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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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July 28, 2017 |
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We’re in the midst of summer in the northern hemisphere, so we may break our rules from time to time, not need to always be dead serious and try whiskies from the very same distilleries. As long as some kinds of rules remain, I’m fine… So today, three very young brutes from little-known distilleries… A 7, a 8 and a 9 years old. Makes sense? So let’s fasten our seat belts… |
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Fettercairn 7 yo 2009/2017 (60.5%, Bdram, Morrison & Makay, bourbon barrel, cask #1119, 270 bottles)  Are you sure your seatbelt is fastened? Colour: straw. Nose: punches your face with raw kirsch and other eaux-de-vies, as well as this very peculiar sourness that’s so typically Fettercairn. Porridge, dairy cream, sour melons, and a dollop of slightly rancid butter cream. Very hate it or love it, and very Fettercairn indeed. I say it’s intriguing, and no I’m not being PC. With water: it likes water. Fern, cut grass, lavender cream, more sour cream, and some very discreet baby burp. Typical indeed. Mouth (neat): no, not kirsch, plum spirit! Damson plums all over the place! This is totally raw, brutal, and dare I say, un-whisky. Funny. Some easier, and nice notes of lemon curd. With water: it adores water, and gets lighter and fruitier, while remaining quite eau-de-vie-ish. Pears, shall I add ‘of course’. Finish: rather long, while the melons are back. Melon liqueur in the aftertaste. Comments: raw, robust, very young, and sympathetic, especially given the fair price. I you ever want to taste the very essence of Fettercairn… Great that they have bottled this ruthless baby, I like it better than many and older official Fettercairn. SGP:451 - 80 points. |
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Glenallachie 8 yo 2008/2017 (58.3%, North Star Spirits, sherry butt, 326 bottles)  A sherry butt would probably add 5 ‘felt years’ to a young whisky… And BTW, did you see that Pernod just sold Glenallachie Distillery to Billy Walker and friends? Colour: pale gold. Nose: fresh bretzels straight from your oven! And toasted bread, slightly over-baked kougelhopf, raisins, dried dates, and light pipe tobacco. Good. With water: good earth and cakes early in the morning. Warm raisin bun. Mouth (neat): creamy, rich, citrusy. Lemon grass, vanilla fudge, Thai basil, and a bag of raisins. Everything is in order. With water: becomes very cake-y again. Orange cake, something leafy (strong earl grey)… Finish: long, rather spicier. Cinnamon rolls, perhaps. Comments: as good as some eight-years-old whisky with no huge personality (this is not Lagavulin) can get. Good sherry cask. SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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Craigellachie 9 yo 2007/2017 (64.4%, Sherwood’s, Cask Strength Collection, bourbon hogshead, cask # 70900659, 302 bottles) A new label, pleasantly un-premiumised. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: this baby’s got some traits of the funny Fettercairn, minus the wacky Fettercainness. Barley eau-de-vie, limoncello, greengages, and a distinct minerality. Very pure eau-de-vie de barley (by Yves St-Laure… perhaps not). With water: same, plus a little grass, as almost always when water’s been added. Mouth (neat): granted, it’s young, simple, even kind of narrow, but it’s the purity that’s very impressive here. As if the cask’s filtering job had been done to perfection, while it didn’t add any specific flavours to a pure distillate. The end result is refreshing and even quite sexy. More artisan limoncello. With water: oh very good! Really very good! Very very good! (couldn’t you be more specific, S.?) Finish: rather long, beautifully citrusy, fresh, very clean… Comments: I’m rather impressed. This goes done like that, even at 64.4%. But don’t tell anybody… SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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