Scotland | Page 8 | NYC Whiskey Review

Bank Note Peated Reserve

February 5, 2022 Scotland

Name: Bank Note Peated Reserve

Color: Light brown

Nose: Malt grain, peat, heather

Taste: Peat, malt, caramel, red fruit

Review:

Bank Note Peated Reserve is a blended scotch whisky bottled at 43% and is the “peatier” cousin of Bank Note Scotch. It is aged approximately 5 years for each blend that is in the bottle and has a mash of 40% malt and 50% grain.

A.D. Rattray produces Bank Note and states that it is a mix of Speyside and Highland scotches. If you are not familiar with A.D. Rattray it is a family business in Scotland that started back in 1868 and blends cask of various whisky’s for bottling and selling. Basically, they are a middle man. Depending on the product your local liquor store stocks you will find these bottles of blends, single malts and various ages stated whisky that have unfamiliar labels to the developing eye. I have had A.D. Rattray before but I remember I paid a high price for it and decided to focus on main distilleries as I was just starting to make efforts to really learn about whisky.

Bank Note Peat Reserve is a nice tasting and well-balanced scotch that is a little lighter on the flavor profile. If you would like to start to get into peat flavored whisky’s I would recommend starting with this one.

Priced around $30 and an overall nice blended peat flavored scotch.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Bunnahabhain – Stiuireadair

January 13, 2022 Scotland

Name: Bunnahabhain – Stiuireadair

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Malt, lemon, seaweed/iodine, flowers, cedar wood

Taste: Malt, lemon, sherry notes, white fruit

Stiuireadair (pronounced stew-rahdur) is an “other” expression from the Bunnahabhain Distillery which hails from Islay region of Scotland. There is no aged listed, it is 46.3% abv, natural colored, un-chill filtered, and matured in sherry casks. The name is Gaelic for “Helmsman” which is the guy who drives the boat. (“Hooper drives the boat Chief!” – name the movie!)

The expression is listed as a “tribute to the sea” so I will page Don Draper as I usually do when I read this type of bullshit marketing.

Bunnahabhain has core and “other” expressions. Many of these expressions I have not seen in stores or on menus, so I am curious to sample more.

Core Expressions: 12,18, Toiteach, 25

Other Expressions: Amontillado, Feis Ile, Palo Cortado, Port Pipe, French Brandy, Moine Brandy, Vintage Marsala, Moine Marsala, Moine Oloroso Toiteach A Dha, Culag, Moine Bordeaux Red Wine, Pedro Ximenez, 40 year old, Canasta 46 year old, Eirigh Na Greine, Cruach Mhona, An Cladach, Ceobanach

The profile is very good and works well as a winter whisky served neat or a summer scotch on the rocks.

Priced around $60 and worth it if you like the flavor profile.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

December 23, 2021 Scotland

Name: The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

Color: Clear

Nose: Juniper and fresh green earth notes

Taste: Similar to nose, no burn on the finish

Review:

3 Days until Christmas! Do you have all your gifts and bottles ready?!?

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin 22 is produced by the Bruichladdich Distillery in Islay, Scotland. Since it is the clear liquid cousin of a very good scotch producer it was worth a try and review. Before I was into whisky I was Gin & Tonic drinker but one trip to Kentucky changed all that in 2008. I do not know why Bruichladdich decided to make this gin, but I am glad they did.

The Botanist Gin is a London dry styled gin that is bottled at 46% abv, made from 22 hand-forged botanicals on Islay, and contains 9 core aromatics. You can look them up as there is a lot

Upon first nosing the gin I found aromas all over the place. I could not really determine any specific notes. The taste is sweet with earthy greens and it was very easy to drink neat which was a surprise. A martini straight up with a twist of lemon was then created for assurance of quality. It was excellent.

Priced around $45 and worth the money if you enjoy gin or want to add a bottle to your bar.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Deanston 12

December 5, 2021 Scotland

Name: Deanston 12

Color: Dark Yellow

Nose: Malt, orange, flowers, light oak

Taste: Malt, orange, honey-vanilla, white fruits

Review:

21 Days until Christmas! Do you have all your gifts and bottles ready?!?

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”.

The Deanston 12 is un-chilled filtered, natural colored, aged in ex-bourbon barrels, and bottled at 46.3%. It has a medium body but with lighter fresh fruit notes on the finish. This expression is better tasting and more balanced than stated Deanston Virgin Oak (nas), BUT, not as good as some the other expressions I have reviewed.

I have reviewed the following Deanston expressions: Virgin Oak, 15 year Organic, 15 Year Sauternes, 12 Year Palo Cortado Finish, and Decennary.

Deanston Single Malts are a great gift or a change of scenery if you only drink the “Glen’s” that come from Scotland and there are a few of them. I am hopeful that travel will to the United Kingdom will re-open in later 2021. I look forward to seeing my family in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Sterling, and a trip to Deanston Distillery.

Priced around $55 and Deanston is always worth the money.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Johnnie Walker 4 Pack Sampler

November 25, 2021 Scotland

Johnnie Walker produces a four pack of 200 ml bottles of Black, Gold, Platinum and Blue (375ml) 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.

I received this one as a Christmas gift and I am down to the Blue only. I am saving it for a special occasion.

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!

Highland Park – 16 Year Twisted Tattoo

October 7, 2021 Scotland

Name: Highland Park – 16 Year Twisted Tattoo

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Malted barley, citrus, flowers

Taste: Malted barley, orange, smoke/pepper, red wine

Review:

Highland Park 16 Year Twisted Tattoo is another expression in the Viking series by the Highland Park Distillery (aka the marketing team). I have previously reviewed the Valkyrie expression and I was not very impressed and there now seems to be a pattern developing in my reviews of this series.The scotch is a single malt bottled at 46.7% abv, naturally colored, and aged in Spanish Rioja wine casks and first fill bourbon casks. The Spanish Rioja is a nice twist, but I have it on good authority that Spaniards keep their good Rioja in house and ship the crap stuff to the rest of the world. I question the quality of the wine that imparted the flavor on this scotch. I found the nose and taste to be very similar which in my experience is not a good sign and the wine taste to be nothing special. Basically, this stuff is “ok” at best.

The art on the bottle is by a Danish Tattoo artists Colin Dale and it represents the Midgard Serpent. The seperant is the classic “snake eating its tail” which represents an unending circle. This circle is believed by some to represent the continuous circle of life. I believe, and this is just my opinion, Highland Park must have lost out to Johnnie Walker in obtaining the marketing rights to “Game of Thrones”. So instead they created this dual edged bullshit marketing campaign. You get little history of the Scottish with the Viking origins info and a little feel of the G.O.T. Have I mentioned before that I am half Scottish? We are descendants of Vikings but it is not brought up much because it would piss off the people from Iceland.

I can just hear it now……”Paging Mr. Draper to the Highland Park Distillery main conference room……you marketing presentation is about to begin…..”

Priced around $90 and it is ok but over priced for marketing reasons and the age. Maybe Odin’s adopted son Loki made this stuff? He is the God of Trickery. Thanks to Frankie for letting me try this one without paying!

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Glengoyne –12 Year Old

September 23, 2021 Scotland

Name: Glengoyne 12 Year Old

Color: Light gold

Nose: Toffee sweetness, citrus, and “other”

Taste: Sweet, lemon, vanilla, and slight coconut (aka “other”)

Review:

Glengoyne 12 year old is aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The scotch is light, fresh, and definitely more of a summer than a winter in body and taste. That lingering taste of lemon and coconut threw me a little. It is a nice taste, but as the cooler weather arrives in NYC I want to move into my peaty/smoky whisky’s. The Islay whiskies taste so good in the cooler weather. Glengoyne 12 is naturally colored which is a nice touch. If you are not aware, Scotch production laws allow adding caramel coloring to maintain consistency in appearance of the spirit.

I purchased Glengoyne 12 because I do not recall trying it before and the price was right. Personally, I like to try the 12-year-old whiskies from distilleries to get a baseline understanding of the flavor profile. If you go right to older whiskies from a distillery I feel you miss the growth and development of the whisky. You just get the best of the product line if you go right to the top. What are you going to learn? Some people prefer to jump into the older ones because they assume they are better. This is usually true, but sometimes it is the journey, not the destination.

The distillery is approximately 20 miles north of Glasgow, Scotland. Next time I am in Glasgow I will do a full review of the whisky’s and the distillery.

Price around $50 and a good value. The flavor and quality is nice, but light and sweet for my taste this season.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

The Macallan Edition No. 3

September 16, 2021 Scotland

Name: The Macallan Edition No. 3

Color: Brown

Nose: Oak, vanilla, orange

Taste: Fruits, sweetness, vanilla

Review:

The Macallan Edition No. 3 is one of the three releases from Macallan’s Special Editions Collection. This scotch was created in partnership with professional perfumer Roja Dove who used his skills to match smells that work with each other.

No. 3 is wood focused with the nose being a big part of the profile. The nose being a significant part of the creative process is no surprise with a perfumer consulting on its creation. But how will it taste?

No. 3 is a blend of 6 casks which are the following;

1. 1^st Fill American Oak Hudosa Butts
2. 2^nd Fill American/European Oak Refill Butts
3. 1^st Fill European Oak Tevasa Butts
4. 1^st Fill American Oak Bourbon
5. 1^st Fill European Oak Tevasa Hogheads
6. 1^st Fill American Bourbon Barrels

Each cask has a different flavor profile. I will spare you the details but the vanilla taste is clearly nose forward on this whisky. As you may already know, that comes from the bourbon barrels. Vanilla is a big thing with perfumers so I am not surprised by this but there was not much else in the flavor profile.

Over the last few years there have been various partnerships between distilleries and other people. Distilleries are partnering with chefs, musicians, movies, actors, artists, etc. to create new whisky’s. I want to believe it is a good thing but sometimes I feel it is marketing bullshit. It is like the distillery ran out of ideas and someone said, “Ummm why don’t we bring in {fill in the blank} to help us? Then we can market the shit out of this whisky!”

Ya, ok….fuck off with that.

I get distinct feeling that some whisky producers, even the big ones, are getting a bit desperate with the potential, and eventual slowdown in whisky interest. It has been 10 years since Mad Men aired and whisky became cool again. Now, in 2018 distilleries need to create new products that do not have a historical romantic story so a partnership with someone cool helps them sell.

It should be noted that Macallan has two other “Editions”. No.1 is made from eight casks and not partnered with anyone cool. No. 2 is sherry styled and created with some famous Spanish Chefs. Sherry influenced whisky from Spain….no shit?

Priced around $100 it is good, but I am not a huge fan for the flavor or the price. Let’s see how long it lasts on the store shelves.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Talisker Skye Single Malt

September 9, 2021 Scotland

Name: Talisker Skye Single Malt

Color: Light Brown

Nose: Malted Barley, honey, vanilla, heather

Taste: Oak, toasted, honey, white fruit

Review:

Talisker Skye Single Malt is an expression from the Talisker Distillery created in 2015. Talisker was founded in 1830 and is a well-known and classic scotch from the Isle of Skye in Scotland located in Carbost. Since the distillery is so close the ocean it is stated the whisky is “Made by the Sea”. I get the sea flavor in the scotch, but I also get it from Old Putney which is located even more North in Wick, Scotland. Marketing, fun play on words, got to love it!

Other expressions from Talisker are; 10, 18, 25, 30-year-old, Storm, Dark Storm, Distiller Edition, 75 North, Port Ruighe, and Neist Pint. I have had the 18-year old and I will be doing reviews on the 10-Year-old and Storm over the next few months.

I received a 3-pack sampler when I was in Scotland from my Aunt and I enjoyed each of them while I was spending a few days in a hotel in Edinburgh. Talisker Skye is a softer version of Talisker 10 and is good and a little cheaper.

Price around $55 and good but I prefer the 10-year-old.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Chivas Regal 12

June 3, 2021 Scotland

Name: Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old

Color: Light Yellow

Nose: Malt, wood, heather, orange

Taste: Wood, orange, light pepper, light vanilla

Review:

Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old Blended Scotch that comes from the Strathisla Distillery which was founded in 1786. It is located at Keith Moray in Speyside, Scotland and the Chivas Regal expression was created in 1801. I wonder how whiskey really tasted back in 1801. I bet it is was a rough and harsh as was life back then, plus there was no ice cubes unless it was winter. Due to the age of Chivas there is a lot of history but it is too long to summarize. If you like whiskey history I suggest you read up on it.

Chivas Regal is a very popular scotch and is on almost every bar in America, if not the world. Its popularity is up there with Johnnie Walker Black or Jack Daniels and it ranked in the top 5 blended scotches in the world.

It is bottled at 40% abv and is a blend so it is ok on the strength and decent on the taste. The 12 is a baseline scotch, but Chivas does have better expressions at higher prices.

Other expressions: Extra, 18, 25 Brother’s Blend, Regal Ultis, Regal Mizunara, Regal the Icon, Royal Salute, and Regal XV. I have a bottle of the Royal Salute 21 and I am waiting to for a special occasion to crack it open. With respect to the Chivas Regal 12 you are getting a basic blend at a basic cost.

Priced around $35 and good to bring to a party as a gift or for slugging down with friends.

If you like it, drink it! – Christopher

If you like it, drink it!

Bank Note Peated Reserve

Bunnahabhain – Stiuireadair

The Botanist Islay Dry Gin

Deanston 12

Johnnie Walker 4 Pack Sampler

Highland Park – 16 Year Twisted Tattoo

Glengoyne –12 Year Old

The Macallan Edition No. 3

Talisker Skye Single Malt

Chivas Regal 12

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