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The Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak

The modern interpretation of the famous Macallan style for which the distillery is so well known! The 12 Year Old Sherry Oak is refined, rich, and rounded with plenty of that tasty sherry cask influence that so many of us adore. Most definitely a dram to be enjoyed with friends…or save it for yourself!

WAS £75.00
NOW £69.99
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Nose: Fresh fruit salad, charming cloves

Palate: Dark fruit, Christmas cake, rich almonds

Finish: Stewed Apples and the sweetest prunes

The year of 2022 is in full swing and we’ve welcomed an influx of new whiskies ready for you to fall in love with. We have an array of sherried whiskies, including our new exclusive Glendronach 1993 and a 10-year-old Edradour from the distillery’s Straight From The Cask series.

We’ve also said hello to Batch 3 of Kilchoman’s small-batch UK exclusive single malt and a fresh and balanced blend from Woven Whisky. Here’s our full round-up of recent releases that have caught our attention.

SHOP NEW WHISKIES

https://youtu.be/iayaC7XMaRg

Daftmill is a name that, for most of us, is associated with impossible ballots and ever climbing auction prices, and there is still no change in that.

I was lucky enough to win this through the Berry Bros & Rudd ballot and seemed wrong to not open it, purely based on my own luck.

Said many times before by myself and others, the lowlands region of Scotland is exploding with whisky distilleries and Daftmill was the one that took the secondary market and collectors side by storm. Not that others haven’t, the quality all around is great but this one climbed to the top. A batching of twenty-five ex-bourbon casks – it is a clean, fresh and citrus driven nose with a rather different palate and finish that is almost reminiscent of a rather celebrated highland style of whisky.

Demand is high. Production is low, the place is literally a farm. The quality is excellent, but the price tag doesn’t justify the liquid. It’s great, but as are other products for a little less.

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THE MUCH AWAITED, AWARD-WINNING GRANT’S TRIPLE WOOD 12YO BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY ARRIVES IN THE LA BELLE PROVINCE.

THE BOLD, NEW BOTTLE IS NOW AVAILABLE AT SELECT SAQ STORES ACROSS QUEBEC

February 10, 2022 — Grant’s Blended Scotch Whisky is rolling out its award-winning 12-year-old whisky at select SAQ stores across the province of Quebec.  With its distinctive sleek black bottle with gold accents that represent the gold medals awarded to the whisky, Grant’s Triple Wood 12 joins the Triple Wood line up within the Grant’s Family.

Grant’s is the cornerstone brand from William Grant & Sons (four-time winner of the IWSC Distiller of the Year), six generations of the Grants family have stood together through thick and thin to hold the title of Scotland’s oldest continuously family-run blended whisky makers. Grant’s remains the only blended whisky producer to have its own Stillman (The Maker), Cooper (The Muscle), and Master Blender (The Master) working together in one location. Grant’s is blended by the respected master blender, Brian Kinsman, who personally selects the three barrels to create the smooth, fruit-balanced flavour of Grant’s Triple Wood 12.

“When you have a winning team and determination, you can really do great things,” comments Brian Kinsman, Master Blender at William Grant & Sons.  “We’ve gone the extra mile for Grant’s Triple Wood 12, aging it for a minimum of 12 years and using a sherry cask as the third barrel to layer in a sweet spice to balance the vanilla and sweetness.”

Grant’s Triple Wood 12 takes a creamy, fruity spirit and is aged in three barrels. Each barrel provides a distinctive layer of flavour to the final blend. Refill Bourbon barrels offer brown sugar sweetness, American oak lend subtle vanilla smoothness, and the revered sherry cask – that dials the quality up a notch, adds a sweet, spicy finish that sets Grant’s Triple Wood apart. The liquid is aged for a minimum of 12 years before blending, resulting in a rich, complex, final product.

Grant’s Triple Wood 12 is produced at Grant’s Girvan Distillery, an impressive structure that was built in 1963.  When another Scotch company threatened to cut off the supply of grain whisky, Charles Gordon, great-grandson of William Grant, worked together with a team of 400 local workers to complete the distillery in a record time of nine months. The result of their combined efforts and steely determination was the most technologically advanced distillery of its day.  Today, Grant’s Girvan Distillery is home to Grant’s not-so-secret weapon: the Girvan Patent Still, which produces its signature – and coveted – sweet, fruity, and light distillate.

“When savouring Grant’s Triple Wood 12, don’t be afraid to break convention and add a little ice and a bit of orange peel to accentuate the fruity character,” comments Danny Dyer, Grant’s Global Brand Ambassador.  “It’s a blended scotch whisky to be enjoyed many ways.”

Grant’s Triple Wood 12, winner of the Gold medal at ISC 2021 & 2020 and world’s best blended scotch whisky at the IWSC in 2019 (one of the industry’s most prestigious competitions), will be available online at SAQ.com and at select SAQ  stores across Quebec, starting this month.  With its distinctive premium black bottle and triangular bottle design, this makes both a gift and an ideal dram or cocktail to enjoy on those special occasions together, all year round.

“Grant’s Triple Wood 12 is also great in a long, refreshing drink like a Grant’s & Soda, which I serve with fresh orange and a touch of local honey,” adds Dyer.  “The honey and orange work together to give that fruity sweet zing and complements the flavours of our whisky perfectly. I’m excited to share our newest innovation with Quebec residents of legal drinking age!”

Other liquids from the Grant’s Family available in Quebec include the signature Grant’s Triple Wood which provides an array of distinctive flavour profiles to delight consumers.

For more information, samples, or images, please visit http://grantswhisky.alchemystsinc.com.  For information about Grant’s globally, please visit www.grantswhisky.com.

TASTING NOTES:

Aged in three distinct woods for smoother taste:

Nose:  Sweet and sherry-like, with dried fruits. Subtle woody notes and malty undertones.

Taste:  Vanilla, honey, and spice. All mixed together for a rich, sweet flavour. Aged grains and peated malt add depth.

Finish: Long soothing and warm, a feeling you won’t want to rush.

Cragganmore 2009/2021 ‘Distiller’s Edition’ (40%, OB, CggD-6573)
Cragganmore 30 yo 1986/2017 (59.7%, Hunter Laing, Old & Rare, Platinum Selection, refill hogshead, 167 bottles)

Lagavulin 2006/2021 ‘Distillers Edition’ (43%, OB, lgv 4/510)
Lagavulin 19 yo ‘Feis Ile 2019’ (52.6, OB, sherry-treated American oak casks, 6000 bottles)
Lagavulin 22 yo ‘Jazz Festival 2020’ (52.6%, OB, Refill American & European Oak, 2004 bottles)

By Richard Thomas

St. Patrick’s Day 2022 is now about a month away, and the mix of pandemic fatigue and omicron still spiking hard means folks will both celebrate at home and out in bars. No matter, because the best way to celebrate Hibernian identity is still to hoist a dram of fine Irish whiskey, and one of the best ways to do that is by trying something new.

Here are five new Irish whiskeys that have come out in the recent past. The next month gives you plenty of time to hunt around and find a bottle to put on your shelf at home. If you go out and see one at the bar, be sure to order it.

Blue Spot Single Pot Still Whiskey: The story of The Spots starts with an old school Irish negociant, Mitchell & Sons. Back in the day, Mitchell & Sons bought single pot still whiskey from the Jameson Distillery on Bow Street and aged it themselves to produce in-house bottlings. Those casks were identified by daubing them with spots of colored paint, which eventually became a brand. The brand fell into decline along with the recent of the Irish whiskey industry, and until modern times the only distillery even making single pot still whiskey was the successor to the outfits making Jameson, Tullamore Dew, Powers and Paddy: New Midleton.

Irish Distillers, New Midleton’s owner, entered into a partnership with Mitchell & Sons over redeveloping the the Spots. This started with Green Spot and Yellow Spot, then came Red Spot, and now finally Blue Spot. It took 56 years to see Blue Spot come back, but here we are. It’s a 7 year old single pot still whiskey, aged in ex-Bourbon barrels, ex-Sherry butts, and ex-Portuguese Madiera casks, and bottled at cask strength. That, incidentally makes it the only one of the Spots bottled at cask strength. Enjoy!

Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt: This one is so new that it wasn’t even available in the American marketplace until this month (it’s been available in Europe for a few years), and it might not have reached your local shelves yet… but count on it being there before St. Patrick’s Day. This plugs the gap between the youngish Bushmills 10 Year Old single malt and the middle aged 16 year old single malt, and at a fairly reasonable price of about $60. It’s 12 years old minimum, plus a 6 to 9 month finishing spell in Marsala casks.

Dingle Single Malt: Although the Dingle Distillery in western Ireland continues to release single malts in its Batch series, 2021 saw it introduce a regular release single malt as well. This is the one that is designed around a consistent flavor profile, not discrete, one-shot releases. The bottles are six to seven year old malt whiskey which has been aged in first-fill PX Sherry and bourbon casks.

Jameson Black Barrel Barrel Proof: Back in October, Irish Distillers decided to test the waters by launching a cask strength version of their popular Jameson Black Barrel just in Ireland. Black Barrel has long been a favorite of great whiskey bargain buy round-up articles (ours included), so this is quite a big deal. Yes, it’s not officially available in the US, but it has been brought over by special import. So, if you see it on a bar shelf, get a pour. Period.

Teeling 13 Year Old Single Grain: Another expression that The Whiskey Reviewer consistently calls attention to is Teeling’s Single Grain, because it’s both an excellent example of what single grain whiskey can be and is consistently overlooked. This one was aged for 9 years in ex-bourbon barrels, and then got a long, over four year term of secondary maturation in ex-Bordeaux wine casks. The whiskey is then bottled at a hefty 50% ABV. The whiskey is distributed a bit more widely than the aforementioned Black Barrel Barrel Proof — it’s in Europe and Asia — which means, again, if you see it in the US, it is a special import. Even so, it is priced at just €85 over there, which is quite reasonable all things considered. So, if you see it in the US, grab it.

Lot 40 Cask Strength whisky enjoys a cult following among Canadian whisky drinkers, one that is spreading worldwide as it continues to win awards. Lot 40, in all varieties, is 100% rye whisky. It’s aged in new oak and is more similar to American ryes than traditional Canadian ryes. 

If you’re new to Canadian Whisky the tldr; Lot 40 is 100% rye whisky, it’s the flavour of Canadian ryes for many of our whiskies, and it’s regularly sold at a reasonable 43% ABV (86 proof) year-round (<$40 Canadian). The cask strength variety, though, is rare. 

Each release is different. If you follow the lore, the original 2017 cask strength is the most cherished (12 year old), the 2018 (one year younger at 11 years old), is also loved, and the following 2019 release rolled with a controversy. I remarked whether to was “Lot 40”-sh enough, though the release was an inventive play (French oak finished) on a younger cask strength rye whisky. It also did terrifically well. 

Out of nowhere, comes an 18 year old release.

COVID times threw a wrench into the Lot 40 Cask Strength release schedule. There is a high-proof dark oak release I’ll be reviewing later, that’s made it to the regular line-up, but otherwise the prized title of “cask strength” has had no contender since 2019. 

Until, of course, a surprise drop of 130 bottles of 18 year old Lot 40 Cask Strength. I’m unsure of how many bottles were sold via the drop but there is promise of more coming out in the new year (they ask to sign-up directly for a chance to buy one). These are only available in Canada, and the few releases that made it out already are catching a high-price in secondary markets (which have questionable legality here in Ontario).

I managed to get a bottle by pure luck when the notice came out that the bottles were available for purchase. To my knowledge, because of the high value of this release, few bottles have been opened. 

So what’s it taste like?

Out of all the releases, the original Lot 40 Cask Strength of 12 year variety was my favorite. For my palate specifically, it hit perfectly. Score wise, it’s still one of the better whiskies I’ve had. 

By comparison, Lot 40 18 Year Old Cask Strength is the most similar to the 12 year old. Now, here are a few caveats in that statement—it is similar, but not the same. The extra years of aging have given it more of a syrupy note. It’s intensely sweet. You won’t be thinking cask strength when you have it. You’ll be thinking dessert whisky, decadence, and other such complex thoughts. 

The flavour that has me most of all is the anise. Normally, I taste licorice, but this is sweeter and warmer. I will forever think of anise when I drink this whisky.

It is a single barrel product, not a complex oriented blend of unique barrels, so it won’t have that depth of found in American rarities like the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. There’s less mystery to it. However, it’s an absolute flavour bomb of intensity and priced well by comparison to other rare American whiskies .

Tasting Notes

Nose: Unlike previous releases, this is all anise (instead of licorice). It’s sweeter. Familiar, but sweeter. Floral, concentrated, with apple and nutmeg and maple syrup sweetness on the nose. Over-time, black tea and boozy cherry notes come-out and play. It succeeds in not nosing nearly as boozy as the cask strength ABV indicates on the bottle. 

Palate: Anise, black tea sharpness, dry vermouth-like sweetness, with butter and cinnamon rolled up into one wallop of a taste. There’s plenty of rye spice. It’s syrupy sweet on the palate, like syrup that’s laced in pepper spice and cinnamon. The finish is classic rye dry, buttery, and cinnamon. It’s a long finish and has the heavy traditional rye profile we’d expect from Lot 40 Cask Strength.

Conclusion: This is Lot 40 12 Year Old Cask Strength, syrupy concentrated. With a touch of water you’ll get more brown sugar notes and far more black peppery spice and licorice. In fact, this drink changes dramatically with a little bit of water. Not for the better or worse. It’s the same drink, just spread out a little in flavour as the notes hit at different points. 

Score: 93.5

The second release in the Private Edition range was the Glenmorangie Finealta (2011). Which sounds like it should be the end, but it was just the beginning. Figuratively and literally.

Finealta is Dr. Bill’s attempt to recreate a Glenmorangie recipe from 1903, which sounds like we’re reaching back into ancient history, but in 1903 Glenmo had been operating as a distillery for 60 years. Before that it was a brewery.

This 1903 recipe noted the use of “American white oak” casks (ex-Bourbon) and Spanish Oloroso sherry casks. It also noted peat, because in 1903 that’s how all barley was dried. HVAC systems were a long way off from being widely used. This was still the day of the horse and buggy as 1903 is also the year Henry Ford founded his company.

However, the lack of mechanical heating and cooling systems means little in the world of prestige and premium quality. The Savoy existed and was a haven for good taste and the Finealta is as close as we can get today to the style of Glenmorangie that was served to its patrons.

I don’t know about you, but history makes me thirsty. Let’s get to drinkin’ and get on with this Scotch review.

Glenmorangie Finealta – Details and Tasting Notes

 

Whiskey Details

Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Style: Single Malt (Scotch)
Region: Highlands, Scotland
Distiller: Glenmorangie

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon, ex-Oloroso
Age: 10+ Years
ABV: 46%
PPM: 15ish

Released: 2011 (2nd)

Glenmorangie Finealta Price: NA – Auction, Specialty Store or Private Seller (originally $80)

Related Whiskey

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“Glenmorangie Finealta is a painstaking recreation of a recipe dating back to 1903. Matured in a combination of American white oak casks and Spanish Oloroso sherry casks this whisky is unusual for its light touch of peatiness.” – Glenmorangie

 

Glenmorangie Finealta Tasting Notes

EYE
Golden honey

NOSE
Banana’s Foster, vanilla pudding, peat, toasted marshmallows, nuts, malt and dried orchard fruit.

Not at all the typical Glenmorangie profile, but I’m digging it.

PALATE
Leathery dark fruit, banana pudding, smoke, roasted nuts, char, baking spice, vanilla malted shake, milk chocolate and some taffy sweetness.

The palate is complex and alluring. As a-typical Glenmo as it gets but good.

FINISH
Long -> Dark fruit, roasted nuts, smoke and leather with a vanilla cupcake fade.

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Very well balanced, medium-full body and a warm oily feel.

Glenmorangie Finealta – Overall Thoughts and Score

Woah… I’ve always wondered what peated Glenmo would be like and now that I have my answer I want more. Peat works very well here and compliments the underlying fruitiness perfectly. The sherry casks don’t hurt either.

This is vastly different and I don’t fully equate it to Glenmo, but it does retain some of that naturally fruity character – I get hints of it peeking through. Like how hints of Tobermory peek through Ledaig. The light peat makes Glenmorangie Finealta a fundamentally different whisky, and that’s not a bad thing here because it’s quite good.

SCORE: 4.5/5 (very good, highly recommended ~ A- | 90-93) – Thanks to Travis for the sample

The post Glenmorangie Finealta Review appeared first on The Whiskey Jug.

ANGEL’S ENVY® RELEASES LIMITED-EDITION RYE WHISKEY FINISHED IN ICE CIDER CASKS   

The fourth release in ANGEL’S ENVY’s Cellar Collection, this limited-run of just 6,000 bottles marks the brand’s first new finished rye offering since 2013

Beginning today, members of ANGEL’S ENVY’s 500 Main can enter to win the chance to purchase the release ahead of the official launch; public sale will begin on February 25 at select retailers in NY, CA, FL, TN, IL, TX and KY, as well as at ANGEL’S ENVY’s distillery

LOUISVILLE, KY (February 15, 2022) – ANGEL’S ENVY®, the Louisville-based craft distiller that produces small batch, finished whiskeys, today announced the release of its ANGEL’S ENVY Rye Whiskey Finished in Ice Cider Casks. ANGEL’S ENVY created this first-of-its-kind release by finishing seven-year-old, 95% rye whiskey for 364 days in ice cider casks from Vermont-based Eden Specialty Ciders. It is the fourth release in ANGEL’S ENVY’s Cellar Collection, the brand’s special release program that honors the late Lincoln Henderson’s pioneering and innovative spirit.

“The flavor profile of this whiskey is very unique – the spiciness of the rye is balanced by the fruity sweetness from the ice cider casks, and there’s a crispness that is really distinct. We’ve never seen a whiskey finished in ice cider casks before, so we’re excited to introduce this finish as part of our Cellar Collection,” said Kyle Henderson, ANGEL’S ENVY’s Distillery Production Manager. “My brother, Andrew, was the one who found these barrels and raised the idea of an ice cider finish; he’s really championed this project from the beginning. As we tasted samples and learned more about the craftsmanship, time and resources required to create each bottle of ice cider, we fell in love with the product and the process and knew these special casks would be an excellent match for our rye.”

Ice cider is a dessert-style cider that is produced primarily in the northern US and Canada. The French oak casks used to finish this ANGEL’S ENVY release were used by Eden Specialty Ciders to create an ice cider from tart, late-season Northern Spy apples that had been naturally cold-concentrated in Vermont before partial fermentation and aging. Inspired by the unique, climate-driven elements of ice cider production, ANGEL’S ENVY packaged its Rye Whiskey Finished in Ice Cider Casks in a frosted glass bottle and commemorative gift box.

The limited-edition release, which consists of just 6,000 bottles total, will be available for purchase beginning on February 25 at select retailers in NY, CA, FL, TN, IL, TX and KY, as well as at ANGEL’S ENVY’s downtown Louisville distillery. Beginning today, ANGEL’S ENVY 500 Main members can enter for the chance to purchase a bottle ahead of the public sale for pickup at ANGEL’S ENVY’s distillery. A total of 500 bottles will be reserved for the 500 Main presale lottery.

ANGEL’S ENVY Rye Whiskey Finished in Ice Cider Casks is 107-proof (53.5% ABV). On the nose, it offers notes of caramel candy apple and toasted oak, with faint notes of nuttiness and cinnamon. The palate features bold peppery and cinnamon notes accompanied by vanilla, ripe apple, toffee and butterscotch. The finish is long and transitions from spicy to sweet, with notes of brown sugar and apple with hints of earthiness and oak. Suggested retail price for a 75omL bottle, which may vary by market, is $249.99. For more information, visit angelsenvy.com/whiskey/IceCiderFinish.

About ANGEL’S ENVY

ANGEL’S ENVY is a Louisville-based craft distiller that produces small batch, finished whiskeys. Co-founded in 2010 by the late Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson and his son Wes Henderson, it began as a passion project that combined their family’s deep-rooted passion for and knowledge of the industry with an innovative outlook on bourbon making and finishing. Today, the ANGEL’S ENVY team continues to produce several highly acclaimed core offerings – a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels and a Rye Whiskey Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks – as well as a variety of innovative, special releases.

ANGEL’S ENVY opened the doors to its distillery in 2016 – it was the first full-production whiskey distillery in downtown Louisville and is located at 500 East Main Street. The company distributes to all 50 U.S. states and several select international markets as of February 2020. ANGEL’S ENVY is produced by Louisville Distilling Company, a subsidiary of Bacardi Limited.

For more information, please visit us at www.angelsenvy.com, or on:

Facebook: facebook.com/AngelsEnvyBourbon or facebook.com/TourAngelsEnvy

Twitter: @angels_envy

Instagram: @angelsenvy