Scotland | Page 15 | NYC Whiskey Review

Compass Box Spice Tree

July 31, 2019 Scotland

Name: Compass Box Spice Tree

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Orange, spices, oak, malted barley, vanilla

Taste: Spice orange, honey, vanilla, oak, pepper

Review:

Compass Box Spice Tree is a blended scotch whisky from the Compass Box Company which is headquartered in England. You may have seen Compass Box expressions in the store but do not know much about them. I recently purchases a 3 pack sampler and Spice Tree was the first whisky I sampled.

Compass Box is a producer and bottler of several blended scotch whiskies. The company was founded by John Glaser who is the former marketing director of Johnnie Walker. The Spice Tree is matured in toasted French oak and American oak barrels. This method of maturing in two casks was under scrutiny by the Scotch Whiskey Association (SWA) in 2005 for not being in compliance with their regulations. Compass Tree has resolved this matter and since then nobody seems to give a shit, including me. I only add this in case some someone comments on my leaving it out.

The Spice Tree has a nice taste profile and has a good balance. It is a non-age stated whisky and is bottled at 46% abv. With a few drops of water, the whisky opens up very nicely. I feel with an ice cube it would water down too fast. I see this as a light winter or semi-heavy summer scotch and it would be better enjoyed neat.

They have a signature range of scotches which are the following: The Spice Tree, The Peat Monster, The Spaniard, Oak Cross, Asyla, Hedonism. They also have a range blended scotch whiskies called “The Great King Street” which are following; Artist Blend and Glasgow Blend. There is also the Limited Editions which are following: Hedonism, Maximus, Flaming Heart, Optimism, Morpheus, Canto Cask, and Orangerie.

Price around $55 and has a nice taste and balance and is good for the price.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

Deanston Decennary

April 10, 2019 Scotland

Name: Deanston Decennary

Color: Copper

Nose: Vanilla, orange zest, red wine

Taste: Orange, spice, madeira sweet sugar

Review:

The Deanston Distillery is located on the River Teith, about eight miles from Sterling, Scotland (near Edinburgh) and was founded in 1965. The Distell Group Limited owns Deanston and also owns Bunnahabhain, Isle of Islay, Tobermory, and Isle of Mull whisky. The name Deanston is named after the Dean of Dunblane. Dean was connected to the Gaelic term “toun” meaning farm/settlement to make the name Deanston.

My cousin, who lives in Sterling got me a sample pack of Deanston Scotch. Each bottle contains 3cl (1oz) samples from the distillery and Decennary was the fourth sample I tasted.

Decennary was created to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the Deanston Distillery. The word “decennary” is the old British word for decade (10-year time period). Not sure why they picked this one when they were celebrating their 50^th. From my research I have learned the whisky is finished in a multi-vintage vatting of four casks; 1977 ex-bourbon, 1982 American Oak,1996 Port Pipe, and 2006 Pedro Ximenez. The flavor is very nice and well balance but a bit on the sweet side. It is worth trying, but for me, it is a one and done due to the sherry sweetness.

Price around $150 and is a limited run of 1400 bottles. If you like the flavor profile it is worth it, but $150 can get you a lot of other whiskies.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

Glenmorangie 18 Single Malt

December 25, 2018 Scotland

Name: Glenmorangie 18 Year Old

Color: Amber

Nose: Honey, fruit, cream, and spice

Taste: Citrus peel, cream honey, oak

Review:

My last few reviews of Glenmorangie have not been too favorable, but this whisky I really enjoyed! Boxed and bottled in an upgraded package the presentation sets the tone for what is to come in the flavor. Glenmorangie 18 Year Old “Extremely Rare” Single Malt is aged for 15 years in ex-bourbon casks, finished in Oloroso sherry casks. The scotch is smooth, there is no burn or harshness on the finish, and it has a great flavor profile. This Scotch is more of a summer than a winter, but you can drink it in any season.

When it comes to Scotch the title, “18 Year Old Single Malt” is not just a legal description, to some it is a brand name. It is a brand name in the sense of expected quality and can drive a buyer’s decision when making a higher end purchase. I am a big fan of 18-year single malts and I cannot think of any ones that I have tasted that I did not like. I will admit, I like some brands more than others, but that is just personal preference. A big issue for people is the cost when it comes to 18-year-old single malts. For example, Talisker 18 will cost around $200 and Macallan 18 will cost around $250+ and that might be too much money for you. For the lucky ones it is lunch money. As I like to say, if you like it, drink it, but do not limit yourself or break your wallet in the process. Make sure you try the non-aged stated or blended whiskeys. You do not want to be that person who only drinks 18-year-old single malts because everything else is inferior. Nobody likes “that guy”, he (or she) is a dick and is no fun to drink with.

Glenmorangie 18 is priced around $125. It is a very good Scotch at a very good price. I recommend you try it!

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

Flaviar Tasting Sets

December 11, 2018 Scotland

If you like to sample a variety of whisky’s but do not want to spend money on a full bottle, or if there are no tasting events near you then www.flaviar.com is worth checking out. The Flaviar Tasting Box Samples sent to me as a birthday gift (not from Flaviar) and I enjoyed the samples I received in the mail. It was not necessary for me sample whisky this way since NYC has many tasting events and whisky bars. However, I started to think maybe some people would not have as much access to samples and would like to taste more so I figured I do a quick review of www.flaviar.com tasting sets.

In last tasting set, I received the following:

Glenkinchie 12 Year Old. This Scotch is fresh, light, barley, and fruit taste. Easy to enjoy. Approx $55.

Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old. This Scotch is clean tasting, barley, fruit, and light smoke. Medium-bodied compared to Glenkinchie. Approx $50.

Talisker 10 Year Old is a full-bodied, Isle of Skye, peaty, smoky Highland Scotch. Full and strong compared to Glenkinchie and Dalwhinnie. Approx $65.

These samples had a good flavor profile range and full bottles are affordably priced if you wanted to purchase one after tasting. The three samples come in a 1.5 oz, 4 inch long glass cylinder topped with an aluminum screw cap. The bottles are sealed with a red label to ensure the sample has not been opened. The glass is strong enough for re-use and I find them very convenient to give samples of whisky to friends.

I recommend you order these samples if you are looking to try a variety without breaking your wallet. At $42 a month, that is good price for wide variety of samples. Go to https://flaviar.com/sample-tasting set to learn more.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

The Macallan 18 (2018 release)

December 10, 2018 Scotland

Name: The Macallan 18 (2018 release)

Color: Amber brown

Nose: Vanilla, cinnamon, light citrus fruit

Taste: Spice orange, light wood and smoke

I received this bottle as a gift and it was a very good gift indeed! I have had this whisky before in the half bottle version to celebrate a coworker’s first-born child and I carefully rationed it out at the office. My coworkers all had the same look on their faces of satisfaction upon tasting, however, I had the look of “Chris, next time you are on the way home from happy hour do not stop by the liquor store on 37^th & 3^rd.” The whisky evaporated within 5 minutes, but it was worth it.

Macallan 18 is a wonderful Scotch, well balanced, and has a delicious taste and finish. It is for sipping, not slugging and at 18 years old it comes at a higher cost than other Macallan’s. I feel it is worth the price, but it is slightly out of my comfort price zone. Personally, I would prefer spend the money on 2-3 bottles ranging from $75-115 each. Committing so much money to one bottle is hard for me when I want to experience various tastes each time I open up my bar.

I recommend this one for special celebrations or treating yourself.

Price around: Half Bottle at $130.00 and Full Bottle from $225.00-260.00.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Johnnie Walker – Black Label

December 1, 2018 Scotland

Name: Johnnie Walker Black Label

Color: Amber Brown

Nose: Spice, barely, wood, smoke

Taste: Malt, wood, smoke

Review:

Got a party tonight? Are you going somewhere? You may need to show up somewhere NOT EMPTY HANDED, that is a dick move. Bringing a $10 bottle of shitty chardonnay is only slightly less dicky. Fear not, Johnnie Walker Black Label has got your back!

This is a good all around scotch to give/buy/bring to someone/somewhere at a fair price. Lee Marvin drank it in the Dirty Dozen during the holiday celebration. It is the kind of scotch that makes family holidays or office parties better.

Even though JW Black is produced at a industrial level and is on every liquor store shelf it is good. From small nips, to small bottles, 375ml, 750ml to 1 Liter and larger. Whenever you are in doubt on what to buy, and do not want to spend too much money, buy Johnnie Walker Black.

A 750ml bottle will run you $35 in the NYC.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009

September 19, 2018 Scotland

Name: Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009

Color: Gold

Nose: Fresh barley, white fruit, pears, vanilla

Taste: Oak, malt barley, sweetness

Review:

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009 Scotch Whisky was distilled in 2009, bottle in 2015 and I am drinking it now in 2018. If you follow my reviews (which I hope you do) you will know I am fan of Bruichladdich. The name is hard to pronounce, the whisky is easy to drink and you look very cool ordering it at the bar.

Barley 2009 is aged for 6 years in oak casks, is non-chilled filter and naturally colored. The nose and flavor of the Barley 2009 is a strong barley with a different, almost odd, type of barely taste. This whisky expression has two types of barley used that are grown at three different farms. The barley is Publican and Oxbridge and the farms are: Claggan, Cruach, and Island & Mulindry. In short; 3 farms + 2 barleys = 1 scotch. The differences between the barleys are too much to go into in a short review but the terroir assist the barley with the flavor. When you have three types of barley in the distillation process you are going to get a much more unique flavor profile instead of one. I have no doubt someone just read that sentence and thought, “No shit Chris”.

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009 is not peated like many Bruichladdich whisky’s. It is smooth and has an interesting flavor that captures your attention without being overbearing or too much in your face with flavor. It tastes simple when you first try it but it has a lot going on at the same time. It is tough to explain but try it and let me know your thoughts.

The tin can cylinder (not pictured) is a nice add on from Bruichladdich when you buy a bottle. I like the protection of the bottle when I travel with it in my backpack around then city.

Price around $65 and well worth the money.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Laphroaig Cairdeas – Madeira Cask

January 25, 2018 Scotland

Name: Laphroaig Cairdeas

Color: Orange brown

Nose: Sweet sherry, citrus with peat and wood

Taste: Sweeten “Big Boy Laphroaig” taste with orange flavor

Review:

Since the picture was taken when the Patriots were making the comeback last Super Bowl I thought this post was worth sharing again!

This Islay whisky is finished 8 yrs in American Oak and then 2 yrs in Madeira (Portuguese Fortified Wine aka “Port”) hogshead barrels. Laphroaig blends the traditional flavor and sweet port flavor to make something different from their standard whisky. Unfortunately, the first sip is a mixed bag of flavors and immediately reminded me of a beverage from my college days. My first dram reminded me of when Sam Adams Lager started making flavored beers. They are good, but I can only drink one or two because the additional flavor(s) muffled the taste of the wonderful lager. I was in my early 20’s when I started drinking Sam Adams and I did not want cherries, cranberries, lemons, pumpkin, etc. in my beer. Years later, I still stand by that decision. I do not like things mixed together than ruin the base flavor. Have you ever had French Italian Fusion Food? It sounds like it tastes, bad.
This whisky is not bad and there are a lot of whiskies on the market using sherry barrels but most of them are not as full bodied as Laphroaig. For me, this bottle is somewhat gimmicky and might have been created to keep up with the competition that using sherry/port barrels to create after dinner Scotch. I struggle to see how this would work as an after dinner drink or daily drinker with peat and wood as the baseline. It is not bad stuff, it is just strange blend of flavors for my plate.

Priced around $65-70 and worth the money

If you like it, drink it!

Johnnie Walker 4 Pack Sampler

August 4, 2017 Scotland

Something for the weekend?

Johnnie Walker produces a four pack of 200 ml bottles of Black, Gold, Platinum and Blue Scotch for around $200. You might not find it as easy in a store but it is online at various distributors and I have seen it in Duty Free in Heathrow Airport. If you want to do a tasting with friends and make up your own minds while saving some money I would definitely recommend this box set in lieu of full bottles. I would strongly suggest you treat it like a tasting with measured pours of whisky in different glasses, note taking, trying it with a splash of water etc. After that, you can decide on the value of the higher labels and see if it is your cup of tea (or whisky!)

Note: Specific Johnnie Walker Labels may vary in 4 pack box. Confirm with supplier prior to purchasing. I have seen red and black then two other higher labels as opposed to what I have described.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or

July 5, 2017 Scotland

Name: Glenmorangie Nectar D’or

Color: Gold

Nose: Citrus, vanilla, light sweetness

Taste: Citrus, honey, nuts, vanilla

Review:

Not a fan. Sorry Glenmorangie, just not digging this scotch. It is probably me, not you. I just feel the need to see other scotches this summer. Glenmoragnie is keeping up with the industry trend of sweetening their products due to market demand. Their Nectar D’Or is a sweeter wine flavored scotch that has a unique taste, but comes across as a bit of an old flavor.

Nectar D’Or is a 12-year-old scotch aged for 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels and 2 years in sauternes barrels. If you are not familiar with “sauternes” let me summarize.

Sauternes is a French sweet white wine from the Graves region of Bordeaux, France.
Bordeaux is mainly known for producing Cabernet Sauvignon wines but does produce white, blends, and Merlot.
Sauternes is made from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle which are all white grapes
Sauternes is usually sold in 375ml bottles and is usually enjoyed as a dessert wine.
It is not known to be cheap stuff.

This scotch is different and I will give Glenmorangie credit for trying to something different. I have tried other whisky’s that used barrels from other fortified wines and they can provide a very nice flavor profile so do not be afraid to try something new. Nectar D’Or has done well in creating something different in their premium label scotches but taste profiles vary with consumers like me.

I found this scotch to have a rough, cheaper vanilla taste, and a burned finish. I would not buy this one for myself, but I could see it being enjoyed on the rocks in the South of France or the Hamptons while everyone else is drinking Rose wine. Nectar D’Or is not a bad whisky; it is just not my thing.

Approximately $70 per bottle.

If you like it, drink it. – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Compass Box Spice Tree

Deanston Decennary

Glenmorangie 18 Single Malt

Flaviar Tasting Sets

The Macallan 18 (2018 release)

Johnnie Walker – Black Label

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009

Laphroaig Cairdeas – Madeira Cask

Johnnie Walker 4 Pack Sampler

Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or

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