Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix 46.7% Limited Edition Bottling

I broke this seal last night and I was very pleased with the fusion of flavours that embraced my taste buds. For me it has a very fruity taste of apples and pears that leaves a sweetness lingering on your palette.It has a light straw like golden colour and is one you could impress your friends with and gladly share! I've been fortunate to taste the 30 year old in the past, which is in a different league to this dram. The Snow Phoenix from Glenfiddich edges its way slightly towards the 30 year old and aspires to be like it's older brother but just lacks that certain finesse, (but then again it is half the price!). The main attribute this bottle has, is that it's very well presented and makes you want to buy one or even two on that alone.

 Is it worth the money? It depends what you pay for it? It ranges from £50 - £100 and upwards.
 I personally like it and would buy it again when the bottle is empty, not that I will know when that's going to happen? As you can't see with the bottle being black!
If you love sweet fruity whisky, then this is the one for you. Is it a collector? Yes! Although not one for the decanter. Glenfiddichs disaster brought forth a Phoenix as described, which saved the day to produce a very good product with no real bad points.



Scoring
3.6 out of 4 points for flavour
3 out of 3 points for presentation – well delivered packaging
2.7 out of 3 points on cost and is it worth it's money?  Yes if you get it at the right price for now.
9.3/10

Kilchoman Spring 2011 Release 46%

Kilchoman were celebrating this week with a Spring 2011 release after this fine dram won the GOLD BEST IN CLASS award for the Islay Single Malt un-aged catergory at the IWSC 2011 awards ..........slainte :-))
Kilchoman Spring 2011 is described as a mix of 3 year old (70%) and 4 year old (30%) matured in first fill bourbon barrels. The 4 year old has been finished in oloroso sherry butts for five weeks.
I thought I'd compare it to last nights tipple the Kilchoman Inaugural 100% Islay 2011 50% Limited Edition Release. They are slightly different I'm pleased to say! I found the Spring 2011 release to be much sweeter and fruitier to my palette with a bit more fire. It still has that lingering smoky wood after taste, common to other Kilchoman's that I have tasted. I won't dribble on about this one as I think you would all agree another fine whisky worth the money.   

Scoring
3.8 out of 4 points for flavour and feel good factor but with a wee bit of bite.
3 out of 3 points for Presentation – Well delivered packaging
3 out of 3 points on Cost and is it worth is money,  Yes
9.8/10

Kilchoman Inaugural 100% Islay 2011 50% Limited Edition Release.

Today the weather's not so good, a perfect day for a perfect dram. It had to be the Kilchoman Inaugural 100% Islay 2011 50% Limited Edition Release.
Although very young at 3 years old, this is surprisingly peaty and smooth, with hints of fruit, and for an Islay whisky consumer it ticks all the right boxes. It has all the wonderful sweetness and a smoky after taste that lingers, with a real quality to it. This is so moreish and pleasant it just leaves you wanting more! I have followed this distillery since it opened, and enjoyed the fruits of their labour in the few years they have been around. I personally find them good value for money. It's a shame that I didn't manage to aquire one of their first bottlings to taste, but they are as rare as hens teeth and cost a fortune! However, with so many whiskies to make friends with over the coming years I will have to bow down to those who saw the light sooner than I. This is so much a comfort whisky, whilst sat in front of a warming fire and the wind blowing a hooley, listening to the waves crashing on the shore outside the house..... You could almost imagine being on the shores of Islay supping this dram. Kilchoman do make really good whisky, that we should all agree, but this time they made really good whisky even better if that's possible? Let’s see where they take us? Islay produces for me the best whiskies in the world and we should be very proud of them for that. I'll raise a glass to them...... Sláinte!!

Scoring
4 out of 4 points for flavour and feel good factor
3 out of 3 points for Presentation – Well delivered packaging
3 out of 3 points on Cost and is it worth is money,  Yes
10/10

Glendronach 1991 Oloroso Sherry Butt aged 18 years and 51.9%.

This summer evening I sit upon the Solway shore pondering my thoughts to create the perfect atmosphere and dram . Should I go peaty or should I go sweet, should I go with my heart and Bruichladdich or should I venture into the unknown. Oh what a dilemma, a challenge for someone so old. I’ve scanned the stock that sits before me and have been drawn to the Glendronach 1991 Oloroso Sherry Butt aged 18 years and 51.9%. Bottle 85/760, the toffee apple and Tiramisu mix shines through and are very pleasant to say the least. It also has a fantastic toffee chocolate brown colour as it presents itself and adorns your glass. It has a wee bit of fire as it cascades to the back of your throat, but this is no bad thing, as a sweet sensation of space dust  leaves you wanting more. On presenting it with a few droplets of water the malty toffee flavour intensifies and releases the sherry to the nose making this excellent whisky even better. The fire stays with this whisky and does it no harm. Whisky blogging what a chore!!

Scoring
3.8 out of 4 points for flavour and feel good factor
3 out of 3 points for Presentation – Well delivered packaging
2.9 out of 3 points on Cost and is it worth is money,  Yes

9.7/10

Mannochmore 21 year old Vintage 1978 from Signatory 57.1%

Tonights addition to our wee blog , this has age and maturity about it and all the citrus from oranges and lemons, which hits the back of your throat the second it gets there. It is certainly a very lively whisky and packs a punch. To the nose you get an acid kick with it being 57.1%.
Saying that, its not unpleasant, it has so much going on and is one every whisky drinker should experience as this is at the sharp end. This all changes when you add a tad of water, as this releases a sweet malt aroma to the nose and even more citrus flavour’s become apparent. This is an exciting whisky but only really for the tried and tested friends of the Malt.

Scoring
3.1 out of 4 points for flavour and feel good factor
2.6 out of 3 points for Presentation -Nice Labelling
2.6 out of 3 points on Cost and is it worth is money,  Yes

8.3/10

   

Ardbeg 10 Year Old( 46%)

Like everyone says it’s a true classic malt from Islay. When you’re feeling low and you need something to dust the cobwebs from your taste buds look no further! This is a dram for the whisky drinker that’s been around a wee while, because of its smoky, peaty and malty expression.
 This is the one that lingers with a sweetness that will make you smile. For me, I think this dram is fantastic when you’re sat round a campfire with like-minded friends of the malt, on a late summers evening. I'm sure it would even keep the midges away?!

Scoring
4 out of 4 points for flavour and feel good factor
2.9 out of 3 points for Presentation -Nice Labelling
3 out of 3 points on Cost and is it worth is money,  Yes

9.9/10

Bruichladdich 17 Year Old Rum Cask( 46%)

If Danes made whisky then they would have made this one. This is probably the best whisky you could drink as far as I’m concerned. It is so sweet to the palette and is excitingly refreshing. This 17 year old whisky that’s been flavoured and matured in a RUM cask shines through giving it a very Caribbean feel. When you sip this whisky you'll go where seagulls fly and waves roll in as the sun sets on Scotland!! Or Caribbean if you’re lucky!! This is packaged well and Bruichladdich have excelled with this, they should try mixing this with  the Pomerol Bordeaux, this truly a drinking dram and will be a sorry miss when it all runs dry.

Wine Cask I think this would make a wonderful combination. Jim McEwan any chance.

Scoring
4 out of 4 points for flavour and feel good factor
3 out of 3 points for Presentation
3 out of 3 points on Cost and is it worth is money

Scoring 10/10

If I could give it more I would

Aberlour A'Bunadh 59.5%

Never been a frequenter of Aberlour but the Aberlour A'Bunadh 59.5% give you that feeling of warmth and comfort, the sherry expression is a real enhancer to this whisky, beautifully rich in colour for me this benefit’s for a wee tad of water as the aroma just floods out and makes a good whisky even better.

Scoring
3.5 out of 4 points for flavour and feel good factor
2.9 out of 3 points for Presentation -Nice Labelling
3 out of 3 points on Cost and is it worth is money,  Yes

9.4/10

Isle of Arran, Pomerol Bordeaux Wine Cask Finish 50%

I fell upon this little gem by per chance and what a whisky the Arran Distillery have here. This is a very refreshing all rounder single malt which has benefited and taken the charistaristics of the Pomerol Bordeaux Wine Cask Finish which has given it that Red wine sweet sensation and fusion of spicy crisp ginger. This eight year old for me is a collector of the future as this won,t stay on the shelfs for long, when truly discovered. More of these please.

Scoring
10 out of 10 points for flavour and feel good factor
7 out of 10 points for Presentation -Nice Labelling
10 out of 10 points on Cost and is it worth is money,  Yes

27/30

Things to ponder in the Quest for the ultimate Dram!!

As long as I can remember whisky was always seen as an old man's drink, Not now whisky has moved with the times and is fit for many occasions. For me, drinking whisky is a mood thing as the sky turns grey and the storm rolls in, I feel the need to consume a peaty dram that make me feel warm and cosy, on the other side of the scale the sun is shining there's a breeze in the sea air and you feel like a sweet and cheery dram with a bouquet that is pleasing to your nose.
I would say if you're not in the mood for smoky one then don't drink it (even if some else did buy it). Whisky should be consumed for me, when in the mood and I have time to drink it, and where there ia also time to savour the flavours.
I would drink a smoky peaty whisky after a meal, but would drink a sweet Speyside whilst out with friends. I'm a great believer that you should try never to drink your favourite tipple if there is a wee dram on the bar that you have never tried before, as you don't know what you're missing and it could become your rising star.
I have a close friend Ian that will share a wee dram with me and we like to try the new expressions as they arrive onto the market. As this allows me to comment after tasting it but a few times. You never get the real taste until you have thought long and hard about what you have in front of you.
I'm also very fortunate and lucky to be a member of the Drambusters Club in Dumfries where a group of like-minded whisky consumers who gather regularly to try a selection of wee drams from the distillers that you won't normally get on your supermarket shelf. They are there to tantalise our palate and charm our taste buds, with the hosts Brian and Karen.
So join me on this life long trail and let's make this Blog worth reading.

Drambuster Landscape Series No 2 BenRiach 13Year Old

Drambuster Landscape Series No 2 BenRiach 13Year Old 57.2%

Tasted this yesterday for the first time and what a whisky! I was amazed at the flavours that engulfed my taste buds.
This is a truly amazing whisky that could convert any non whisky drinker. My friend and I could not believe the aromas and flavours we were experiencing. It's rich rosey sherry colour is beautiful to look at.
The cloves and cinnamon shone through and warmed you without burning your throat ( with it being cask strength.)
If this is the taste of things to come. Then we are all in for a dream ride.
I think for me this was a fitting Dram to start my blogging career.
 Well done Drambusters yet again.

Scoring
9 out of 10 points for flavour and feel good factor
7 out of 10 points for Presentation
8 out of 10 points on Cost and is it worth is money(This should be well priced I have given this 3 but may change)

Scoring 25/30