Compass Box Great King Street Artists Blend

The Great King Street Artists Blend is a blended Scotch whisky, which means that it is comprised of both malt and grain whiskies. Produced by Compass Box Whisky Co, the whisky is a blend of different whiskies (46% is Lowland grain whisky, 45% Northern Highland single malt and 9% Speyside single malt) that have matured in different oak types (mostly American oak, with 66% from first fill American oak, 26% from whiskies finished with French Oak and 8% from first fill sherry buts). The use of these whiskies and oak types indicates that Compass Box aimed to produce a whisky of great complexity. They have succeeded.  

The whisky itself is elegant, smooth, complex and silky with an inviting nose – the kind of whisky you want to melt into a lounge with, remote control in hand. The American oak provides the foundation of this blend, with gentle vanillas and raisin notes mixed with chocolate. The use of French oak is a masterstroke, because it seems to give the whisky a toasty edge with hints of spice that are softened by the dried fruit and winy nip from the sherry butts. The malt content of the whisky also seems high, and the clean fruity malts meld together beautifully with the more aromatic heavier malts to create a whisky that is light yet substantial.  At £25, or $50, this whisky is an absolute bargain – a must try.

Nose: Waves of vanilla with cherry cough drops and dried fruit (dates and raisin) combine with chocolate, herbaceous mint sauce notes, honeyed ham and flashes of peppery spice.

Taste: Smooth, light and extremely palatable, the milder grain whisky takes the lead on the entry with vanilla, caramel and toffee but it is followed closely by the grassy malts and the heavier fruity malts. At mid-palate the wood becomes more dominant, adding spice and richer chocolate notes with hints of tannic herb.

Finish: Toasty, with slowing dying spice, cocoa and coffee notes supported by dried fruit counterbalanced by the more bitter wood tannins.   

Compass Box Hedonism

Compass Box Whisky Co are purveyors of blended Scotch whisky. Each product in their core range aims to give consumers a glimpse into one particular style within the spectrum of flavours offered by Scotch whisky – light, delicate, smoky and full flavoured. Compass Box buys different styles of whisky from different distilleries and blends them to create a desired flavour profile in each of their core products, which include Oak Cross, Asyla, Spice Tree, Great King Street Artists Blend, Peat Monster and Hedonism.

Compass Box Hedonism is a blended grain whisky that showcases creativity and a fresh approach to Scotch whisky, at least in living memory. A century ago blended grain whiskies were more common. These days the shelves of liquor stores are dominated by either malt whisky, which is made from malted barley, or blended whisky, which is made from blending malt whisky with grain whisky. For a very long time the vast majority of grain whisky has disappeared into the bottles of blended whiskies. This all started in 1831 when Aeneas Coffey invented a still that allowed for the continuous process of distillation and this led to the production of grain whisky, which, being lighter in style to malt whisky, tempered some of the fire of malt whisky and therefore malt/grain blends appealed to a wider market.  Grain whisky is usually designed to be as neutral as possible so that it can balance the fiery kick of malt whisky and it is this grain whisky that gives grain whisky its reputation as boring, uninteresting and unspectacular. Some blends also contain grain whisky that smells very young and this contributes to the bad name of grain whisky. Times have changed, and while blended whiskies continue to dominate the market, single malts have become more popular. Rising with the tide is grain whisky, and heeding to this demand is Compass Box with the release of Hedonism – a whisky that is designed to be a grain whisky and not blended with malt whisky, which means this blended grain is comprised of lovely aged whiskies that, when blended, are rich, complex, full flavoured and, frankly, delicious.  

The whiskies used in Hedonism have matured in 100% first-fill American oak barrels or rejuvenated American oak Hogsheads, and are typically sourced from the distilleries Cameron Bridge, Carsebridge, Cambus, Port Dundas or Dumbarton. Hedonism is the kind of whisky you want to selfishly drink alone – smooth, rich and complex with lots of depth to explore. The spicy fire from the wood and firmer grain (rye comes to mind) seems to be softened by the caramel, toffee and sweet vanillas from the softer grains as the anise seed snap of unfiltered full-flavoured vodka common to more neutral grain distillate melds with an array of sweetened tea leaves, wood tannins and bourbon themed notes of wood vanilla, dried fruit, raisin and chocolate that commonly occur when grain whisky, such as corn, wheat or rye, is matured in American oak. This is a hugely enjoyable whisky that is crafted with lots of creativity and clearly intended for the spirit lover. It is bottled at 43% ABV and non-chill filtered with natural colour, and at £54 or $110 it is an affordable glimpse into a rare blend of older grain whiskies.

Nose: Toasted coconut macaroon with creamy vanilla and the whiff of a classic cream layered birthday cake melds with caramel and light strands of toffee layered over mashmallows. Heavier wood notes bring chocolate as notes of red pepper seeds combine with the most interesting marriage of bourbon, the dry sugary gusts from English style pot still rum and the anise seed kick of a sublime unfiltered vodka. The bourbon notes are entirely understandable, because bourbon is essentially a grain whisky made from at least 51% corn and then matured in newly made American oak.

Taste: The entry is smooth, sweet, creamy and bourbon themed with raisin and dried fruit as the grain itself brings spice and soothing caramels and toffee interlaced with green tea sweetened with barley sugar, polenta, anise seed and some fine hints of high quality full-flavoured and unfiltered vodka (the way it should be, with only the best “cuts” from the distilling run rather than filtered through mountains of charcoal). Then the oak kicks in, and a flurry of spices ignite on the palate with chocolate, vanilla, honeyed oats and the twist of wood tannins.

Finish: The lingering taste of sweet ethanol lingers with bitter green tea ice cream, that grain filled full flavoured Eastern European vodka, earl grey, bitter chocolate and toasty American oak.  

Johnnie Walker Double Black

When most people think of whisky, the striding man emblazoned on Johnnie Walker bottles comes to mind.  The vast majority of people enjoy blended whisky in a mixed drink and, for this reason, Johnnie Walker will most likely be available in almost every bar, pub, restaurant, liquor store and grandparents dusty liquor cabinet. Taking heed of changes in the market, however, Johnnie Walker has seemingly sought to modernize its products with new bottle designs and some changes to its core line up which now include: Red Label, Black Label, Double Black, Gold Label Reserve (replacing Green Label), Platinum Label (replacing Gold Label), and, Blue Label. Each product in the Johnnie Walker core range offers something different, but perhaps one of the most interesting is the relatively new Double Black.

The Johnnie Walker Double Black is described as a “rich, intense, smoky blend containing whisky matured in deep charred old oak casks”. It is intended to be smokier and more intense than the Johnnie Walker Black Label and as a result Johnnie Walker appear to have created the Double Black for people who want more smoke, peat, ash and richness than the Black Label. The whisky itself is a masterful piece of blending, because in my opinion it has all the hallmarks of a deliciously smooth blend that should appease the mass market but at the same time bursts on the palate with rich malty flavours that single malt aficionados often admire in malts from the mainland and Islay – the luscious caramel, toffee, vanillas and chewy honeyed malt with hints of apple melds with ashy cigar smoke, spicy BBQ, mild medicinal notes, grassy peat and the mild spray of sea salt with a creamy, almost buttery, edge. At mid-palate the peat and the wood begin to intensity and eventually fade into a smoky, drying, finish with lingering sweet malt and toffee.

Given the arsenal of single malts at the disposal of Diageo (the owners of Johnnie Walker), it is clear that the Double Black is very carefully crafted with malts from Islay at its core. The use of the heavily charred oak casks may also be masterstroke, because studies suggest that heavily charred oak tends to give a whisky more smoothing sweet vanillas. That is precisely what, in my opinion, makes the Double Black so delicious – the wood, spice, peat and sweet smoothing creaminess. The Double Black certainly boasts a rich flavour profile with smokier and more intense flavours than the Black Label, so in this regard Johnnie Walker have succeeded. At $50, it is great value and a fine example of a peaty whisky that has actually gained a creative edge thanks to the expertise of a blender. 

Looks like the Double Black will now sit comfortably in my whisky cabinet, waiting to be savoured on a frosty night when super smooth easy drinking peat is desired. 

Black Grouse

The Famous Grouse can trace its roots back to 1896, when it was first produced by the merchants Matthew Gloag & Sons. Now owned by the Edrington Group (who also own The Macallan and Highland Park), The Famous Grouse produces blended whisky. Its core blend (The Famous Grouse) proudly features the Red Grouse, the national game bird of Scotland, on all its bottles and has been the highest selling whisky in Scotland since the 1980’s. The company has also produced 100% malt whisky blends with age statements, such as the Famous Grouse 12 Year old and Famous Grouse 30 Year Old, but these offerings now appear to be discontinued as the company moves to a no age statement format which sees it now have four core products: Famous Grouse, Snow Grouse, Naked Grouse and Black Grouse.

The Black Grouse is a blend that includes The Famous Grouse blended whisky married together with peated malt whiskies from the Isle of Islay in Scotland, which is the traditional heartland of peat and home to nine distilleries. Curiously, none of them are owned by The Edrington Group which prompts some thought as to the origin of some of the Islay malts that have made it into this blend. The whisky itself is so much more than the honeyed fruit and vibrant caramel rich malt of the Famous Grouse with a dash of peat. Peated malts from Islay appear to be added to The Famous Grouse, and this means wonders for the nose and palate – the added peated malts bring a greater malt content, more oak influence including more textured vanilla and energetic spice, and, some oily undercurrents of barley that carry the plumes of peat smoke. All this is smoothed and skillfully tamed with the grain whisky from The Famous Grouse, and this all translates into The Black Grouse – a highly enjoyable smoky blend with a noticeable malt content that puts it a level above The Famous Grouse but which has enough grain whisky to make it smooth enough to be enjoyed by most people who salivate at the whiff of some peat. At £20, or around $40, Black Grouse is an exceptional blend that in my opinion can comfortably sit alongside Johnnie Walker Black Label as one of the best value smoky blended whiskies on the market.

Nose: A light and aromatic smoky nose melds peat with honeyed fruit (peach, nectarine, apricot) and a bright malt interlaced with notes of caramel and vanilla custard. The peat is soft, sweet and a delight to smell amidst the malt and grain. Hints of salted butter develop with fresh peppery tropical fruit (papaya, for example) after the whisky is allowed to rest in the glass, and this appears to introduce the nose to the wonders of Islay.

Taste: Peat, malt and toffee take the lead on the entry, but the oak soon follows with notes of vanilla, wood and hints of cocoa and peppery spice. At mid-palate mild salty notes and lashes of betadine commonly associated with whisky from Islay are softened by more dominant overtones of the sweet honeyed grain and bright summery fruity malt of The Famous Grouse. The Islay malts certainly appear to play an important role in this blend, adding malt content and mild undertones of salt and betadine, but the stars of the show are the peat itself, the spices from the oak and the softening touch of The Famous Grouse.

Finish: The spices continue to tingle on the tongue, peppery and yet fruity all at once, as waves of caramel and vanilla smooth those sparks of spice and leave the taste of salted butter lingering.     

Ducan & Taylor Smokin'

Smokin is a blended Scotch whisky produced by independent bottlers Duncan & Taylor. Duncan & Taylor are known for bottling very old Scotch whisky at extremely reasonable prices and some of the most noteworthy among them are the Glenrothes 1969 Vintage 40 Year Old (Octave) and the Black Bull 40 Year Old. Smokin is a no age statement whisky, and this seems to detract somewhat from what has made Duncan & Taylor so appealing in the past – aged whisky at great prices. Nonetheless, with the spike in global demand for whisky, dwindling supplies of older whisky and more knowledge about how to mature whisky faster the move to no age statements seems inevitable for many producers. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is just that it removes the only objective measure consumers have about the nature of a whisky – how long it has been in a cask.

Smokin is, according to Duncan& Taylor, “whisky as it used to be” because it pays homage to the heavy smoky blends that were popular in the past. They joke that Sir Winston Churchill would have approved, which provides some hints about the inspiration for this blend given Sir Winston’s apparent love of cigars. The whisky itself comprises of peaty malts from unnamed Scottish distilleries, but there is an indication that the character of this whisky is influenced heavily by peated malts from the Scottish mainland rather than the traditional heartland of peat, the islands – Islay, Skye, Jura, Orkney etc. Duncan & Taylor write:

Smokin’ – The Gentleman’s Dram contains smoky whiskies from distilleries throughout Scotland, no-longer bound by regional definitions. The Master Blender has perfectly balanced the robust peat smoke flavours now being produced by mainland Scottish Distillers and complimented them with the smooth notes of toffee and vanilla produced by pairing grain whisky and fresh bourbon casks.

Overall, Smokin’ is an enjoyable smoky blend with the typical sweetness of peaty blends but with an interesting twist of pepper and sweet n’ spicy condiments such as barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce and Worcestershire sauce - saucy indeed! At around £29 it is reasonably spiced for a whisky of a nice peaty persuasion but it seems unlikely that my hands will ever reach for it over Black Grouse (£20), Johnnie Walker Black Label (£27) or Johnnie Walker Double Black (£33), some other peaty blends on the market.

Nose: The aroma of peat is rich and strong, interlaced with caramel and vanilla with hints of pepper. A tad shy, the character of the whisky remains beneath the fog of peat at first and takes its time to open up. There are typical aspects of peat smoke then noticeable, such as caramelised sugars and the whiff of cooked hot peppers marinated in barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce and Worcestershire sauce with smoky bacon – sauce sauce sauce!

Taste: The sweetness from the grain is much more noticeable on the palate. Hints of pepper and dashes of salt occasionally filter through chocolate caramel, vanilla syrup and the sweet element of barbecue sauce/ketchup as the peat, now sweeter, remains a constant.  

Finish: Sweetness lingers with dying embers of peat that crackle with a resurgence of those peppers on the nose, and sugars from a recently consumed sachet of ketchup and barbecue sauce.  This is a very saucy blend!

Black Bull Kyloe

The Black Bull Kyloe is a blended Scotch whisky produced by independent bottlers Duncan & Taylor. Duncan & Taylor are known for bottling very old Scotch whisky at extremely reasonable prices and some of the most noteworthy among them are the Glenrothes 1969 Vintage 40 Year Old (Octave) and the Black Bull 40 Year Old. The Black Bull Kyloe is a no age statement whisky, and this seems to detract somewhat from what has made Duncan & Taylor so appealing in the past – aged whisky at great prices. Nonetheless, with the spike in global demand for whisky, dwindling supplies of older whisky and more knowledge about how to mature whisky faster the move to no age statements seems inevitable for many producers. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is just that it removes the only objective measure consumers have about the nature of a whisky – how long it has been in a cask.

The Black Bull Kyloe is named after a breed of cattle from the Scottish Highlands that appear to have no issues with the weather, braving the cold and volatile weather. Either that or they just don’t like to make a fuss.  The whisky itself is a blend with, apparently, a high malt content and after being non-chill filtered it is bottled at 50% ABV. It is, overall, a well-priced dram that is hardy just like the Kyloe but quite a textbook blend with something a tad too young about it that does not seem to offer much over the other commercial blends on the market.

Nose: The first whiff of this blend yields no surprises – it is a textbook example of a blend that, according to my nose, indicates the core of this whisky is young. That barley s slightly oily, but it still carries the aroma of new make that I would expect the oak cask to slowly clean up over time. In this regard, it is similar to a number of entry level whiskies on the market – Ballentine’s Finest comes to mind. The bouquet is however enjoyable, with a metallic hue that underpins raisin, powdered chocolate, grain and hints of vanilla with wet varnished pine wood.

Taste: Definitely a blend on the cheaper end of the spectrum, it is super sweet on the entry with the grain leading the assault together with syrup, cooked apple, orange essence and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg with the slight twang of wood. The style of the apple notes indicates, again, something young is in this blend. Each consecutive tasting yields the same reaction: “too sweet!”, cringe.   

Finish: The bitterness lingers with the syrupy sugars, but they do not seems to be in sync  or meld and instead clash with each other without balancing out. There is more vanilla on the finish, similar to rum and raisin with shavings of bitter cocoa rich chocolate. 

Cutty Sark Tam O Shanter 25 Year Old ★

Spirit Name:	Cutty Sark Tam O Shanter 25 Year Old
Score:	97/100
ABV:	46.5%
Region:	Scotland
Body:	Medium-full
Intensity:	Medium
Texture:	Medium-oily
Balance:	Heavenly
Best served:	Neat
Theme(s):	Luscious, elegant, sherry, black roasted coffee, dark chocolate, leather, toffee, cherries, burnt orange, mixed nuts, hints of peat, grassy, hay, wood, spices, ginger, gradually drying mid-palate with a sweetening finish. “Weel done, cutty-sark!”
Tasting notes:	In 1790 the Scotsman Robert Burns penned the poem “Tam O Shanter”. In the poem "Tam O Shanter" a farmer named Tam was riding his horse Meg home from the pub one night, drunk and his belly full of booze, when he spotted witches and warlocks dancing to the tune of the devil playing the bagpipes. He yells “Weel done, cutty-sark!” at the sight of a pretty young witch in a short dress, understandably putting his life in jeopardy to draw her attention. I mean, who wouldn't try some smooth talk on a witch who keeps company with warlocks and, apparently, the devil? Needless to say she was not interested in poor Tam who was met with anger and chased away across the river Doon. Lesson learned, Tam.  About 222 years later, Cutty Sark released the “Tam O Shanter” 25 Year Old blended Scotch whisky to celebrate Burns Night 2012. Cutty Sark needs no introduction. Having enjoyed its heyday in the 1960's and 1970's and famously being ordered by Joe Pesci's character in Goodfellas, the brand is immortalized in popular culture. The problem is that at some stage in the 1980's people began to prefer Johnnie Walker and Chivas Regal which led to a gradual decline in Cutty Sark's market share. Today, Cutty Sark is a shadow of its former self but it appears a re-birth is on the cards thanks to some epic blending work and the use of some rich spicy malts which form part of the signature Cutty Sark style. The Cutty Sark Tam O Shanter certainly showcases brilliant blending and some very old sherry matured malts that taste over 30 years old - a rare pleasure that respects tradition and yet thinks outside the box. This is by no means a simple blend. It clearly attempts to entertain, just as Robert Burns did so many years ago.  Nose: Sherry, beautiful sherry, intermingles with dark chocolate, black roasted coffee beans, leather, preserved dark cherries and mild wood vanilla as grassy undercurrents carry hints of peat and a dry nuttiness typical of the magnificent dark Spanish wooded sherries - Oloroso in particular, being medium-dry. The malt whisky underpins the bouquet, with oily barley and that peaty hay note interacting beautifully with the wood and some mild anise seed. The sherry influence in this whisky is outstanding, a simply stunning example of a sherry matured whisky - a practice that is slowly being eroded by the explosion of bourbon matured whisky as sherry casks become increasingly rare (and expensive!) due to a decrease in sherry consumption.  Taste: A smooth entry brings cocoa, coffee, dates and cherries, and then at mid-palate the flavours explode on the palate and progressively dry - sherry, chocolate, toffee, vanilla, burnt orange with hints of hay, nuts and dashes of Arabic coffee with cardamon and nutmeg all develop, and, as if under some spell, the character of the whisky suddenly reverses as the sweetness and spices begin to dominate into the finish.  Finish: The finish is a delight. The sherry is both sweet and dry, with a bitter nip of wood and almond skin as cocoa lingers with the preserved dark cherries, anise seed and sweet picked ginger. A big fruitcake finish sits on the palate with these flavours - dazzling.
Price:	~ ₤200 (UK)

Cutty Sark 12 Year Old ★

Spirit Name:	Cutty Sark 12 Year Old
Score: Buy score:	95/100 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ABV:	40%
Region:	Scotland
Body:	Medium-full
Intensity:	Medium
Texture:	Medium
Balance:	Near perfect
Best served:	Neat
Theme(s):	This blended whisky has it all - spice, salt, moss, grass, hay, preserved fruit, candy, glazed fruit, mild toffee and malt, vanilla, oily barley, grain, lemon and hints of wood. A masterpiece of blending, the flavours in the Cutty Sark 12 year old meld together until the finish, when a maritime themed saltiness emerges - spectacularly appropriate to honour the ship after which this blend is named, the Cutty Sark.
Tasting notes:	Nose: The aroma of glazed cherries and red confectionery emerges with moss and drying grass as steaming hot coals release course ashes and some seaweed. There is a mild malt theme about this whisky with a luscious, oily, barley and soft grain. Herbal notes soon develop with anise seed and spicy peppermint , soothed by dry vanilla fudge and the smell of a goey Mars bar.  Taste: There is a burst of spicy malt on the palate with oily barley, cherry marmalade with orange rind and hints of lemon and toffee infused vanilla. The flavours are very well integrated, and underlying them is a buttery herbaceous theme, with that distinct mossy/grassy tone but with more earthiness than on the nose and hints of freshly dried Italian oregano.   Finish: Spectacular, a wave a saltiness emerges on the palate with a mossy, almost seaweed, note balancing against the sweetness that continues to sooth the lingering wave of pepper.
Likes:	This is very smooth, complex and interesting whisky.
Price:	₤34.95

The Last Drop 50 Year Old

Nature's beauty: A 50ml bottle of The Last Drop resting on a lily pad

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	The Last Drop 50 Year Old Blended whisky
Score:	93/100*
ABV:	51.9%
Region:	Scotland
Body:	Full
Intensity:	Medium-high
Texture:	Delicate and buttery
Balance:	Near perfect
Best served: Website:	Neat http://www.lastdropdistillers.com/
Theme(s):	Rich, dense, caremalised fructose sugars, European Oak, polished wood, tannic dark chocolate, fortified wine notes, dark dried fruit, rich fruit cake, caremalised whole cherries, mild coffee bean, whipped butter, herbal, vanilla, cigar tobacco and dried grassy notes
Thoughts:	Only 388 bottles of this whisky have been produced, making this the smallest offering from The Last Drop. It is a blend of 82 whiskies which began maturing together in the marrying vat 50 years ago. The whisky was actually supposed to be bottled once it reached 12 years of age, but three casks of this whisky were forgotten until one of the casks was selected to be bottled as The Last Drop 50 Year Old by three spirit industry legends – James Espey, Peter Fleck and Tom Jago. These three men have a combined experience of 120 years in the spirits trade, and that wealth of experience certainly shows in the exceptional balance and quality of this 50 year old whisky. If practice makes perfect, these three men have certainly come close to choosing a great whisky... pity for me it takes 120 years!  There are five things I enjoy about The Last Drop 50 Year Old blended Scotch whisky. First, it is one of the smoothest spirits I have tasted and its flavours express themselves with sublime balance and harmony. Cognac drinkers will in my view appreciate this balance and finesse. Second, despite its age of 50 years, it offers vibrancy, energy and the punch of a delightful 50.9% ABV which means that all its complexity ignites on the palate without any semblance of fatigue. Third, its flavours are good with a heavy (and ridiculously complex) oak driven character (which is to be expected with such an old whisky). Fourth, while this liquid matured in an oak barrel for 50 years it would have also been slowly evapourating so it is a wonder there is much of this liquid magic left!  It is not all sunshine and rainbows, as my most recent tasting showed. There is a mild off note I cannot quite identify, which struck me as stale and almost moldy. It is mild, but noticeable.
Tasting notes:	Nose: With a single whiff the most complex oak influence I have encountered is unleashed. Fortified wine soaked wood leads the gushes of oak driven character, with layers of polished wood and the darkest chocolate interlaced with the bitter-sweet herbaceous smell of a freshly opened thick cigar and drying grass in the distance. All this bitterness is brightened by plummy dried fruit, gentle shades of crushed eucalyptus leaves, the soothing aroma of a light fluffy croissant with a dusting of nutmeg and dark whole cherries and a vanilla pod caremalised in a dash of Cognac and caster sugar. The bouquet on this whisky is fresh and vibrant, and yet exhibits all the complexity you could wish for in an old whisky.  Taste: This is one of the smoothest and most delicate spirits I have tasted - a tad strange though, with a peculiar stale note I cannot quite put my finger on. As this whisky hits the palate it offers a brief interlude of buttered spiced loaf and then suddenly explodes into a soft haze that gently resettles on the base of the tongue. That is when the magic happens. A foray of tannic dark chocolate (for example, made from Arriba beans) is interlaced with hints of coffee and crushed hazelnuts, and balancing against the surges of European Oak is a buttered rich and dense fruit cake falling apart with dark dried fruit (prune, dates, blackcurrant, raisins etc) and some key ingredients of a classic Buccellato – an Italian cake that can be made with lots of raisins, marsala, herbal anise seed and vanilla. This is a rich and energetic whisky that enlivens the palate, and keeps it buzzing with complex twists and turns.  Finish: This feels as though I just licked the inside of a very old sherry cask. The wood has a mildly drying effect on the finish, but the sweet winy sugars soften the rich dark chocolate notes with Christmas cake and the burst of glazed cherry.
Price:	£3000

*Re-tasted

Chivas Regal 12 Year Old

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended whisky
Score:	87/100
ABV:	40%
Region:	Scotland
Body:	Medium
Intensity:	Mild
Texture:	Thin-medium
Balance:	Excellent
Best served:	Neat, mixed
Theme(s):	Soft, subtle, sweet, candy shop, fruity, uncomplicated
Thoughts:	Chivas Regal 12 Year Old really surprised me in the blind tastings. When compared to other mass produced whiskies in its price range it probably leads the pack in the Australian market coming a close second to the peaty Johnnie Walker Black Label (I have not seen the delicious Cutty Sark 12 Year Old or Storm for sale on our shores, but that said the Chivas Regal 12 Year Old is a different whisky) - it has no noticeable immaturity about it and, unlike many "entry level" whiskies, it is not tainted with that noticeable young/cheap whisky stench. It smells and tastes like good whisky. It is smooth, soft and enjoyable. It by not very complex on the palate, lacks depth and its finish dies off very quickly, but it offers enjoyable flavours and a softness that should keep most people happy.
Blind tasting notes:	Nose: Vanilla, fresh, mild grassy notes, popcorn, salted caramel, grain, chocolate fudge, yellow peaches, mild anise seed etc.  Taste: Sweet, vanilla, musk sticks, sweet, slight nail varnish, candy shop.  Finish: Quick to die, but what remains lingers.  Not really much to say about this whisky, except that it is enjoyable and there are no significant off notes. It is not very complex, lacks some depth and the finish is disappointing.
Likes:	Smooth, soft, enjoyable
Dislikes:	Not complex, weak finish
Price:	$44 (Aus)

Highland Harvest Organic Scotch Whisky

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Highland Harvest Organic Scotch Whisky Blended whisky
Score:	83/100
ABV:	40%
Region:	Scotland
Body:	Average
Intensity:	Soft
Texture:	Average
Balance:	Good, but skewed to sweet
Best served:	Neat
Theme(s):	Honeyed oats, raisins, golden syrup, granny smith apples, hints of maple
Tasting notes:	"Organic" whisky? Fair enough. The Highland Harvest website notes that its whisky is adorned with the USDA Organic Seal of approval. For a glimpse into what this might mean, please have a look at the below video.    Without further ado, let's explore the character of this alleged organic whisky shall we?  Nose: Sliced granny smith apples, green grapes and raisins with sparks of crushed cinnamon and sweet bakery spices.  Taste: Honeyed oats, raisins and golden syrup with hints of maple - this whisky is smooth on the palate and very drinkable. There does not seem to be much complexity about this whisky, just sweet sipping pleasure without fireworks.   Finish: Sweet oak driven sugars form and then slowly dissolve into mild toffee.  This is a very decent whisky - approachable, drinkable and enjoyable.
Likes:	Organic, smooth and drinkable
Dislikes:	Simple and skewed to sweet side
Price:	N/A

Johnnie Walker Blue Label (2013)

Spirit Name: Spirit Type:	Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blended whisky
Score:	88/100
ABV:	40%
Region:	Scotland
Body:	Medium
Intensity:	Medium
Texture:	Medium-oily
Balance:	Superb
Best served:	Neat
Tasting notes:	Johnnie Walker Blue Label represents the pinnacle of the Johnnie Walker range, as it sits at the very top of the hierarchy above Platinum Label, Gold Label Reserve, Double Black, Black Label and Red Label. The Gold Label and Green Label have now been discontinued.  Blue Label is being re-reviewed because of the phenomenon of "batch variation". This means that a whisky, year after year, may change in character because its character depends on the oak casks in which it matured and no oak cask is the same. This means that a whisky comprised of whisky from different oak casks may have different character, even if the whisky is blended to achieve a particular flavour profile. The last Blue Label I reviewed was from the late 1990's or early 2000's. This Blue Label sat on the shelves in 2013. You can find my review of the old Blue Label here.  Johnnie Walker have done a superb job at retaining the flavour profile of the Blue Label, keeping it consistently malty with some classic House of Walker smokiness. The 2013 bottling is super smooth, and offers what the older bottling lacked: a lingering and mouth-watering finish. The old Blue Label fizzed with its finish, whereas the 2013 Blue Label ignites the palate and its character remains like a warming glow that progressively intensifies - lovely lovely lovely! The 2013 bottling. however, has a slightly less interesting nose with the peat cloaking some of that lovely maltiness I have come to adore in Blue Label.  Nose: Malty, with some smoothing vanilla counteracting the sparks of peat and flecks of barley that ignite in the backdrop of candied fruit and mixed herbs. The peat is more pronounced in this bottling, and as noted it takes over some of the maltiness. Slightly uninteresting.  Taste: The whisky strikes the palate with bravado, waking up the taste buds in a ride shock - that was not expected from the subtle aroma on the nose. The peat, very mild and gentle, intermingles with ripe plums and dates and the characteristic maltiness looms but never really takes hold. Finish: Ohhh baby. This is nice whisky! The buzz of the barley and grain radiates with the fruit and shades of peat.
Likes:	Complex, very smooth and long lingering finish when compared to older bottlings
Dislikes:	Dull nose and unbalanced with slightly pronounced peat on the bouquet, when compared with older bottlings
Price:	$170 (Aus)