Scotch Malt Whisky Society 72.43
$116.09
BUNSEN BURNER AND BURNT CAPACITORS
This 10 year old Speysider is 59.8% and spent its life in a 1st fill white wine hogshead
Flavour profile: Deep, rich & dried fruits
Outturn: 262 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "There was smoke in the air; slightly burnt buttered toast or ginger biscuits, smoked apple pie and smoked mackerel risotto but also burnt capacitors, a fuel spill and a distant struck match – could this possibly be a lethal combination! Let’s try it; the struck match was for a Bunsen burner to scorch a crème caramel, some runny egg yolk still in a bowl nearby, but also to start the barbecue with some firelighters. Water defused the situation; toffee popcorn, chocolate dipped cherries, Reese’s peanut butter cups and in the taste slightly burnt sweet fruit quiche and potato wedges with a roasted garlic dip."
Drinking tip: "For those heated moments"
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 55.25
$183.59
SCRUMDIDLYUMPTIOUS!
This 20 year old Speysider is 54.3% and came from a 2nd fill hogshead
Flavour profile: Deep, rich & dried fruits
Outturn: 199 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "This lavish dram oozed with honey and mead, and was perfumed with oiled sandalwood and rose petals. Aromatic aniseed mingled with carrot cake with frosted icing and chunks of roasted sweet potato. The flavours at full strength were deeply indulgent and the texture chewy and creamy. Juicy Jamaica cake laced with plump sultanas and coffee and walnut gateau topped with fudge. With water, cranberries and pomegranate tussled with plump prunes and honey soaked raisins. Peanuts and praline coated with caramel, and butterscotch jostled for supremacy. The finale delivered rich fruit cake and Black Forest gateau. Ravishingly indulgent and wickedly good."
Drinking tip: "Great for a treat on a wet Monday night"
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 10.83
$109.79
INCREDIBLY AWESOME
From Islay, this 9 year old is from a refill barrel and is 58.8%
Flavour profile: Lightly peated
Outturn: 192 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "If you like this sort of thing, then this is the sort of thing you like – smoky bacon crisps, smoked eel, pickled vegetables, whole grain mustard, creamy horseradish and burnt honey glazed parsnips. What a sensation to taste; salty, sweet, smoky, spicy – kelp noodles, burnt honey and orange glazed ham, sweet sticky spicy spare ribs with red onion salad and candied walnuts. The addition of water changed the nose completely, much more maritime; sea spray, rock pools, driftwood, steamed mussels and sautéed scallops with a Chablis cream sauce whilst the flavours were now sweet soy oyster sauce, salted caramel and key lime pie."
Drinking tip: "The change when adding water is remarkable"
Celebration of the Cask Mortlach 1995
$197.99
Signatory Glentauchers 1996 48.8%
$161.99
This silky and seductive 18 year old has been bottled from a single Bourbon Barrel with just 185 bottles produced. Only 18 bottles have come to Canada, exclusively to KWM! 48.8%
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: fresh, fruity and floral with beeswax candles and soft toasty oak; mixed berry fruits make way for freshly sliced apples and pears with geraniums and rose petals.
Palate: very creamy, lush, beeswax and heather honey; the white and berry fruits are still there but overall this is just a silky-toasty american oak matured whisky with delicate floral top notes.
Finish: light but long, creamy and coating with fading fruits, honey and floral malt.
Comment: this is a pretty and decadent malt, a breakfast dram, or pre-bunch aperitif!
Wilson & Morgan Caol Ila 1990 25 Year
$472.49
Only 6 bottles of this old Islay malt have come to KWM, it was distilled in 1990 and bottled in 2015, 408 bottles have been filled at 54.3% from two Oloroso Sherry Finished casks, 4707 and 4709. The Malt Maniacs gave the whisky a gold medal.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: very malty, surprisingly so, oat cakes and white cheddar; treacle sauce and sticky toffee pudding, Christmas cake, dulce lece and slowly emerging candied fish notes and sea salt caramel.
Palate: big Christmas cake, some tarry smoke and dark spices; more sea salt caramel and building oily peats; the sticky toffee pudding and treacle sauce are still there with Dutch licorice and dark fruits; more oat cakes and aged white cheddar and again some chewy malt; layers of lovely fruit and honey develop in waves.
Finish: long, coating, oily and spicy with more buttery peats and mouthwatering deft salty-smoky-caramel.
Comment: this is a beautiful Caol Ila, lots of layers and somewhat Port Ellenesque; a joyous malt, wish we saw more of these!
From the Producer
"Following the two rare Oloroso-matured bottlings of Caol Ila from two years ago, this new older edition is even more refined. Five years in second fill casks have accomplished once again a daring marriage of intense peat and sherry, perfectly integrated. It’s bold, stormy, dark and immensely juicy. Heavy notes of tobacco and old leather at the nose, plus bitter chocolate, define the contribution of the sherry. On the palate it’s clearly a big Islay whisky (smoke, tar, liquorice, a certain saltiness) but at the same time it’s made richer and “amplified” by notes of walnut liqueur and red unsweetened cherries. Camphor, orange marmalade and aromatic herbs complete the scenario. A refined and intense malt, unique in its traditional but nowadays very rare style."
Wilson & Morgan Invergordon 30 Year
$283.49
From a single Sherry Wood Butt, #17, distilled in 1984 and bottled in 2015, at 57%.
Producer Description: "A very old grain whisky, enhanced by its long maturation in refill sherry casks. At the nose it’s darkly perfumed with notes of mint, camphor, a strong impression of old books and even a hint of smokiness. At the palate the sweetness of the cereals and the vanilla notes imparted by the long maturation are immediately evident, but soon the aromatic and slightly bitter notes of mint, liquorice, gentian root and old leather-bound books nicely complement it. Towards the finish, it’s an impressive crescendo of tannins from the oak: peppery and slightly astringent, but with the creamy cereal sweetness still lingering in the background to provide an intriguing tapestry."
Signatory Bruichladdich 1990 56.7%
$287.99
It has been a while since the distillery has bottled a mature expression of Bruichladdich. This Signatory independent bottling is exclusive in Canada to KWM, with just 18 bottles having come into the market. Bottled after 24 years at 56.7%, it doesn't disappoint!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: bakers chocolate and grilled prosciutto wrapped dates; Dutch licorice and firm new leather with a trace of sea salt and cracked pepper.
Palate: rich, fruity and spicy; a leather pouch filled with pipe tobacco; raisins, dates and figs with dark chocolate shavings on a cappuccino and a stick chewy Australian licorice; cinnamon hearts and candied ginger with maritime elements and a sultry caramel sauce.
Finish: big, rich and very fruity with fading leather and spices.
Comment: this is a mature but bold and layered Bruichladdich, not your standard fare!
Signatory Mortlach 1990 56.5%
$260.99
This 24 year old cask strength (56.5%) Mortlach distilled in 1990 is a bargain when compared the distillery bottled 25 year old at more than 3 times the price.
Mortlach launched as a single malt brand a few years back and jaws dropped when people saw the prices. $300+ for an 18 year old and over a grand for the 25 year. The whiskies are good but the prices are high for a brand that was previously only used in blends. Thankfully there is still some well priced independent bottlings of Mortlach out there.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: nutty, leathery and earthy with the promise of rich spices; raisins, chocolates and dates emerge with a touch of licorice, orange peel and French roast coffee.
Palate: deep, dark and fruity with lots of dried dark fruits: raisins, dates and figs; maple syrup and nutty chocolate fudge with a hint of chili oil and other hot spices; some leather and tobacco emerge with cold chewy bacon, showing the classic meaty-lightly-sulphury Mortlach style.
Finish: medium weight but long in length with fading spices, leather and fruits.
Comment: a big rich Mortlach at an excellent price!