Tag Archives: Sherry

Tomatin 1999 Single Cask 18 Year Old – Kensington Wine Market

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This is a single cask bottling of Tomatin, a Highland whisky producer in Scotland. I’ve seen a few of their single cask bottlings go by in recent years, typically through various state-controlled liquor boards. This bottling was released by Kensington Wine Market in Calgary, Alberta (their first Tomatin special release, I understand).

Released last last year, this single malt was distilled in 1999. It was matured in ex-Bourbon casks, and finished for five years in a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Butt. That makes it 18 years and 9 months of age.

621 bottles were released, bottled 52% ABV. It currently sells for $150 CAD at KWM. I was able to sample this from a colleague’s bottle.

There are not enough reviews to be included in my Meta-Critic Whisky Database, but here are how the various Tomatin bottlings compare.

Tomatin 12yo: 8.06 ± 0.45 on 19 reviews ($$)
Tomatin 14yo Portwood: 8.59 ± 0.35 on 10 reviews ($$$$)
Tomatin 15yo: 8.32 ± 0.54 on 7 reviews ($$$$)
Tomatin 18yo: 8.68 ± 0.22 on 11 reviews ($$$$)
Tomatin 40yo: 8.95 ± 0.39 on 3 reviews ($$$$$+)
Tomatin Cask Strength: 8.35 ± 0.46 on 10 reviews ($$$$)
Tomatin Cu Bocan: 8.03 ± 0.41 on 12 reviews ($$$$)
Tomatin Cu Bocan 1989 Limited Edition: 8.94 ± 0.26 on 4 reviews ($$$$$+)
Tomatin Cu Bocan Sherry Edition: 8.35 0± .30 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Tomatin Cu Bocan Virgin Oak Edition: 8.51 ± ± 0.47 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Tomatin Decades: 8.92 ± 0.49 on 9 reviews ($$$$$)
Tomatin Legacy: 8.15 ± 0.38 on 10 reviews ($$)
Tomatin Oloroso Sherry 1995: 8.58 ± 0.56 on 4 reviews ($$$$$)

While most of these bottlings are nothing special, I was personally a big fan of the peated limited release Cu Bocan 1989.  But I typically also like unpeated gentle base malts that are well-aged with an extensive period of sherry of port finishing.

Let’s see what I find in the glass on this one:

Nose: Brown sugar and caramel. Very jammy nose, with dark fruit preserves. Golden raisins, plus a lighter candied fruit note. Almost port-like in its level of sweet fruit. Nutty, with an earthy quality (moist earth and ginger root). Light cinnamon. This is a good pairing of bourbon maturation and PX finishing. No off notes, except perhaps for the faintest hint of old sweatsock (so, sulphur – if you are particularly sensitive to it).

Palate: Rich and thick brown sugar notes dominate, along with honey and creamy caramel – a good pairing. Fruits take a back seat now, and the earthy notes take over. Hazelnut. Dark chocolate. Tobacco. Cinnamon and nutmeg, plus a little black pepper. Great mouthfeel, oily and sticky. Quite drinkable at 52% ABV, doesn’t need water to tame the burn. Touch of bitterness creeps in on the swallow.

Finish: Long and creamy. The dark fruit preserves return, along with the lighter candied fruit note (gummi bears). Cinnamon lingers the longest, which I like. What little bitterness there is is very mild, and doesn’t detract for me.

With water, the classic bourbon sweetness notes rise on the nose (i.e. light caramel and vanilla). Water turns the oily mouthfeel into something more syrupy – with added corn syrup sweetness to boot. Doesn’t affect the burn, so I consider water to be optional on this one.

A good quality cask pairing, to be sure.  I’d give it ~8.8 on the Meta-Critic scale. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for other Tomatin special releases.

 

The Infamous 22 Year Old Blended Malt

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Following on my review of an entry-level blended malt (Monkey Shoulder), here is a higher-end offering: the Infamous 22 Year Old.  This is an example of a “mystery malt” – that is, a blended malt where the source distilleries are not identified. I don’t typically do many reviews of mystery malts, but this one has a funny story behind it that piqued my interest. I couldn’t resist picking up a bottle in my travels, given its ridiculously low price and presumed heritage.

This bottling of Scottish malt whiskies comes from Fountana Beverage – an international liquor import/exporter based in Vancouver, Canada. The bottle label explains it is a blend of whiskies from “two of the most notorious single malt distilleries in Scotland,” representing “where the mountain meets the sea” (with a custom logo to that effect). Specifically, the whiskies come from a lightly-peated island malt and a heavily-sherried Highland malt, aged independently and blended in Scotland. I’ve seen some commentary online that the island malt was exclusively from ex-bourbon barrels.

You often get these sorts of tantalizing clues with mystery malts, which are designed to lead those with a bit of knowledge to make an educated guess as to the distilleries involved (whether correctly or not). Privately, the local agent did reveal to vendors in Alberta that those two distilleries are Highland Park and Macallan, respectively. While both are quality big-name malt producers, it would be very unusual to pair their styles together. I’ve seen speculation online that the casks were from batches originally earmarked for either The Famous Grouse or Cutty Sark blends.

Another funny story the local agent revealed: the whisky casks had all passed 23 years of age before bottling. But the bottle labels had already been printed, so they stuck with the Infamous 22 yo name.

Bottled at 50% ABV. This 22 (23?) year old blended malt was only $103 CAD at World of Whisky in Calgary, Alberta. As the label certifies, no artificial colour has been added, and it is not chill-filtered.  While there are no reviews in Meta-Critic Whisky Database, I thought I would pick it up as a Christmas gift to myself this year.

Let’s see what I find in the glass:

Nose: Prominent caramel and brown sugar to start (which surprised me), followed by fruit gummies and some drier sherry fruits. Fruitcake, with red berries and raisins. Mixed nuts. Some lighter floral notes, which are nice. Light spices. There is an underlying sourness, likely from the light peat, but no real smoke per se. No solvent notes, but a bit of ethanol heat consistent with the 50% ABV.

Palate: Caramel, honey and vanilla show up first, presumably from the ex-bourbon casks. Then juicy red grapes and raisins, plus Christmas cake – very nice delayed sherry presentation. Not a lot overt smoke – more of a savoury, charred meat flavour that builds with time. Hint of rosemary. Fresh leather. Very distinctive pairing. It’s almost like drinking the caramelized drippings left in the pan of a pork roast with veggies. Rich mouthfeel, definitely oily. Some slight ethanol sting, consistent with high ABV – but it surprisingly doesn’t need any water.

Finish: Long (although not quite as long as some I’ve had in this age range). A great mix of sweet fruity notes and savoury earth notes, complex. No real bitterness, and a slight hint of smoke appears now. The ex-bourbon sweetness continues the longest, leaving a nice sugary coating on the lips and gums. Probably the closest thing in my experience is one of the aged Macallan Fine Oaks (but with a touch of smoke), or the Highland Park 25 year old (but with extra sherry).

I am surprised at how strongly the ex-bourbon character comes through here, at all levels of the tasting experience. I expected the (Macallan) sherry character to dominate more. The lightly peated malt also plays very much a supporting role – but one that comes across more as meaty instead of smokey/peaty.  Despite not being quite what I expected, I find I really enjoy this one – it’s full of surprises. Personally, I’d score this around ~9.0 on the Meta-Critic average scale.

There are not a lot of reviews of this one out there, but you can also check out criollo_and_barley on Reddit, or the reviewers at Distiller.com. Andrew at Kensington Wine Market also has tasting notes.

Bushmills Sherry Cask Reserve Single Malt

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Not having had a lot of luck with the main Bushmills’ expression (although Black Bush is certainly decent and drinkable), I was intrigued when I came across a higher-end sherry cask travel retail exclusive single malt at an international airport duty free. It wasn’t cheap though, working out to over $100 USD in currency conversion for a bottle.

This was of course the first of the new “Steamship” series from Bushmills, a collection  of three permanent special cask-matured expressions, beginning with the Sherry Cask Reserve. The name of the collection is inspired by the historical SS Bushmills, built in 1890. Apparently, this steamship traveled the world, and transported refilled spirit casks from all over, and back to Ireland during her active service.

Bushmills Sherry Cask Reserve is pure single malt whisky, not a blend like the cheaper Bushmills.  While it is a no-age-statement (NAS) whisky, it is matured exclusively in Oloroso sherry butts.  That certainly sounds at least minimally promising – although it is disappointingly bottled at the minimum strength of 40% ABV.

Fortunately, it was on promotion in the store, so I was able to sample a generous pour while waiting for my flight. This also gave me a chance to compare it directly to Black Bush side-by-side (which I have had before, and was also available for tasting).

I will reserve my usual discussion of the Meta-Critic scores for Bushmills to the end, as I was not tracking this whisky in my database at the time of sampling (and so, had no pre-existing bias going in).

Here is what I found in the glass (well, plastic cup):

Nose: Definite sherry presence, more so than Black Bush. Classic raisins and figs, along with brown sugar. But still not quite as sherry-rich as I was expecting, suggesting to me that  they are probably using second (or later) refill casks. Classic Bushmills apple cider. Vanilla and cinnamon. Malty, with some lighter grassy notes (no grain, of course). No burn either, consistent with the low ABV. No real off notes. Certainly off to a decent enough start.

Palate: More on the apple and pear notes now, with somewhat lighter sherry fruits (i.e., more golden raisins as opposed to figs or prunes). A bit of spice (baking spices), which is nice, and that rich brown sugar note persists.  Complex for a Bushmills, but it still seems a bit simple overall – and with the typical watery mouthfeel of this brand. This really should have been bottled at a minimum 46% ABV to give it some character.  Still, it is pleasant enough to sip on, and has more depth than Black Bush.

Finish: Short. Longer than other Bushmills (notice the repeating refrain?), but still not very long by the standards of other all-sherry cask-aged whiskies. A simple persistent sweetness lasts the longest.

All in the all, this is probably the first truly decent Bushmills that I’ve had.  It would make a good introduction for someone interested in experiencing sherry finishing, without jumping right into a sherry-bomb. But I really think the casks used here have seen too many previous refills – they just seem a bit tired. And I can’t fathom why they bottled this at such a low 40% ABV.

Overall, the flavours kind of remind me of the entry-level Dalmores. That analogy is pretty apt in another sense as well – like most Dalmores, I find this expression is over-priced for what it is.

The only reviews for Sherry Cask Reserve I’ve seen among my Meta-Critic reviewers are Jonny of Whisky Advocate (who gives it medium-low score), and Jim Murray (who gives it a veryy low score).  Personally, I’d rate it higher, closer to the overall average for an Irish whisky in the database (~8.4-8.5).  To put that in perspective, here’s how the Meta-Critic scores play out across Irish whiskies, and the Dalmores already mentioned:

Bushmills 10yo Single Malt: 8.18 ± 0.29 on 19 reviews ($$$)
Bushmills 16yo Single Malt: 8.49 ± 0.48 on 17 reviews ($$$$)
Bushmills Black Bush: 8.37 ± 0.39 on 22 reviews ($$)
Bushmills Original Blended: 7.67 ± 0.46 on 17 reviews ($$)
Bushmills Sherry Cask Reserve: 8.16 ± 0.43 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Dalmore 12yo: 8.42 ± 0.27 on 19 reviews ($$$)
Dalmore Valour: 8.06 ± 0.36 on 9 reviews ($$$$)
Green Spot: 8.48 ± 0.36 on 18 reviews ($$$$)
Green Spot Chateau Leoville Barton: 8.80 ± 0.38 on 9 reviews ($$$$)
Knappogue Castle 14yo Twin Wood: 8.30 ± 0.31 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Redbreast 12yo: 8.73 ± 0.41 on 23 reviews ($$$)
Redbreast Lustau Edition: 8.72 ± 0.30 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Redbreast Mano a Lámh: 8.65 ± 0.37 on 4 reviews ($$$)
Teeling Single Grain (Wine Cask Finish): 8.51 ± 0.31 on 10 reviews ($$$)
Writers Tears Red Head Single Malt: 8.4 ± 0.41 on 3 reviews ($$$)

There are too few scores right now to give this a meaningful interpretation. At the end of the day, I would expect this to do at least as well as Black Bush (i.e., I found it noticeably better, side-by-side). And again, I think the scores for the entry-level Dalmores are probably a pretty good indicator as to what to expect for this expression in the end.

I wouldn’t recommend purchasing a bottle at the current travel retail price, but if someone gifted it to me, I’d happy to sip on it periodically.  Best suited for when you want a little flavour, but nothing too complex or challenging. Black Bush is much better value for money, though.

Highland Park 25 Year Old

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The Highland Park 25 Year Old has long been one of the highest-end official expressions available from this Orkney island distiller.

As I noted in my earlier review of the Highland Park 18 Year Old, this distillery has an unusual profile of rich sherry-cask notes and distinctive island peat. The additional aging here should further enhance the wood-derived characteristics, and attenuate the peat presence.

I recently had the chance to sample a 2005 edition bottling. This one was bottled at 50.7% ABV cask strength. The current bottling (48.1% ABV) sells for a rather steep for $900 CAD at the LCBO.

Here is how the 25 yo expression compares to other Highland Parks in my Meta-Critic database:

Highland Park 10yo: 8.52 ± 0.26 on 15 reviews ($$$)
Highland Park 12yo (all reviews): 8.66 ± 0.22 on 25 reviews ($$$)
Highland Park 15yo: 8.70 ± 0.22 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Highland Park 15yo Fire: 8.74 ± 0.37 on 9 reviews ($$$$$+)
Highland Park 17yo Ice: 8.72 ± 0.28 on 9 reviews ($$$$$+)
Highland Park 18yo: 9.07 ± 0.22 on 25 reviews ($$$$$)
Highland Park 21yo: 8.90 ± 0.40 on 16 reviews ($$$$$+)
Highland Park 25yo: 9.14 ± 0.23 on 14 reviews ($$$$$+)
Highland Park 30yo: 9.14 ± 0.41 on 12 reviews ($$$$$+)
Highland Park 40yo: 9.17 ± 0.43 on 10 reviews ($$$$$+)
Highland Park Dark Origins: 8.50 ± 0.47 on 20 reviews ($$$$)
Highland Park Valkyrie: 8.74 ± 0.22 on 6 reviews ($$$$)

As you can see, it gets one of the highest scores for this family. Here is what I find in the glass:

Nose: Sweet, and very fruity – including berries, banana, cantaloupe and grapes. Seems almost port-like in its characteristics. I’ve never gotten this much fruit from a Highland Park before. Honey. Strong wood spice, plus some eucalyptus – kind of reminds me of Old Spice after-shave. Anise. Something vaguely Springbank-like with its sweet peat notes. Only lightly smokey, but very complex, with lots going on here. No real off notes.

Palate: ‎ Initial smoke, but it fades quickly. Caramel, and sort of a burnt toffee sensation joining the honey. Berries and mixed fruit salad. Oranges. Wood spice as expected, slightly bitter. Coffee and a touch of chocolate join the anise. Good mouth feel – though not as strong as I expected for 50.7% ABV (i.e., not as thick, but still coats well). You can really taste the extended wood aging. In the end, this really isn’t very smokey.

Finish: Long. Nice mix of fruit and wood spice. No real bitterness or other impairments.   Again, not much smoke though.

Adding water makes it a touch sweeter (bringing up the honey in particular). It also seems to accentuate the wood spice. Your call of course, but I think it benefits from a few drops.

I can see why this scores so well – it is really a pretty flawless presentation, with no off notes at any point. It’s also very complex – especially on the nose, which I like (I’m a big fan of sniffing my whisky). It is heavily oaked without being bitter, which is impressive. If I were to have any criticism it would be the lower levels of smoke than I’m used to from Highland Park. For the price, I’d personally prefer the Caol Ila 30 Year Old over this, mainly for its extinguished campfire notes. And where I am, I can get the fruity and woody Redbreast 21 Year Old for almost a quarter the price (although of course, it is completely unpeated).

There aren’t many reviewers who have compared multiple editions, but Serge of Whisky Fun gives this edition a very similar score to the earlier and later editions. Ruben of Whisky Notes gave this expression is a very good score, slightly higher than newer expressions. For the various versions, most reviewers are very positive – including Jim Murray, Oliver of Dramming, My Annoying Opinions, and Thomas of Whisky Saga. The guys at Quebec Whisky are the typically moderately positive.

Box PX

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I’ve reviewed a few Box whiskies now, and have been impressed with their offerings (to the point of picking up my own bottles, where possible). The latest one up for review is their PX expression, which has been finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.

Box is a small “craft” producer in northern Sweden, operating one of the most northerly distilleries in the world. They experience extreme fluctuations in temperature, which helps to accelerate the aging of their whisky (along with their use of rebuilt quarter casks and smaller custom casks – see my inaugural review from this distillery for more info).

Box PX was launched in December 2016, exclusively for the international market. As usual, Box provides an incredible amount of detail on the whisky that went into the bottle. Here is the short version: unpeated whisky aged in first-fill bourbon casks followed by finishing in first-fill PX for for a total 5.34 years. 1507 bottles of 500 mL were produced, bottled at 56.7% ABV. It retails for ~85€ (I’ve seen it for ~$145 CAD in Canada). Box PX is neither chill-filtered, nor containing colouring.

Here’s a slightly longer version – for more details, see the PX product page on their website.

100% unpeated whisky. Yeast was the Fermentis Safwhisky M-1 strain, malt was Pilsner malt from Vikingmalt in Halmstad, Sweden. Ingoing barley was Tipple, Quench and Henley, with a batch size of 1.2 tons malt. Distilled between 22nd June 2011 and 5th July 2011.

First matured in 200-litre bourbon casks from Jack Daniels and Heaven Hill for 4.13 years. Finished for an addition 12 months in 55-litre casks of American oak that contained PX sherry, supplied by Miguel Martin, Spain.

Until October 2014, the casks were stored in a damp warehouse, losing some alcohol strength. From October 2014 until August 2016, the cask was stored in a drier environment in Box warehouse number 3. On the 9th of November 2016, the casks were emptied into a blending vat and the alcohol content adjusted to the pre-selected 56.7% ABV for bottling. PX was bottled on the 10th of November 2016 in a series of 1507 bottles.

Here is how it compares to other Swedish whiskies in my Meta-Critic Database:

Box Dalvve: 8.49 ± 0.27 on 6 reviews ($$$$)
Box PX: 8.92 ± 0.16 on 5 reviews ($$$$$)
Box The 2nd Step Collection 02: 8.90 ± 0.03 on 5 reviews ($$$$$)
Box The Festival 2014: 8.93 ± 0.13 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Blomstertid: 8.19 ± 0.26 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Iskristall: 8.87 ± 0.21 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Svensk Ek: 8.33 ± 0.24 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Svensk Rök: 8.71 ± 0.14 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra The First Edition (Den Första Utgåvan): 8.65 ± 0.36 on 17 reviews ($$$)
Mackmyra The Swedish Whisky (Brukswhisky): 8.45 ± 0.56 on 10 reviews ($$$)
Smögen Sherry Project 1:1: 8.71 ± 0.11 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Smögen Sherry Project 1:2: 8.85 ± 0.19 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Smögen Sherry Project 1:3: 8.77 ± 0.25 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Smögen Sherry Project 1:4: 8.84 ± 0.28 on 5 reviews ($$$$)
Smögen Single Cask 4yo 7/2011: 8.94 ± 0.23 on 4 reviews ($$$$$)

This is a top score for a Swedish whisky in my database.

Here’s what I find in the glass:

Nose: Apple juice, red berries, figs, sour cherry, and assorted dried fruits. A bit of orange peel. Vanilla. Touch of chocolate. Ginger. Faint hint of old sweatsock funk – which is something I usually associated with lightly peated whisky.

Palate: Creamy caramel, maple syrup and brown sugar – very sweet, but complex. Green banana adds to the fruit notes (mainly apple and raisin/figs – not getting the red berries any more). Definitely more chocolate now. A bit nutty. Fair amount of cinnamon and nutmeg, plus pepper. Has a buttery texture, which is nice – but is a bit hot for the ABV (something I haven’t found on other Box expressions).

Finish: Medium long. Lingering sweetness, balanced with the more oaky elements (i.e., seems a bit woody now). A touch of that sourness I found on the nose returns at the end.

Water dulls the nose, and increases the sweetness in the mouth. It does help a bit with the burn though, and doesn’t affect that buttery texture. So you might want to try a few drops, but go easy.

A very decent expression, it is a nice addition of PX sherry to the base Box character. I personally prefer the 2nd Step Collection 02, but this is very nice as well. There is some similarity to the Smögen Sherry Project 1:4 that I recently reviewed (although without the peat here). Both are very sweet, with some interesting underlying “funky” notes. Another recommended Box offering!

Among reviewers, the most positive I’ve seen are from TOModera and xile_ of Reddit, followed by Devoz. My own assessment is probably closest to Thomas of Whisky Saga, who gives it a slightly above average score. I’m definitely looking forward to more offerings from this producer.

Mackmyra Blomstertid

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Mackmyra is an innovative Swedish single malt whisky producer. I quite enjoyed their original signature release, the First Edition, which I found brought in some unusual evergreen/coniferous notes.

They have continued to produce a diverse range of special editions over the years – most recently, through the “Season” series (which replaces the old “Special” series). In this and the following review, I am looking at two specific examples, starting with Mackmyra Blomstertid (“flower time”) here.

This no-age-statement whisky is bottled at a reasonable 46.1% ABV. It is distinctive for the range of casks that have gone into the mix. Specifically, Blomstertid has been matured in:

  • Ex-bourbon casks that previously held cherry wine (about a third of the casks used for Blomstertid)
  • American oak casks (new and first fill)
  • Oloroso sherry casks
  • Pedro Ximenez sherry casks

I don’t think I’ve seen a cherry wine cask before, and so am curious as to what this might bring to the final whisky. Mackmyra Blomstertid was launched on 2016-05-06, and now seems to be long gone. My sample came from Redditor Strausse007.

Here is how it compares to some other Mackmyra whiskies in my database:

Mackmyra Blomstertid: 8.19 ± 0.26 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Iskristall: 8.87 ± 0.21 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Midnattssol: 8.14 ± 0.73 on 5 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Midvinter: 8.54 ± 0.52 on 3 reviews ($$$)
Mackmyra Moment Glöd: 8.84 ± 0.42 on 4 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Reserve Single Cask: 9.01 ± 0.49 on 7 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Special 03: 8.69 ± 0.28 on 7 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Special 04: 8.76 ± 0.35 on 8 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Special 05: 8.50 ± 0.38 on 7 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Special 07: 8.50 ± 0.51 on 7 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Special 08: 8.35 ± 0.32 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Special 09: 8.62 ± 0.24 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Special 10: 8.44 ± 0.48 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Svensk Ek: 8.33 ± 0.23 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Svensk Rök: 8.71 ± 0.14 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra The First Edition (Den Första Utgåvan): 8.65 ± 0.36 on 17 reviews ($$$)
Mackmyra The Swedish Whisky (Brukswhisky): 8.45 ± 0.60 on 9 reviews ($$$)

Although there are few reviews so far, Blomstertid gets a below average score for the class, lower than most Special or Season editions.

Here is what I find in the glass:

Colour: Dark amber, but a touch reddish-brownish (likely the cherry wine, I imagine)

Nose: Light and delicate (I might even say a bit closed off). Brown sugar and maple syrup. Mixed berries (red berries especially), but with an artificial candied fruit smell (strawberry licorice). Vanilla. Some black pepper to go with a light nutmeg spice. Some acetone. The nose grows on me with time, but it is a pretty subtle experience. Definitely doesn’t have the boldness of a fresh wine cask finish.

Palate: Oddly flat, with tons of cola and caramel/butterscotch – overwhelmingly so. Milk chocolate. Super-sweet, like a melted Caramilk bar. Way too candied for my tastes, very syrupy (and I can handle a lot of sweetness). Some oaky wood spices show up over time, bringing a bit of (much needed) character. Seems light for 46%.

Finish: Short. Really just the candied sweetness, with a slight bitterness (grapefruit) coming up at the end. Not one you will want to linger over.

Not sure what I expected here, but this wasn’t it – an overwhelming confectionery sugar and caramel explosion, with relatively little fruit. Seems very young, with vague and nondescript flavours. No real off notes, just not a lot of complexity. Definitely more of a dessert whisky.

This might make a good beginners whisky, with its sweet candied tones. But it almost tastes like one of those mixtures of maple syrup and whisky that you can find around here in Canada (which really aren’t my cup of tea).

Both Strasse007 on Reddit and Thomas of Whisky Saga gave this whisky below average scores (although with reasonably positive reviews). My own score matches their, thus explaining the low standard deviation above. There are much better Mackmyras out there to try.

Amrut Single Cask PX (SAQ)

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Third in my series of sherried single cask Amruts is a bottle exclusively released for the SAQ in Quebec, Canada.

Bottled at 62.8% ABV, the label indicates that unpeated Indian malt entered into a PX Sherry cask (cask 3516) in August 2010. It was bottled in July 2014, so just under 4 years old. Only 90 bottles were ever available for sale – which is even less than the LCBO version. Now long gone, of course.

Here is how it compares to other cask-strength Amruts in my Meta-Critic database:

Amrut Bengal Tiger PX Single Cask (Canada): 8.67 ± 0.23 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Bourbon Single Cask: 8.74 ± 0.31 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Double Cask: 9.04 ± 0.19 on 5 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Greedy Angels (8yo and 10yo): 9.19 ± 0.23 on 8 reviews ($$$$$+)
Amrut Intermediate Sherry: 8.95 ± 0.37 on 19 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Kadhambam: 8.91 ± 0.25 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Naarangi: 8.55 ± 0.63 on 10 reviews ($$$$$)
Amrut Peated Single Malt Cask Strength: 9.14 ± 0.18 on 11 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Portonova: 8.98 ± 0.30 on 17 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Portpipe Peated Single Cask (all casks): 8.76 ± 0.39 on 11 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask (all casks): 8.79 ± 0.45 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 2696 (LCBO): 8.94 ± 0.24 on 6 reviews ($$$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 2701: 8.52 ± 0.68 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 2702: 7.95 ± 0.87 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 3516 (SAQ): 8.86 ± 0.17 on 6 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Spectrum (Batch 001): 9.16 ± 0.20 on 10 reviews ($$$$$)

This is again a good score for a single cask PX Amrut. And again sampled blind to previous reviews or scores. My sample came from the Redditor Throzen.

Colour: Medium gold, light brown – a touch lighter than the LCBO PX cask.

Nose: Very sweet, with honey and golden brown sugar. Sultanas, golden raisins and some apple and plums (more stewed than fresh). Citrus (orange peel). Caramel and butterscotch. Oak char, with cinnamon and nutmeg. Definitely PX notes. Surprising lack of ethanol fumes for 62.8% ABV. Mild antiseptic off notes, however (Lisol). Water brings up the citrus notes and sweetness, and seems to help with the off notes – highly recommend you give it a splash.

Palate: On first sip an odd mix of sweet and bitter up-front, turning sweeter in the mouth. Brown sugar and caramel initially, turning more to vanilla and liquefied white sugar over time. Similar fruit notes as the nose (stewed again, but not particularly fruity in the mouth). Chocolate. Tons of pepper added to the cinnamon from the oak, plus anise and a fragrant herbal component (Ricola cough candies). Reasonable amount of heat, although still not as much as I expected for 62.8%. Some mouth-puckering astringency on the way out, but mild. Water really helps here, turning the mouthfeel thick and syrupy. It also seems to diminish the drying effect – highly recommend you add a fair amount.

Finish: Medium-long. Cinnamon and pepper last the longest, with lingering dried fruits. Reminds me of a spiced rum. The sweetness is balanced by a slight bitterness, in consistent measure over time (actually a pretty good balance). Water doesn’t affect the finish much.

A solid PX cask offering from Amrut for the SAQ in Quebec. Although my initial impression was not quite as favourable as the LCBO bottling that I recently reviewed, I’ve revised that opinion with a bit of water here. While it may not be quite as complex on the nose or body, it has better balance and integration – especially on the finish, which is lovely.  Honestly, I think this is just a case of bottling it at a little too high an absolute proof – it does better if you take it to the mid-50s (or potentially lower) ABV.

Again, the PX effect is unmistakable here, but it is different from the LCBO cask. This SAQ casks seems fresher and more vibrant, while the other was older and more complex. PX casks seem to be an interesting fit for Amrut, as it keeps the fruitiness in check while adding some sherry spice and sugary sweetness. Based on these two experiences, I’d certainly say it’s worth picking up a PX aged Amrut if given the chance.

This SAQ specific bottling got very good scores from Devoz, Throzen, and xile_ on reddit, as well as Martin from Quebec Whisky. Personally, my own assessment is closer to the moderately positive scores from Andre and Patrick at Quebec Whisky.

Please see my additional reviews of the Canada and LCBO single cask bottlings.

Amrut Single Cask PX (LCBO)

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The second is my series of single cask sherried Amruts is a bottle exclusively released for the LCBO here in Ontario, Canada. This follows my review the Canada-specific cask, commonly known as Begal Tiger.

Bottled at 56.5% ABV, the label indicates that upeated Indian single malt entered into a PX Sherry Cask (cask 2696) in June 2009. It was bottled in January 2014, making it 5 years and 2 months old. It must have been a pretty small cask, as the out-turn was only 120 bottles (either that, or the angels were particularly greedy for their share).

Introduced into the LCBO in 2014, it originally sold for $145 CAD. It didn’t seem to sell well, and was eventually drastically reduced in price to clear. It has been sold out for some time.

Amrut Bengal Tiger PX Single Cask (Canada): 8.67 ± 0.23 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Bourbon Single Cask: 8.74 ± 0.31 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Double Cask: 9.04 ± 0.19 on 5 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Greedy Angels (8yo and 10yo): 9.19 ± 0.23 on 8 reviews ($$$$$+)
Amrut Intermediate Sherry: 8.95 ± 0.37 on 19 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Kadhambam: 8.91 ± 0.25 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Naarangi: 8.55 ± 0.63 on 10 reviews ($$$$$)
Amrut Peated Single Malt Cask Strength: 9.14 ± 0.18 on 11 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Portonova: 8.98 ± 0.30 on 17 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Portpipe Peated Single Cask (all casks): 8.76 ± 0.39 on 11 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask (all casks): 8.79 ± 0.45 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 2696 (LCBO): 8.94 ± 0.24 on 6 reviews ($$$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 2701: 8.52 ± 0.68 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 2702: 7.95 ± 0.87 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 3516 (SAQ): 8.86 ± 0.17 on 6 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Spectrum (Batch 001): 9.16 ± 0.20 on 10 reviews ($$$$$)

This is one of the highest scoring single cask Amrut expressions that I track in my database. But note again that I did not specifically look up reviews of this particular single cask before sampling (i.e., like Bengal Tiger, I approached this sample blind to its ratings and reviews). My sample comes from Redditor Lasidar.

Colour: Medium gold, light brown – a touch darker than the Bangalore Tiger single cask.

Nose: Dark brown sugar and molasses, almost fudge-like. Dark fruits with sultanas, raisins, figs – and cherries in particular. But fruit is a bit hidden beneath the caramel, vanilla, chocolate and barley sugar. Cinnamon and cloves, with anise. Very rich nose, moist and earthy. No real off notes. Water brings up the fruits further, and exposes a slightly dry glue note that was masked by the ethanol at stock ABV (frankly doesn’t need water).

Palate: Very sweet and creamy on the palate. Dark brown sugar (Demerara sugar), caramel and honey notes mainly. Dark fruits again (dried), with some pear and plums added. Dark chocolate. Cinnamon, cloves, and a bit of black pepper. Leather. But still not quite as sherried as I was expecting for full PX cask maturation. Easily drinkable neat at the 56.6% ABV. With water, creaminess becomes more syrupy. The fruit and spices seemed to be amplified further.

Finish: Medium-long. Dark fruits initially, with a strong mint cooling sensation (Vicks vapo-rub?). A bit drying at the end, but not bad. Water doesn’t have much effect here.

Very nice presentation of a single cask Amrut. This seems more aged than most Amruts I’ve had – with lots of spice, and that cool (literally) mint sensation at the end. Still not quite what I was expecting for a fully PX-aged Amrut though (fruit is more dried and less stewed here) – but a great combination nonetheless. I’m guessing the cask wasn’t all that active any more (or perhaps a refill?). Still, a real fudge-like concoction, with a good amount of spice. If you are a fan of aged single malt casks (or even aged bourbons for that matter), this might be your cup of tea.

Most Reddit reviewers seem to love this LCBO exclusive single cask bottling, giving it top scores – including Boyd86, Devoz, Ethanized, Lasidar, and LetThereBeR0ck. TOModera is more moderately positive, as are Andre and Patrick of Quebec Whisky. I’m in-between these two groups – but all agree this is a good single cask expression.

Please see my additional reviews of the Canada and SAQ single cask bottlings.

Amrut Single Cask Bengal Tiger (Canada)

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Amrut is a major Indian whisky maker and exporter. Like many world whisky enthusiasts, I have previously enjoyed their batched expressions of cask-strength Sherry and Port-matured whiskies (e.g. Intermediate Sherry and Portonova). I am therefore naturally curious to see what their single cask offerings are like.

Starting off a series of three reviews is a single cask Amrut known as “Bengal Tiger” (or “Bangalore Tiger”), due to the distinctive label. This single cask whisky was specifically chosen by the distillery’s Brand Ambassador for the Canadian market. It was matured in an ex-bourbon cask before finishing in a Pedro Ximenez (PX) Sherry cask. Exclusively bottled for Canada, I’ve only seen this for sale in Alberta and B.C, where it ranges between $120 and $195 CAD. There are still some bottles around for sale at the higher price.

The bottle label identifies that unpeated Indian malt went into cask (presumably the ex-bourbon cask) in June 2009. It was bottled in April 2015, in 540 bottles at 56.5% ABV. The label identifies the final cask as PX Sherry, cask 2701 (presumably the finishing cask). So that makes this whisky 5 years and 10 months old – but it is not reported how long it was held in each cask.

But a bit of online sleuthing can help us narrow it down. It turns out that cask 2701 was previously released in 2013 as a single cask PX Sherry expression (see for example reviews by My Annoying Opinions and Michael of Diving for Pearls). Bottled at 62.8%, the label for that expression indicates it was also filled in June 2009 – but bottled in August 2013 (making it 4 years 2 months old). So assuming they immediately refilled it with the whisky from the Bengal Tiger ex-bourbon cask, the most it could have spent in the second-fill (or later) PX Sherry cask 2701 is 1 year and 8 months. Of course, that is an upper limit – that 2701 cask could been used to “finish” other whiskies before getting Bengal Tiger (i.e., it may be a later refill, with even less time in the barrel).

The point is that this is clearly a second-fill (or later) PX cask, with limited time in contact with the whisky. As such, you are not likely to find as heavy a sherry presence in this whisky as other pure PX cask-aged Amruts.

Here are how the various cask-strength Amrut whiskies compare in my Meta-Critic Database:

Amrut Bengal Tiger PX Single Cask (Canada): 8.67 ± 0.23 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Bourbon Single Cask: 8.74 ± 0.31 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Double Cask: 9.04 ± 0.19 on 5 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Greedy Angels (8yo and 10yo): 9.19 ± 0.23 on 8 reviews ($$$$$+)
Amrut Intermediate Sherry: 8.95 ± 0.37 on 19 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Kadhambam: 8.91 ± 0.25 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Naarangi: 8.55 ± 0.63 on 10 reviews ($$$$$)
Amrut Peated Single Malt Cask Strength: 9.14 ± 0.18 on 11 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Portonova: 8.98 ± 0.30 on 17 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Portpipe Peated Single Cask (all casks): 8.76 ± 0.39 on 11 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask (all casks): 8.79 ± 0.45 on 13 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 2696 (LCBO): 8.94 ± 0.24 on 6 reviews ($$$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 2701: 8.52 ± 0.68 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 2702: 7.95 ± 0.87 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut PX Sherry Single Cask 3516 (SAQ): 8.86 ± 0.17 on 6 reviews ($$$$)
Amrut Spectrum (Batch 001): 9.16 ± 0.20 on 10 reviews ($$$$$)

With the caveat that there are few reviews so far, the Amrut Bengal Tiger gets a respectable score for a single cask expression.

My sample of Bengal Tiger came from Redditor Devoz. Note that for this review I had not looked up the above information beforehand – I sampled this whisky blind to previous reviews and scores, and have only added it to my database after the fact.

Colour: Medium gold, light brown.

Nose: Honey. Caramel and chocolate (plus cocoa powder). Touch of darker fruits (sultanas, some cherry), but dried, and not very fruity overall. Light wood spices, nutmeg mainly, and some more exotic Indian spices (cumin?). Doesn’t seem like it was a very long finishing in PX (and it is a bit shy overall). There are some mixed solvent smells (a little bit of old sweatsock, specifically). Sweeter with water, as you might expect (less dried, more candied fruits).

Palate: Very hot – even more than I expected for the ABV. Chocolate and caramel from the nose follow through, as does the honey. A particularly syrupy mouthfeel, which is nice. Leather, with some anise and cinnamon joining the spices from the nose. This “earthiness” reminds me a bit of the Kavalan sherry casks, and may be a sign of the PX finishing – although again, I am not getting a lot of overt PX here. Noticeable bitterness on the the way out, which detracts. Water is a must, which lightens the mouthfeel, tones down the heat, and brings up the caramel and honey. Doesn’t help with the bitterness though.

Finish: Medium. Dark chocolate. Anise. Bitter notes persist to the end. Astringent. With water, I get a touch of the dark fruits making a resurgence.

Yowza, this is a hot one – much more so than most Amruts I’ve tried, even Portonova. Water is a must, but it only does so much. It feels to me like this needed to be aged in a first-fill PX cask. A bit disappointing actually, given all the other cask-strength Amruts I’ve tried to date (e.g., Spectrum batch 1 is outstanding).

Having now looked up the other reviews of this whisky, I find my tasting notes are very consistent. On Reddit, Devoz similarly noted the heat (although he still gave it a very good score). More moderately positive were TOModera and Boyd86, with overall average scores. My own assessment is less positive, and I would score this whisky as slightly below average.

Please see my subsequent reviews of the LCBO and SAQ single cask bottlings.

Smögen 4 Year Old Sherry Project 1:4

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Following up on my inaugural Smögen review, I also received a sample of the Smögen Sherry Project 1:4 from Whisky Saga’s Thomas Øhrbom.

Smögen Sherry Project 1:4 is the fourth and final installment of the Smögen Sherry Project series. The earlier batches (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3) had limited – but increasing – finishing time in sherry casks. Sherry Project 1:4 is fully matured in first-fill sherry quarter casks, allowing collectors of the whole series to see how sherry finishing influences the final product.

Smögen Sherry Project 1:4 is a 4 year old whisky, and is bottled at cask strength (57.2% ABV). As is usual, the Smögen website has some background on information on this release, and the Sherry Project in general.

The Smögen Sherry Project 1:4 was distilled in July 2011, and bottled in August 2015.  Its entire storage life was spent in four Sherry quarter casks, of European oak. It was released in November 2015, and the entire 640 bottle official release sold out within a few minutes. In total there were 909 bottles from the out-turn (of 500 mL size). It was sold for 921 SEK (about $145 CAD).

Here is how various Swedish whiskies compare in my Meta-Critic Database:

Box Dálvve: 8.63 ± 0.28 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Box PX – Pedro Ximénez Finish: 8.90 ± 0.09 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Box The 2nd Step Collection 02: 8.91 ± 0.05 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Box The Festival 2014: 8.94 ± 0.13 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Brukswhisky: 8.45 ± 0.60 on 9 reviews ($$$)
Mackmyra Moment Glöd: 8.84 ± 0.41 on 4 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Reserve Single Cask (various casks): 9.01 ± 0.49 on 7 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Special 03: 8.69 ± 0.28 on 7 reviews ($$$$$)
Mackmyra Special 04: 8.76 ± 0.35 on 8 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Special 05: 8.50 ± 0.38 on 7 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Special 07: 8.51 ± 0.51 on 7 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Svensk Ek: 8.34 ± 0.23 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra Svensk Rök: 8.71 ± 0.14 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Mackmyra The First Edition (Den Första Utgåvan): 8.65 ± 0.36 on 17 reviews ($$$)
Smogen Primor: 8.50 ± 0.24 on 4 reviews ($$$$$)
Smogen Sherry Project 1:4: 8.82 ± 0.32 on 4 reviews ($$$$)
Smogen Single Cask (all editions): 8.85 ± 0.13 on 4 reviews ($$$$$)
Smogen Single Cask 4yo 7/2011: 8.94 ± 0.23 on 4 reviews ($$$$$)
Spirit of Hven Sankt Claus: 8.60 ± 0.58 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Spirit of Hven Seven Stars No. 1 Dubhe: 8.29 ± 0.42 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Spirit of Hven Seven Stars No. 2 Merak: 8.40 ± 0.25 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Spirit of Hven Seven Stars No. 3 Phecda: 8.53 ± 0.34 on 3 reviews ($$$$$)
Spirit of Hven Tycho’s Star: 8.58 ± 0.07 on 3 reviews ($$$$)
Spirit of Hven Urania: 8.55 ± 0.46 on 3 reviews ($$$$$+)

Let’s see what I find in the glass:

Nose: Somewhat restrained nose, especially compared to the single cask Smogen I recently reviewed. The peat is there, along with some medicinal funk, but it is subtle. Light wood smoke. For fruits, mainly dried red fruits, some berries and a few raisins. Tobacco. Peanuts and pine nuts. I’m getting some of those conifer notes again, but mild.  It is nice, but a little shy.

Palate: Packs a heftier punch on the palate than the nose indicated, with immediate peat and wood smoke, as well as some ethanol heat (i.e., feels the 57.2% ABV here). Lots of caramel and vanilla. Tobacco again, and even more wood spice, plus the pepper and chilies that I found on the single cask sample. Mouthfeel is good, with a lingering syrupiness that just makes you want to hold it in your mouth. This is pleasant surprise from the restrained nose – a more substantial malt in the mouth.

Finish: Medium long. Syrupy sweet to start, then turns a bit bitter on the final finish (likely from the wood influence, which grows over time). Caramel and a bit of eucalyptus carry though as well. A bit of astringency also comes up at the very end.

With water, the nose opens up more, with the peat and wood smoke rising a bit. Water also seems to enhance the sweetness on the finish, giving it better balance. On the whole, this is one where I think a little water is necessary to get the best overall effect. You’ll need to experiment to find your sweet spot.

I know Smogen used Oloroso quarter casks for the first 1:1 release. The source is not stated for this 1:4 batch, but it strikes me as having more PX influence than Oloroso. There’s a lot of sherry sweetness here, and the underlying malt seems less peated than what when into the single cask expression I just reviewed.

It is a nice whisky, but in the end I still prefer the single cask sauternes barrique edition. This Sherry Project 1:4 is a bit less complex – but could therefore be an easier everyday sipper.

Jim Murray and Thomas of Whisky Saga both really liked this expression, and Serge of Whisky Fun gave it a very high score. Personally, I give it a lower score than the Meta-Critic average.

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