Tag Archives: #whisky

Whisky of the Month

Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast: Nikka Discovery

Leave a comment

Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast

47%

700ml

$279.95 (LCBO)

Medium and Herbal

Fruit aromas of Peach and Apricot

Pepper, spices, Tomato Leaf….haven’t heard that one before

From the Distillery:

After the remarkable Miyagikyo Single Malt Peated launched in 2021, the magic behind this unpeated version comes from the use of yeasts that encourage the development of delicately fruity aromas and flavours. An invitation to dive quite literally into a washback in the midst of fermentation, it begins first by laying the foundations of a deeply malty character. Then, as the tasting unfolds, deliciously luscious, floral, rich and even fruity sequences interweave with one another, like dissolving transitions in a film.

COLOR: Bright gold.

NOSE: Refined, full of ardour. The very exuberant first nose (lavender, marshmallow, marsh mallow plant) is also softly liquoricey and lush (malted barley). Allowed to breathe, succulent perfumes of comté cheese, flowering meadow, and fruits (peach, pear, apricot) intensely take hold of the olfactory arena. Gradually, notes of vanilla, coconut milk and lemon meringue tart draw out the first stage of the tasting.

PALATE: Radiant, well-balanced. The full-bodied attack is at first refreshingly herbaceous (barley field, fern). Very delicately, the mid-palate then becomes wonderfully rich (brioche, leavened baguette). Next, white peaches and pears release their deliciously tangy juice onto the taste buds as acacia honey spreads voluptuously around the sides of the palate.

FINISH: Long, silky. Closely linked to the end of the palate, incredibly fresh flavours of herbal tea (sage, camomile, verbena) cross through the start of the finish. At the end of the finish, grains of salt are placed gently onto a bed of cut grass. The mentholated, very slightly empyreumatic (smoking cigar) and spicy (fresh ginger) retro-nasal olfaction gradually reveals subtle floral notes (pear tree, lily of the valley). The empty glass releases fermentation aromas.

Whisky of the Month

Tamdhu 18 Year Single Malt

Leave a comment

Tamdhu 18

46.8% ABV

$285.20

LCBO

Matured exclusively in Sherry oak cask

The distillery is Located in Speyside region.

Owned by Independent bottlers Ian Macleod a majority of the whisky distilled at Tamdhu that not made in Sherry casks are used for independent bottling or blends.

Not completely rare but Single malt Tamdhu are bit of a unicorn in certain markets and made in limited releases.

Nose:

Rich dark fruits with Cherry and plum, zesty citrus notes and nutty milk chocolate

Palate:

Red apples, dried fruits

Sweet spice, cinnamon and brown sugar

Finish:

Long and lingering, spiced apples and a hint of Sherry 

Whisky of the Month

Orphan Barrel: 14 year Old Single Malt from Teaininch Distillery

Leave a comment

From American Boutique Independent bottler Orphan Barrel, a unique company for the fact they distill their own whiskey but also seek out forgotten barrels from rare distilleries, previously they have unearthed and released a 24 year old from Port Dundas dubbed “Muckety Muck”.

I initially passed this off as a Bourbon or American whiskey because of the label, it wasn’t until I looked closely at the bottle it distinctly says “Single Malt Whisky bottled in Scotland”.  Labelled as Castle’s Curse from Orphan Barrel( story to follow).

Teaininch is typically only used in Diageo blended whiskies.

Located in the Highlands region Teaninich distillery has had a long and complicated history in the distilling business for nearly 200 years. Very rarely do you find a single malt offering from them.

Procured from: LCBO

$235.25

750ml

47.4% ABV

Whisky of the Month

BenRiach 24 year old Single Cask

Leave a comment

This bottle #2 for our July BenRiach double tasting.

Distilled in July 7th 1997

Bottled in 2022

Bottle 69/176

Cask Strength 56.7% ABV

Exclusively selected and bottled for Alberta

Bourbon barrel cask

Notes from Kensington Wine market website.

Nose: decadent, creamy, and fruity with subtle spice; creamed honey, clotted cream, and creme brule; orange pith, dried apricot, and honey dew melon; nutty and toasty with almond brittle.

Palate: creamy, sweet, and fruity with juicy malt; a base of buttery toasted oak with decadent spices; more clotted cream, creme brule, and creamed honey; the fruits start in the citrus/orchard range, but evolve into more tropical ones like green mango and pineapple; Earl Grey Tea icecream and toasted marshmallows to round things out; sliced ginger and cinnamon hearts.

Finish: warming, spicy, and toasty, the finish is long, coating the palate with fading fruits and sweet creamy treats.

Certainly this bottling is a rarity and once one of our members wins the remaining at our annual bottle auction it is likely to be gone forever. One of only 176 bottles made from this single cask, amazing find and a treat for the whisky lover!

Whisky of the Month

Bruichladdich Black Art 6.1

Leave a comment

For May 2024 monthly taster we were lucky to find a special release through our own member Lee. Thanks for the sourcing of the fantastic Bruichladdich Black Art 6.1 version!

Cask Strength at 46.9% ABV, 1990 vintage at 26 years old, 100% unpeated malted barley, matured on Islay, non-chill filtered. 1 of 18,000 bottles world wide. Only 17,999 remain!

Nose: Aromatic malt that reaches your nose even as the glass sits on the table. Black cherries, ripe bananas, green pears and other stone fruit. Spicy butterscotch and burnt orange peel. White chocolate, nutmeg and leathery depth.

Palate: Wood is definitely present, but is more balanced than expected given the age. The play between whisky and wood is a powerful one, with a lot of flavor and character behind it. It is a dance of savory vanilla, tingling spice and sweet dark fruits.

Finish: So smooth and lingering. Leaves you wanting a 2nd, 3rd and 4th sip. Just a fantastic whisky and version of the Black Art series. Looking forward to trying another version at some point!

Whisky of the Month

Mac-Talla Strata 15 Year

Leave a comment

15 year old single malt from the Mac-Talla range, titled Strata, as a reference to the various rock formations across Islay’s shores. The whisky is also from Islay, though the distillery remains a mystery. Drawn from a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, it’s a flavoursome dram with fruity, spice, and whiffs of mineral-rich smoke.

Nose Rock pools and sea shells, juxtaposed by redcurrant and toffee pennies.

Palate Rounded barley with waves of soft smoke, dotted by chocolate, vanilla, cassia, and salted butter.

Finish Very subtly grassy, still with vanilla and coastal peat smoke at the fore.

Whisky of the Month

Inchdairnie RyeLaw

Leave a comment


RYELAW

A RYE WHISKY THAT QUESTIONS HISTORY

£114.99 inc VAT & delivery

RyeLaw is a single distillery Fife Rye Scotch Whisky made from malted rye and barley. It is hammer milled, mashed, outdoor fermented, precision distilled and matured in new charred oak casks at InchDairnie Distillery in Fife.

RyeLaw is the world’s only precision distilled malted rye Scotch whisky.

About: We are a Fife distillery that builds on malt whisky tradition, while actively exploring and pushing the limits of Scotch whisky. From grain to bottle, we take an innovative approach to flavour, and engineer our whiskies with a strong purpose: to excite palates.

Home
Whisky of the Month

Highland Park 21 2022

Leave a comment

This latest release of our 21 Year Old opens with enticing aromas of espresso coffee, dark chocolate, marmalade on toast and crushed coriander seeds. Notes of tangy ginger and oriental spice driven by first-fill, sherry seasoned European oak hogsheads marry sweet citrus and cedar notes from ex-bourbon barrels, while refill casks diffuse any lingering oak and deliver an intriguing layer of complexity. This, and all bound in an aromatic cloud of our trademark heather-infused peat smoke.

Created from only 14 casks, all laid down in 2000 and earlier years, our 2022 release is a superb example of the expert craftsmanship of our Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion, who has selected three distinctive cask types and married them to perfection, creating a mature whisky of exceptional quality and character.

Whisky of the Month

Glengoyne Legacy Series: Chapter 3

Leave a comment

It’s the third installment of Glengoyne’s The Legacy Series, and this one celebrates the distillery’s original excise manager Sir Arthur John Tedder. Tedder lived on site after taking up the role in 1889, enabling him to keep a keen eye out for any illicit whisky leaving the warehouses! This single malt is bottled from a selection of ex-sherry casks chosen from the Glengoyne warehouses, where they presumably remain under heavy guard by Sir Tedder’s predecessors. A delicious reminder of the importance of attention to detail, demonstrated masterfully as ever by the folks at Glengoyne.

Notes from the club on the Glengoyne Legacy Series Chapters 1-3:

Chapter 3 was the outright favourite of the series, followed closely by Chapter 1. It’s amazing how the different subtleties of the various cask finishes lead to a variety of different flavours from the same distillate. Once again these value oriented whiskies gave a full tour of the range of finishes and taste profiles from this fantastic distillery. Certainly add it to your lists if you are still able to find the Legacy series near your. A must purchase!

Whisky of the Month

Glengoyne Legacy Series Chapter 2

Leave a comment

It’s the second chapter in Glengoyne’s Legacy series! This one was dedicated to Peter Russell, chairman and founder of Ian Macleod Distillers, which bought Glengoyne in 2003. A trio of casks make up this fruity expression, specifically 48% was aged in first-fill bourbon barrels, with 17% in first-fill sherry casks and 35% in oak refill casks.

It’s a deliberate contrast to Chapter One, which was matured in first-fill European oak oloroso sherry casks as well as refill casks. This is a great example of how bourbon casks can make Glengoyne distillate shine and a fantastic demonstration of the distillery’s wood management policy.