Means of Seeing what the eye brings

Eddie and I got ourselves a few more bottles… The first, a bit of an impulse purchase: a bottle of Johnny Walker Gold Label 18 Year Old. Just as other tasters have noted, a sort of older cousin to the Black. I’m trying so so hard not to become a malt snob, but in this case, no matter how I try to avoid it, I just keep tasting the spirit, and not the flavour. Still, this is a great blend, a slight but definate cut above the Black, with interesting tobacco and leather notes. It opens up and gets a bit more of the promised finish with a little water. I’ll be saving this one for elegant versions of mixes; sours, tonics, Rusty Nails, etc.

The next bottle was an aquisition of opportunity: the Caol Ila 18 Year Old. We already have a bottle of the 12 Year, and just had to have both for comparison. In fact, I have a finger of each at hand as I write this! The 18 is a more refined, mellowed beast, with more oak and subtle smokiness, whereas the 12 is a real peaty seaside blast. Both definately, unmistakably Islay. They’re really two different whiskys, for different moods, but if I could, I’d take the nose of the 12 and have it with the smooth drinkability of the 18. The 18 is definately more approachable, but if it’s a proper stinky Islay malt experience, go for the 12.
It’s been very nice to be able to smell and taste the difference 6 more years in the barrel makes. It’s also now easy to see that the older malts may be trading impact and authority for smoothness and complexity, and that while the defining character of a refinery may be found in younger bottlings, the real personality comes out in the older.

The third new bottle of late is the Clynelish 14 Year Old. Labelled as a “Coastal Highland Single Malt”, it carries a bit of the salty smoke of an Islands malt, while still carrying the Highlands banner. At 46%, it’s just that little bit stronger, and to me, drinks better with a little water. Certianly, this malt can stand it, mellowing nicely in a wet glass while loosing none of its character. This, like the Glen Ord 12 Year, is a fine malt for the newbie, one that can be held in the mouth and savoured with becoming overwhelming.

We’ve also had, courtesy of some good cruising friends in the harbour, had a chance to try a few others lately! A fine Jura 10 Year Old which requires further sampling, as well as a couple fine Irish whiskies; a decent blended Jameson Gold and an outstanding Redbreast 12 Year Old. I do belive Eddie has asked Paul to try and bring us back a bottle of the latter from his current business travels abroad…

Three new malts have joined the scotch locker over the past few weeks. My first malt was a shot in the dark, yet it really turned out well. I have to admit that I bought the bottle of Glen Ord for the great box and beautiful decanter-style bottle… Hmmm, marketing at work? Anyways, onto the scotch.
The Glen Ord 12 Year Old is overall dry and malty, with a little underlaying peppery sweetness, resolving into a ginger finish. Sherry cask aged, but aside from the hint of sweet, no particular woodiness. Some tasters rate this as having a boring finish, while others have called it “perilously drinkable”. My default preperation is neat, room temperature; I try a little water (no more than 20%) with most malts, but this one doesn’t stand it, at least to my taste. By far mellow enough an introductory malt, and easily shared with friends, even those with no particular interest in scotch. I’d be really interested to try the 28-year bottling, and see if some more wood improves this one.

The next one was a bit of a snap purchase, heading over to another yacht for dinner. I had always liked the usual Glenfiddich consumer bottling, and when I saw the Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Ancient Reserve on the shelf, I grabbed it. So far I’ve had good luck with the premium bottlings from well-known distilleries; if you like a common 10 year old bottling, try the same brand’s 15+ year bottlings, or different finishes.
In this case, I picked a winner. I can definately see this being a reference malt for tasting purposes. The Ancient Reserve is a classic Speyside, which makes it especially nice for Speyside comparos. This particular Glenfiddich is furthermore distinguished by being a single malt that is split, aged in seperate oak and sherry casks, then “put back together”. This is a peatier malt than the Ord, by far, and definately woodier. The sherry lends fruit notes, but overall it’s big, bold, oaky, spicy, and rich to the end. This one is serious enough to take a little water.

I was hoping to try and get into some more upper highland malts, maybe another Speyside, but Eddie snapped me out of any sort of geographicaly-organized tasting with a surprise gift of a bottle from the Isle of Islay. Bless that Eddie; a grand gal, but she’s now ruined me, cursing me to chase after Islay malts for my next few bottles.
The malt she got me is Caol Ila 12 Year Old. Popped the cork, put a quarter inch in the bottom of a glass, dipped my nose over the rim, and… damn, I’m right there, cliffs, seashores, gulls wheeling, smoky fires, peat bogs, glowering fellows in kilts, yeah! Tasting notes claim this as a lighter Islay; ooh baby I can’t wait to sample a hairy one! If the Ord neatly defines mellow maltiness, the Caol Ila neatly defines a raging peaty monster.

Not too sure what I’d like to try next. I’m looking forward to any other Islay, and staying with the island theme, I’ve love to get my hands on a Talisker 18. Who knows?