Prepare to set sail..

Old Pulteney, that sea-dog of Scottish distillers, has done it again with their newest no-age statement release Navigator. Honoring the sailors of old and the sea which flavors their whiskies, Old Pulteney has delivered an uncompromising whisky with tons of character. It begins with a nose filled with sweet apples, caramel, chocolate and gentle vanilla. Developing on the palate, it delivers apples, oranges and sweet honey with a nice full mouth-feel. The finish is nice and long with a blast of sea salt delivering a surprise blow which will make you want to take another sip as you wonder why you didn't taste it until the finish! Bottled at a respectable 46% ABV, one gets to appreciate the taste without being overpowered. This is a real winner, and much more refined than their 12 yr old release.

Ardbeg Uigeadail

Ahhh, Ardbeg! Nothing says peated whisky like Ardbeg, and Ardbeg Uigeadail is one of their best offerings.

The nose is heavenly, sweet with notes of peat and sugar, coffee and toffee, with a touch of cereal grain. The palate is very complex, with tons of beat and malted barley being gentle caressed by tones of ripe fruit and honey...it's sweet and smokey at the same time. The finish really long, with tons of peat and smoke being interwoven with espresso and caramel. This is truly a masterpiece in the whisky world, with tons of awards behind it including a Liquid Gold Award in 2014 from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible, a Silver medal in the Islay Single Malt No Age Statement Category at the 2014 World Whiskies Awards, and being the 2009 winner of the World Whisky of the Year Awared from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible. There are countless other awards out there stacking up for Ardbeg, but the best award goes to the drinker as one cracks open this fine bottle!

The Balvenie Doublewood

Aged for 12 years in traditional ex-bourbon casks and then finished in European Oak Sherry casks, The Balvenie gets finished whisky right. Truly an art form unto itself, finishing whisky in various cask types takes dedication to flavor to a new height.

Doublewood 12 starts with a wonderful nose of supple fruits and grains with a hint of honey and grapes. The palate is wonderful, with lots of body and sweetness. Gentle spices and honey tickle the mouth as vanilla dances along the tongue. The slightest hint of peat balances out the mouth just before the finish. The finish itself is nice and warm, with plenty of spice and a gentle dryness brought on by the Sherry casks. 

This is a great whisky and a fine introduction to multi-cask finished whisky. 

Caledonia

I was given a bottle of Edradour's limited release, Caledonia as a gift last year and let me say first that it is one of the best whisky gifts I've ever gotten. A beautiful release in celebration of Scotland's rich heritage and endorsed by Dougie MacLean, the unofficial voice of Scotland. Named after his hit song, "Caledonia", this whisky is amazing.

Edradour is the smallest distillery in Scotland, but they have arguably one of the biggest tastes around. Full of life and flavour, their whisky embodies the Highland style. Caledonia is no exception, distilled in 1997 and stored in an Oloroso sherry cask for 12 years before being hand selected by Dougie MacLean for this release, it is a true treasure. 

The nose is very sweet, with lush cream and honey. The faint remnants of the sherry from the cask waft alongside gentle oak and fig, and really get you excited about this dram. The palate is equally inviting, blasting out with more fig, honey and oats, and lots of fruit. Roasted almonds and sherry pair alongside gentle caramel overtones to make it very full, round and memorable. The finish has a classic sherry dryness and is accented by gentle spices and dark chocolate. I can't say enough good things about this whisky, but to really appreciate it you simply must have a glass yourself. It is very hard to come by in the US, with only a handful of specialist retailers offering it...keep your eyes peeled and maybe you'll get lucky. Edradour's other offerings are equally wonderful, but none I think can outdo Caledonia. 

Aberlour 16 Years Old, Double Cask Matured

I picked up this lovely bottle on New Year's Eve of 2013 to help me ring in Hogmanay in in style. Aberlour 16 Year Old Double Cask Matured is a nice middle of the road single malt from the Speyside region of Scotland. At around $70, it doesn't hurt the wallet that much and the product is worth every penny. It begins with a spicy floral nose, lots of dried fruits and vanilla with a hint of caramel. Plums and raisins, even a touch of rosewater. The palate is smooth and rich, with fruit and a lingering sherry dryness while loaded with dark chocolate and some nuttiness. The finish is extraordinarily long with tons of fruit and spice. All in all it is a wonderful dram and a nice representation of the Speyside region, no smoke and very little oakiness. It is matured in traditional oak casks and re-fill sherry casks, and bottled at a very low ABV of 43% which helps keep it somewhat tame and not overpowering.

Travel Exclusive

For those that wander, there is always something exciting and new in the world of whisky. Travel Retail (read, Duty Free stores) exclusive bottlings have become the new hot ticket. Almost every distillery is now offering some form of travel retail exclusive, and the chaps at Glenlivet are definitely doing it right.While on a recent cruise in the Caribbean, I picked up a 1 liter bottle of The Glenlivet Master Distiller's Reserve. This bottle is amazing, rich and full-bodied with tons of mouth feel and a very pleasant finish. It starts with a robust nose of peach, apricot and warm toffee, then develops in the palate with plenty of oak and a gentle nip of apricots, figs and dried nuts. The finish is exceptionally long and leaves the drinker with a warm sunset of oak and light smoke.

As is becoming all too common, this is a No-Age Statement whisky...meaning we really have no idea how long the spirits used in it have spent inside of a barrel. But here there is no hint of young whisky, the combination of European oak butts, first-fill American barrels and refill hoggies certainly works in favor of a memorable dram. If you can find it, it's well worth the effort to pack a bottle back through customs!

Riding out the Storm!

I know, I know...it's been nearly 4 months since the last entry. A lot of stuff going on here in Whisky-land, and I'm going to try to get caught up as quickly as I can. Today we're going to look at the latest in the emerging trend of no-age statement whisky, Talisker Storm.

A new bottling from the famed Talisker Distillery on the Isle of Skye, Storm gives us everything we come to expect from this distillery by the sea. It's smoky, has plenty of brine and sea air overtones, and is complex throughout. The nose begins with a heavy splash of sea, salt and a hint of citrus and tropical fruits. A touch of spice and perhaps even old wooden boats left to decay by the sea...close your eyes and you can almost see them being lapped by the waves! The palate is thick and coats the mouth well, wood smoke and salt brine overpower in a good way and wash in a nice spicy chili pepper note. The finish is a touch dry, oak filled and smokey, and is a heavenly medium length. Overall this whisky is a great choice, smokier than other Talisker offerings and a nice middle of the road at its price point. At 45.8% ABV, it's got a bit of a punch but the alcohol isn't overpowering.