Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition (1995)
Okay. Yeah, it’s aged in PX sherry, which is a big deal, but… this particular expression falls short with me. I’d stick to the 16, and get my sherry kick elsewhere.
It’s My Party and I’ll Blog If I Want To…
Musings on turning 30, and Glenfarclas 40 year-old.
Pretension
Pretension is a big part of the luxury spirits industry. A lot of money is made on pretension. I think if we all drank our fine whiskies with more attention to the enjoyment of the drink, instead of the pretension attached to it, we’d all be a little less stressed-out.
Arran Machrie Moor
It’s moderately well-balanced, but it’s neither particularly complex nor particularly exciting. It’s also been bottled far too young. Arran die-hard fans would be interested to see what smoking does to their favorite malt, but the rest of us shouldn’t offer more than a shrug.
McCarthy’s Oregon Single-Malt
Amazing that a three year-old whisky distilled on a tiny brandy still in Oregon can smell and taste like an 8 or 10 year-old Islay single malt scotch. Sure, the imported barley has a lot to do with that, but Steve McCarthy’s attention to detail, careful (and economical) use of oak, and small slowly-running stills all come through in the product, which somehow tastes handcrafted.
My Whisky Journey
Some ramblings about my early drinking days and the path that led me to scotch.
Lagavulin (12 year)
The 12 has a clearer, cleaner flavor than Lagavulin 16, more bright and more powerful. It shows Islay peat, pure and without excess wood or the sweetness inherent in the use of European oak.
The Arran Malt (14 year)
Good whisky on its own, but in comparison to the 10 year it’s mostly a novelty. This price point means it’s competing with a whole swathe of stand-out malts in the 14-17 age range. This particular bottle just doesn’t stand up to the competition, and probably should be $5 to $10 cheaper.
The Arran Malt (10 year)
Great value! You could do a lot worse with $45. The mature lack of bitterness plus interesting tartness in the nose and on the palate is a winning combination. This is the sort of malt that you’ll try as a novelty, and then come back to for its quality.
Ballantine’s 17 Year
What’s most impressive here is the concentration of sweet desserty flavors without even a touch of bitterness on the finish. Sure, it’s good whisky, but I’d rather spend the money on some malts that are at least as good (quality-wise), even if they aren’t as masterfully assembled.