26/11/12 Chivas Regal 18yo
Malty and spicy, orange peel, cloves, vanilla fudge. Lots of oak. Properly woody! Rich fruit, sultanas and cherries, obviously some sherried malts in here.
Lovely flavour profile but a wee bit thin.
3/5 Nearly great.
Archive for the ‘ Blend ’ Category
06/12/11 Ben’s Blend
Compass box on the stage tonight…
This dram was created by the MoM sales director, a fella called Ben apparently…
Heavily spiced with treacle, molasses, orange zest, ginger cake, some lighter notes of Shortbread, vanilla and honey.
Perfectly palatable but not a dram to go wild over.
3/5
23/11/11 Tullamore Dew 12yo
My first review of an Irish dram.
I’m not really familiar with Irish whiskey at all. Tried a few, generally enjoyed them but I’ve not even tasted one in the last couple of years.
Deep intense grain. Slightly grassy, some sherry fruit, toffee, oats, hazelnuts, light dry spices.
A very gentle, warming dram. Slightly oily, nice balance of sweet fruit and dry oak.
No complaints.
3/5.
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
11/10/11 Compass Box Asyla
Compass Box, an independent blender and bottler, have released a tasty little box set complete with tasting notes and some nice simple composition descriptions.
Tonight I’m trying Asyla for the first time.
This is a traditional blend of malts. 40% from Alness (Dalmore or Teaninich maybe) and 10% Longmorn. The remaining 50% is grain whisky from Fife (presumably Cameronbrig), vatted in a first fill american cask.
Vanilla, very oaky, a little lavender, pear drops, crisp grain, some warm grass. Quite nutty and with a pleasing long finish.
This is a simple and light-bodied dram but enjoyable enough.
2/5
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
23/09/11 Grant’s Sherry Cask
My first bottle of this top-selling dram.
I’ve tried it once before, with Ludo Ducroq (Grant’s brand ambassador).
Alongside the 12yo, 25yo, ale cask, family reserve and 18yo (those last 3 are probably 3 of my 5 favourite blends of all time) I felt it was lacking some character.
So…I saw this on special offer today so picked it up as you do. We shall see how it fares on it’s own.
Nose: raspberry ripple icecream, shortbread, honey, dry cereal
Palate: tropical fruit, slightly smoky, amaretto biscuits. Oddly stony?
Finish: muesli, slightly nutty
Balance: better than I remember frankly, perhaps just because I’m drinking it in isolation. I can’t help but wish it had more sherry influence to give it a bit more power.
3/5, it would be a great dram for mixing.
Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.
My Scoring System
Instead of the usual score from 100 (nose 25, palate 25, finish 25 and balance 25) my system is based purely on enjoyment levels.
1. Well, it’s whisky so I’ll drink it.
2. OK but nothing to shout about. I won’t be offended if you ask for a dram and put lemonade in it.
3. An enjoyable dram, close to being really good. Maybe one or two little things that stop greatness.
4. Fantastic stuff, right up there. A great dram with no flaws.
5. The very best I’ve ever tasted. A whisky that excels on every level, one with huge flavours but delicate balance and shows a level of complexity that you can study for hours.
1. Well, it’s whisky so I’ll drink it.
2. OK but nothing to shout about. I won’t be offended if you ask for a dram and put lemonade in it.
3. An enjoyable dram, close to being really good. Maybe one or two little things that stop greatness.
4. Fantastic stuff, right up there. A great dram with no flaws.
5. The very best I’ve ever tasted. A whisky that excels on every level, one with huge flavours but delicate balance and shows a level of complexity that you can study for hours.
Dramhits
- 91,209 hits
The Stonkers and the Stinkers
Regions & Distilleries
- Books (1)
- Campbeltown (8)
- Glen Scotia (2)
- Glengyle (1)
- Longrow (1)
- Springbank / Hazelburn (4)
- France (2)
- Highland (80)
- Aberfeldy (1)
- Ardmore (6)
- Balblair (1)
- Banff (1)
- Ben Nevis (1)
- Blair Athol (1)
- Cameron Brig (1)
- Cardhu (2)
- Clynelish (1)
- Dalmore (3)
- Dalwhinnie (4)
- Deanston (1)
- Edradour (1)
- Fettercairn (1)
- Glen Albyn (1)
- Glen Garioch (7)
- Glen Ord (1)
- Glenburgie (1)
- Glencadam (1)
- Glenglassaugh (10)
- Glengoyne (2)
- Glenmorangie (5)
- Glenturret (2)
- Glenugie (1)
- Inchmurrin (1)
- Loch Lomond / Croftengea (2)
- Lochside (2)
- Oban (2)
- Old Pulteney (4)
- Royal Brackla (1)
- Royal Lochnagar (1)
- Teaninich (1)
- Tomatin (2)
- Tullibardine (2)
- Ireland (2)
- Island (37)
- Abhainn Dearg (1)
- Arran (13)
- Highland Park (11)
- Jura (4)
- Scapa (1)
- Talisker (4)
- Tobermory / Ledaig (2)
- Islay (72)
- Ardbeg (26)
- Bowmore (8)
- Bruichladdich (12)
- Bunnahabhain (5)
- Caol Ila (2)
- Kilchoman (1)
- Lagavulin (3)
- Laphroaig (9)
- Port Ellen (2)
- Japan (6)
- Lowland (12)
- Auchentoshan (1)
- Bladnoch (2)
- Caledonian (1)
- Cambus (1)
- Glenkinchie (1)
- Inverleven (1)
- Linlithgow / St Magdalene (1)
- North British (2)
- Rosebank (1)
- Netherlands (1)
- Zuidam (1)
- Other (43)
- Blend (23)
- Blended Malt (11)
- Mystery Malt (8)
- People (1)
- SMWS (35)
- South Africa (1)
- James Sedgwick (1)
- Speyside (158)
- Aberlour (3)
- Allt-a-Bhainne (1)
- AnCnoc / Knockdhu (3)
- Auchroisk (1)
- Aultmore (2)
- Ballindalloch (1)
- Balmenach (1)
- Balvenie (13)
- BenRiach (4)
- Benrinnes (1)
- Benromach (4)
- Braeval (1)
- Caperdonich (1)
- Coleburn (1)
- Convalmore (1)
- Cragganmore (2)
- Craigellachie (1)
- Dailuaine (4)
- Dallas Dhu (1)
- Glen Deveron (1)
- Glen Elgin (2)
- Glen Grant (2)
- Glen Keith (1)
- Glen Moray (4)
- Glen Spey (1)
- Glendronach (31)
- Glendullan (1)
- Glenfarclas (5)
- Glenfiddich (9)
- Glenlivet (2)
- Glenlossie (1)
- Glenrothes (2)
- Glentauchers (1)
- Imperial (2)
- Inchgower (1)
- Knockando (1)
- Linkwood (3)
- Longmorn (2)
- Macduff (1)
- Mannochmore (2)
- Miltonduff (1)
- Mortlach (9)
- Pittyvaich (1)
- Singleton of Dufftown (1)
- Speyburn (1)
- Speyside (Distillery) (1)
- Strathisla (1)
- Strathmill (1)
- Tamdhu (2)
- The Macallan (10)
- Tomintoul (2)
- Tormore (2)
- Sweden (2)
- Mackmyra (2)
- Uncategorized (89)
- USA (2)
- Wales (2)
- Penderyn (2)
Top Posts & Pages
Drams Per Month
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Nov | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||
Blogroll
Top Clicks
- None
