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Whisky Review

2011-05 More Dram For Your Buck

Seven Scotch whiskies, all at 40% alcohol, all affordable, but what is best? The single Islay malts, of course! The winner overall was the Finlaggan Old Reserve at the fantastic special price of $55. It is also worth the mental note that the Johnnie Walker Black Label is also a fine whisky, coming third overall.

The ratings and reviews from the first two nights combined are as follows:

Finlaggan Old Reserve Islay Single Malt 40% Score 7.94
Islay nose for sure, bacon, beach sandflies, dusty soap, thick oils, iodine, seaweed, nutty, smoked fish, smouldering herbs, dry, savoury notes, musty, wet nappy, wet wood, spicey watercress, paprika, vodka, cigars, varnish, ash and esspresso.
Thick peaty palate, cereals, sweet, sticky, oaky flavour, harmonious oils, some strength.
Smokey finish, peppers, fresh herbs, tingling tail, ash, Lagavulin PX, yummy caramel, short/medium length.

Macleods 8 yo Islay Single Malt 40% Score 7.68
Islay nose burning leaves, cheese, rubber smoke, bacon, charcoal, creosote, horse hair, marmite sandwhiches, big, rich, caulking, glue, airoplane luggage, old books.
Palate like the nose but with fish, dry tar, smoke, diluted octomore ash, astringent but smooth, match head, sea saws.
Sweet finish, dry perfume, vinyl record, bitter, charred, smoke, BBQ snarler, medical tannins, seaweed crackers, mediumish length.

Johnnie Walker Black 12 yo Blend 40% Score 7.25
A woman's perfume (not mum) on the nose, sweet grassy rhubarb, pears, apples and peach schnappes, vegetal, rich, continental breakfast, earl grey, sherry, rich, maple, brown sugar on porridge, oilskin coat, tannins.
Harmonious palate, sweet cake, sherry, like nose, pencils.
Juicy fruit finish, dark chocolate in the morning, unobtrusive, mapley. Loitering finish.

Ubique Blend for the Royal Artillery 40% Score 7.12
OJ on the nose, then a sweet/dry balance with vanilla, musty tannins, soft, young, oily, muffled, apricots, bread and butter pudding, marzipan, benzene, caramel and sherry.
Bitter palate, oily, oj again, smokey, oaky, sweet, smooth, butterscotch iodine, goes up not down, quaffable, zing.
Sweet and salty finish, with a kick, some spice, savoury leather, nutmeg, metals, good length.

Chivas Regal 12 yo Blend 40% Score 7.11
Creamy sweet nose, salt, sherry, coconut soap in fiji, apple curry, Xmas cake icing, marshmallows, summer, vanilla, maple, caramel, hard steel, toffee, perfume.
Cocnut palate, banana, bourbon, sweet, Xmas cake.
bittersweet finish, vanilla ice cream on rhubarb, brandy, cuban rum, short/med length

Inverarity Ancestral 14 yo Single Sherried Malt 40% Score 7.05
Sweet nose of furniture, rum, bubble gum, sherry, oaky chocolate, pear drops, aniseed, oranges, nutmeg, floral, waxy, cornflakes, maple, almonds, vanilla, flyspray, cyanide, sappy bourbon.
Cinnamon palate, bananas and dirty carrots, rum, sweet, pineapple, buttery chardonnay, pepper, armagnac, burnt Xmas cake with icing.
Burnt toffee finish, tingling pepper and bourbon, vanilla essence, tannic black tea, wild turkey, Xmas pudding with brandy butter, bitter edge, almost medium length.

Adelphi Private Stock Blend 40% Score 6.71
Peat and rubber on the nose with italian seasoning, dusty hessian, onion and garlic, medicinal, golden syrup, electrical smoulderings, young, dry, savoury, bitter tequila note but still caramel there, musty birds, a whiff of smoke. rubber bands, brake fluid.
Sweet creamy palate, cotton wool, Bowmore, would be good in a lemon honey toddy, better than nose, smooth smoke.
Innoffensive finish, salt, spice, oranges, dutch liquorice, uncooked sausage rolls with burnt pastry, short/medium length.

Macleods 8yo Speyside Single Malt 40% Score 6.33
Citrous yeasty nose, dusty bananas, sweet, complex, rich raisins, some sherry oak, varnish, pears, marmalade, rubber gloves, fruit cake, spice,leather, creaming soda, wood smoke, rumballs, cocnut, wet socks.
Easy palate, liquorice allsorts, lively, bitter leather notes but caramel too.
Sweet finish, sugar water, bitter oak, bourbon, pepper, green bananas, oily soap, short/medium length.

Slainthe, xDMM
Some New Products...
Staff Recommendations

KIERAN

And the good weather starts! I had a fantastic roast shoulder of lamb on the weekend.

DANIEL

Give me big flavour at cask strength if possible please.
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Introduction to Malt Whisky
Monday 21st May, 6.00pm start, Cost $45.00 pp Limit 27 places per night. Upstairs Tasting Room, Regional Wines. Bookings with Ian ph 385 6952

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Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th May, 6.00pm start, Cost $60.00 pp Limit 27 places. Upstairs Tasting Room, Regional Wines and Spirits. Ph Ian on ph 385 69

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