
February 27, 2017

Please do not shamelessly and systematically copy-and-paste whole sets of tasting notes and scores to other websites such as Whiskybase or else. That is highly damaging. Thank you mucho.

Addendum: I know some have been wondering why I posted that request. That’s because while I’m perfectly fine with anyone, including forumites, bloggers, distillers, bottlers and retailers republishing my humble notes, or of course excerpts and scores, I’ve noticed a new trend here and there that consists in just plundering everything as soon as I publish something new, thus simply mirroring WF, without even adding a link (not even a simple link to the home page, which would be just fine).

What’s more, our friends sometimes do that on websites that are commercial or half-commercial, while WF has never, ever, asked for one single penny from anyone, and systematically refuses any advertising, paid gigs, affiliation or else. We’re not in bed with any commercial entity. And then, there’s google. First, google hates duplicate content, and since WF is and will remain very low-tech, and since copying now happens almost instantly everyday, it’s WF that gets penalised more and more (but should I really care? Not too sure…) What’s more, since some of the websites that harbour the friendly copycats are highly SEO-ised, whenever an enthusiast is looking for my own opinions (I know, weird behaviours), it’s them that are starting to get all the hits - and the ad money or sales that I don’t want myself. Maybe I should just not care, and I usually don’t indeed, but quite bizarrely, I’m starting to find all this quite discouraging and, shall I add, slightly unethical, even if that's often done in good faith and without any agenda. Now, I insist, it’s only when all that is done systematically and without a simple link that I’m bothered. Keyword, sy-ste-ma-ti-cal-ly ;-). Dozens or even hundreds are fine. Thanks for your understanding my friend, and let’s dram on for a wee while…
PS: no hard feelings on both sides, I hope!

Auchentoshan for better times

Spring’s around the corner (quite) trees are in bloom (quite) and birds are signing (they do). Time for some refreshing Auchentoshan! (S., that was your lousiest intro ever).

Auchentoshan 18 yo (43%, OB, +/-2016)

Naturally, this was triple distilled and then fully matured in bourbon casks. When I last tried the 18 in 2008 (already!) I had thought it felt a little ‘wood-treated’ (WF 83). Colour: gold. Nose: light and fresh, as expected, with plenty of bubblegum and packs of jelly babies at first, then more freshish oak, vanilla, sawdust, ginger and soft curry... As well as touches of peaches and lemon drops, and a clear bourbony side. I quite like this fruity lightness, despite the oak that feels. Mouth: really light, with that usual Irish side that’s to be found in many an Auchentoshan, then oranges and mandarins, as well as cloves, speculoos and ginger from the oak. Some caraway and nutmeg too. Finish: rather short, leafier, more tea-ish. Comments: this baby may need a good fifteen years of bottle aging to become better integrated. It sure is very good, but it does feel a little too ‘oaked’ for me, given the lightness of the distillate. SGP:541 - 82 points.

Oak, he said…

Auchentoshan ‘Blood Oak’ (46%, OB, travel retail, +/-2016)

No, no, not ‘bloody oak’, the name blood oak refers to the fact that red wine casks have been used. No age statement that I can spot. This baby comes straight from those major downers that airport shops have become these days. Colour: deep gold, a bit rosé. Nose: some mildly spicy oak, some vanilla, some ginger and caraway, and hints of cherry-flavoured pipe tobacco. Borkum Riff ans such. Mouth: not my kind, as expected. Big oak spices, bitter cherries again, cloves, a few drops of raspberry liqueur, flavoured teas, mulled wine… The flavouring rather feels too much for me. Finish: medium, leafy, tea-ish. Spicy raspberry jelly. Comments: never been a sucker for red wine flavouri… I mean, finishing. Now, it was not badly made, at all. SGP:651 - 78 points.

More nature please…

Auchentoshan 1998/2016 ‘Pear Crème’ (46%, Wemyss Malts, barrel, 259 bottles)

I have enjoyed some earlier 1998 Auchentoshans by Wemyss better than others (I’m not kidding!) Colour: white wine. Nose: crisp, on tart fruits and chalk. Green apples, green pears indeed, lime, and yeah, chalk. Rather not unpleasant, this, but it’s very summery. Also kiwis. Mouth: same feeling. Starts a little thin and bubblegumy, with indeed pears (sweets and syrups), then a slightly chalky green oak, with some white pepper. Ginger ale? It’s a rather narrow distillate, but it’s not unpleasant, just not very remarkable, in my humble opinion. Finish: short, on some kind of mildly peppered pear syrup. Comments: one of the very few series of casks by Wemyss that I do not totally enjoy. SGP:551 - 79 points.

Auchentoshan 21 yo (43%, OB, +/-2016)

From a mix of bourbon and sherry casks. I have to say I had enjoyed the 21 a lot when I last tried it, but that was in 2008 (WF 87). By the way they have it at Amazon’s, where it’s described as an English product. I guess they’re too busy dealing with fine-tuning their stupid delivery drones a.k.a. the pigeon killers. Colour: gold. Nose: indeed, miles above the 18. Nice malty and cake-y start, with some butterscotch and various brioches and croissants, then notes of panettone, Danish, streusel, and kugelhopf. In other words, a totally European malt whisky, so there, it just couldn’t be English. Mouth: very good indeed, even if a spicy oakiness came to the front a little too much. Raisins, various herbal teas (rosehip, perhaps thyme), gooseberries, mead, greengages… No, it’s really good, just a little light(ish). Must be the low strength a.k.a. 20th century strength. Finish: a little short, but clean, and cake-y. Honey-and-ginger biscuits. Comments: no complains, this is very good, and quite profound. But why do they bottle their NAS travel oddities at 46% vol., and this rather perfect properly aged one only at 43%? SGP:551 - 85 points.

We may try more Auchentoshans tomorrow…

Check the index of all Auchentoshan I've tasted so far