October 21, 2014

More ups and downs, with a bag of blended malts

Blending malts and then finishing the whole in wine casks, could that be a new trend? Let’s have three of them, and then we may go on…

The Six Isles 10 yo (47.5%, Ian McLeod, blended malt, casks #90358/9035, 722 bottles, 2014)

A blend of Islay, Jura, Skye, Mull, Orkney and Arran malts, finished in Petrus Gaia casks. Petrus Gaïa is neither Pétrus nor Gaja, it’s ‘only’ a Bordeaux-Supérieur, but it’s very highly reputed. Colour: gold. Nose: as expected, the peaters are overwhelming the gentler ones, with maybe Talisker in the front, and a very mild wine influence. Drops of crème de cassis, perhaps, and half a strawberry, and no obvious, spice-forward French oak. A little pinesap. Nice nose, balance was preserved. Mouth: really punchy, tart, peaty and spicy. Some would call it ‘big stuff’. The oak’s more obvious at this point, with plenty of ginger, then I rather find blood oranges and grapefruits. The peat smoke is big, I also find touches of mashed vegetables behind the fruits (was that Mull?) The wine influence remains soft and pleasant. Finish: long, cleaner, peatier, with grapefruits and a little ginger in the aftertaste. Comments: I think this works pretty well. The peat and the wine made it pleasantly contrapunctic this time (yeah yeah yeah…) SGP:456 - 84 points.

Wine, he said…

Blended Malt 17 yo (50%, Hart Brothers, Port finish, +/-2013)

Colour: bronze/apricot. Nose: cassis, cassis and cassis, then more cassis, then a blend of strawberry jam with prunes. Toasted bread. What’s quite incredible is that this seems to work, provided you like cassis. Oh, and Port. With water: crushing blackcurrant buds under your nose. And a slice of plum pie. Mouth (neat): strange-ish this time. Some kind of rubber and a very ‘vivid’ touch of jell-O, or jelly babies, on top of some middle-aged armagnac plus the prunes that go with it. After a few seconds, some rather massive notes of bitter oranges. With water: the bitterness and the rubber are coming out, pass. Doesn’t swim well. Finish: long and rather leafy. Comments: careful with water. This baby, that is more than okay, still reminds why I’m not into Port finishes (since Glenmo’s very first versions and despite Balvenie’s excellent 21.) SGP:562 - 78 points.

And now the sherried version…

Blended Malt 17 yo (50%, Hart Brothers, Sherry finish, +/-2013)

Colour: deep gold. Nose: its not a surprise that this sherried version would be more ‘classic’ than its Porty counterpart. I find it more refined, more elegant, more on figs and raisins, quinces, plums, pastries, toffee… So yes, classic. The malt’s also more obvious. With water: very fine. Pine needles, raisins, plum pie. Mouth: we’re closer to the ‘Port’, with these oranges, the fruit drops, more oranges, orange juice, Fanta, a little pepper… Pleasant, even if it tends to become a little dry. Let’s only hope it’ll swim well on the palate… With water: it does. More oranges, a touch of rum, a few drops of walnut wine, bitter almonds… Finish: quite long, with a little more leather. The figs are back in the aftertaste. Comments: pretty excellent, well composed. SGP:452 - 83 points.

Good, perhaps we could go on for a little while, but without any finishes?

Usquaebach 15 yo (43%, OB, blended malt, +/-2005)

A rather expensive blend malt, that was labelled as ‘Pure Highland Malt’ when it came out. It seems that the newer versions are labelled as ‘Blended malt’ but the one we’ll have is an older bottling. Let’s hope we’ll like it better than the blend that we had yesterday. Colour: gold. Nose: I’m afraid it’s having a lot of trouble after the others, and that’s not just the lower strength. Raw, spirity, inexpressive, a little cardboardy, grassy, leafy… And a few floral tones, always welcome. But those flowers don’t make the whole bouquet lovely (ha!) Mouth: this is undoubtedly nicer, but there’s a lot of caramel, corn syrup, then coffee and, just like in the blend, a little sawdust. Nah, I do not quite like this. Finish: of medium length, with a bitterish side. Some varnish in the aftertaste. Comments: I’m sorry, but no. I have to say I’m surprised. A problem somewhere? At the bottling plant? SGP:441 - 55 points.

Let’s try to find something better…

Blue Hanger '11th Release' (45.6%, Berry Bros & Rudd, 2014)

Regrettably, I cannot try all releases of the famous Blue Hanger, but let’s have this eleventh one, a much lighter version – lighter in colour, that is. Colour: white wine. Nose: indeed, exit the sherry and the roundness, this is a fresh, rather light and yet firmly fruity and floral malt, with a waxy/oily backbone. Apples, greengages, acacia honey, a drop of ale, a drop of Muscat, dandelions… I like this freshness a lot. I’ve had some Teaninichs that were a bit like this. Mouth: firmer, fatter and even smokier/earthier than expected. A little brine, apple juice, limejuice, plums and a few very fresh almonds. Finish: quite long and rather peaty. Smoked gooseberries? Comments: a very solid, fresh and crystalline composition. Not the usual Blue Hanger. SGP:544 - 85 points.

And a last one for the road… Maybe an older bottling…

Glencoe 8 yo (58%, OB, blended malt, +/-2000)

It’s McDonald’s blend, so one of Ben Nevis’ brands. There are several labels, not too sure which is what, but let’s try this very powerful baby. Will it be Ben Nevis-driven? Colour: pale gold. Nose: well well well. Raw, spirity, ‘simply fruity’ (apples and basta), and seemingly very cerealy. I don’t seem to find much Ben Nevis so far. With water: nicer. Cleaner, with more sweet fruits and sweet ale. I even find ‘ideas’ of IPA beer, is that hops? Mouth (neat): amazing! This is much, much nicer! A very creamy mouth feel and plenty of big fat crystallised fruits. Grapefruits, tinned pineapples, maracuja, mangos… All that is coated with thick custard and quite some maple syrup. Very potent malt, it reminds me of some older ‘As We Get It’. Remember? With water: ha-ha, it seems that some Ben Nevis is emerging, with these notes of ‘gently rotten fruits’. Nothing bad, mind you, quite the opposite. Finish: long, fruity, maybe a bit simple but what it does it does well. Leaves a fatness. Comments: on par with the Blue Hanger, although this one’s almost smokeless. Very well done Rory McDonald well, his successors), this is potent, very honest malt whisky – and a surprise. SGP:541 - 85 points.