disappointing. I would have liked to nurse the flavors a bit more but there was none of that.

I don’t mind drinking this one again but I would gladly pass this over if offered the 15 or the 18 year old instead.

Rating: 84

Glenlivet Master Distillers Reserve

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Distillery/Brand: Glenlivet
Region: Speyside
ABV: 40%
Colour: Gold

Nose: 22
Taste: 22
Finish: 22
Balance: 22

Review
Let’s start with the fact that there is really no bad Glenlivet. Consistent & classic flavors is what this single malt is known for. So even when they come out with cute marketing gimmicks like this expression it’s something still worth drinking!

But first the nose.

Sweet honey; and quite a strong honey at that. Quite zestfully sweet and delicately floral at the same time. Followed by moist barley in a cereal bowl topped with a whisper of vanilla essence. It’s almost like sitting in a field of pretty white flowers.

The lovely, full bodied, honey delivery is first intertwined with a playful pinch of white pepper. Then a caramel-ish toffee sweetness infused with a not-so-overpowering mint sprig coupled with crushed nuts. Very pleasant.

The medium to long finish is oily with a touch of spice. A lovely Speysider that embodies all that is good about that region.

Rating: 88

Glenfarclas 105 – 20 Years Old

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Distillery/Brand: Glenfarclas
ABV: 60%
Region: Speyside
Colour: Copper

Nose: 23
Taste: 24
Finish: 24
Balance: 23

Review
This is a special bottling of the already awesome Glenfarclas 105, matured in sherry casks for 20 years. Served up at an eye-watering 60% ABV this single malt is not to be messed with!

The nose is strong and floral with an intense rose garland aroma. Strong sugars, flowing jaggery and a sprinkle of black pepper spices make up the dominant nose. Spend a little more time and you can discern pleasantly ripe bananas too!

The delivery is nothing short of spectacular! Imagine a dark chocolate hand grenade with a side of black pepper C4 exploding in your mouth without mercy. The 60% ABV comes into it’s own here carrying with it dark plums, juicy raisins and a touch of something minty all swirled in gorgeous dark rum. A delivery hard to forget.

The nutty long finish is intensely spicy with an oaky dryness rounding off a smashing high strength sherry rendezvous.

Rating: 94

Tormore 12

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Distillery/Brand: Tormore
Region: Speyside
ABV: 40%
Colour: Pale Straw

Nose: 22
Taste: 22
Finish: 21
Balance: 21

Review
I personally love exploring the not so mainstream expressions out there and so it was quite exciting when I spotted this 12 year old Speyside in a friend’s bar the other night.

It has a typical Speyside nose with butterscotch, honey and almond. Citrusy overtones come next followed by something a touch floral wrapped in a haze of morning dew. Quite fresh and invigorating.

The medium bodied palate is interesting and flavorful. I like the strong minty herbacious attack on a bed of honey, sugarcane and white pepper. Chew it for long and a curious mixture of chalk and nuts forces you to raise an eyebrow. Intriguing.

The decently long finish has a smatter of dry fruits and very strong oaky mint.

This was my first Tormore and, I must say, I quite liked it.

Rating :86

The Macallan 12 Fine Oak

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Distillery/Brand: Macallan
Region: Speyside
ABV: 40%
Colour: Pale Straw

Nose: 23
Taste: 24
Finish: 22
Balance: 23

Review
This is what every Speyside single malt should taste like. Delicate and sensitive as well as bold and courageous.

Incidentally this is one of the first single malts I had ever bought and I think it was the reason I fell in love. Familiar aromas of honey, vanilla and hints of coconut remind me of why I got into malting in the first place. Robust barley lightly dusted with brown sugar and then rubbed on bright green pears makes this nose possibly one of my all time favorites to come out of Speyside.

The velvet delivery is almost perfect as it starts off honeyed followed by black pepper and cinnamon. Swish it around your mouth and you can discern the deftest of dark chocolate and a drop of citrus.

The medium to long finish is dry and quite oaky – I think that’s where the Fine Oak comes into it’s own – with a touch of nuts and an eyebrow raising stick of clove.

I have to admit; this malt makes me happy.

Rating: 92

The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak

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Distillery/Brand: Macallan
Region: Speyside
ABV: 40%
Colour: Pale Gold

Nose: 23
Taste: 23
Finish: 22
Balance: 23

Review
There was a time when I remember wanting to drink only Sherry influenced whiskies and this expression was the reason why.

The nose is pretty much in perfect harmony. Big, fat, juicy, red grapes covered in sugar, sprinkled with black pepper, dipped in caramel and then dusted with dark chocolate are presented to you on a silver platter. A final nose brings out the beautiful wooden sherried oak that makes this nose what it is.

Like most Macallan’s I’ve tasted the liquid is pure velvet. Burnt toast with black pepper and tiny cloves is the first thing to greet you. This is followed by the unmistakable taste of charred orange rind. Finally the palate is wrapped in a swirl of caramel, jaggery and a hint of roasted nuts.

The lovely long finish with it’s dry clove and nuts feels quite mature for it’s twelve years.

Pour your self a dram, sit back and relax. It’s going to be a long night.

Rating: 91

Glen Moray 12

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Distillery/Brand: Glen Moray
Bottling: 12 Year Old
ABV: 40%
Colour: Sunlight

Nose: 22
Taste: 22
Finish: 22
Balance: 22

Review
The Glen Moray 12 is a remarkably clean and fresh tasting single malt from Speyside and, for me, an expression that is best to start off an evening with.

The uncomplicated nose first brings with it a whiff of freshly kneaded dough next to a bowl of bran cereal. This is followed by a spoonful of leftover rice pudding. Quite comforting as it reminds me of breakfast during my school days. The freshness jumps out next – almost as if I decided to take my bowl of cereal out to my garden on an early spring morning. The relaxing aromas of freshly mowed grass and little white flowers complete a delicate and pleasant nosing experience.

The oily delivery is spicy at first as a pinch of white pepper lands quite dramatically on the tip of your tongue. Wrestle a bit more with the liquid and it rewards you with sweet honey and a hint of lemon tart.

The medium finish is citrusy dry with an aftertaste of red licorice and salty nuts.

A pleasant dram that, I suspect, is perfect to lure the rookie maltie!

Rating: 88

Glenfiddich 30 Years

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Distillery/Brand: Glenfiddich
Region: Speyside
ABV: 40%
Colour: Old Sauternes

Nose: 23
Taste: 24
Finish: 23
Balance: 24

Review

One has to be careful when reviewing the more premium whiskies (and one as popular as this) because their rarity and price inevitably place a bias on your nose and palate. I, therefore, promised my self to be brutally honest and not care about who I hurt in the process.

However, this 30 year old need not have been afraid.

The nose is a beautiful combination of classic Speyside aromas complemented with a confidence that only spending 30 years in a cask can give you. It’s like standing in a large kitchen watching desserts being assembled. One pastry chef is layering caramel, butterscotch and toffee in a dish. Another is scraping vanilla pods by his side. Then there is the overflowing basket of almonds, marzipan and a bushel of green apples sitting on the floor. Finally you realize someone just dropped a couple of orange slices on a hot hot grill!

The creamy delivery carries first with it a long sliver of smooth oak lightly dusted with black pepper and cinnamon. Then burnt treacle and light traces of cocoa on the back of honeyed oils get in on the fun. Finally a touch of herbaceous mint in the mix keeps things interesting. Quite a complex palate which will need your undivided attention.

The medium oaky finish, intertwined with a pleasant after taste of fennel and aniseed, round off an extremely satisfying premium whisky experience.

Rating: 91

Tomintoul Peaty Tang

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Distiller:
Tomintoul

Region:
Speyside

ABV:
40%

Colour:
Full Gold

Review:
I was really excited about trying this anomaly from Speyside.

This is one of those rare single malts that is distilled using peated barley in a Speyside distillery and the result is quite unusual and remarkable.

The first nose gives you the pleasantly familiar tang of peatiness (as promised by the name) and instantly transports you to a distillery in Islay. Though, it’s as if your mind is in Islay but your heart is still in Speyside; it’s an unusual feeling. Under the big wallop of peat lie sweet undertones of honey and sugar. The dry aura of heather then permeates through with a cosy, buttery scent of biscuits.

It’s a strong, strong delivery full of smoke and the palate needs a while to adjust and discover other hidden treasures underneath this peaty assault! First there’s a small slice of pancake smeared in delicate citrus and that’s followed by a sprinkling of dry nuts. The end is an all-spice affair which tends to linger.

Quite a unique flavor profile on this one. It stands with one foot on Islay and the other on Speyside and the beauty is it’s chosen to stand in exactly the right spots!

Rating : 92