The Balvenie DoubleWood 12yo
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
Abv:  40%

A Christmas gift last year, the Balvenie Double Wood is a special bottle that I only occasionally bring out. Past drams have not particularly wowed me, but this will be my first sit-down with the whisky to give it a focused turn. 

Bottle Notes
“The Balvenie Double Wood acquires its complex yet rich and smooth taste from its maturation in two different types of Oak cask.
Whisky Oak – Many years of maturation in traditional whisky casks mellow the maturing spirit and imparts warming layers of vanilla spiciness. 
Sherry Oak – Further maturation in European Oak sherry casks increases complexity, bringing fruity, honeyed depths to the resulting single malt.”

Nose
Delicate, fruity, sweet, floral.  In fact, an extremely pleasant first greeting. Vanilla icing maybe? There is a sweetness with hints of vanilla that is quite lovely. Faint wood notes wisp about in the background, gentle and fleeting. Maybe it is not so much fruit, but honey, that I am getting a sweetness from. It is a gentle, mellow experience on the nose – light but not so much that I strain for the experience. At times there is a syrupy sweetness that I hope the taste does not mirror.

With time, floral scents are more prominent.  Perhaps some orange and citrus notes

Palate
Spicy barrel notes, but with a coating of sweet honey. It is light – very light – on the palate. 

Second sip, sweetness is a bit more pronounced, but a stringent wood alcohol note creeps in. 

Now, there is a strange plastic or rubbery feel after a sip, not unpleasant but very odd. It gives the taste and finish an almost … manufactured? … quality to it. There are definitely hints of sweet and spice, but there is an undertow of spirit that I don’t care for, and a short finish that feels … cheap. 

Finish
It passes quickly, faint spicy burn, barest hint of sweetness.

Final Thoughts
This is a popular, well regarded whisky, so I am somewhat sheepish to share these thoughts. Unfortunately for me, it seems to miss the mark. I do love the nose – even to the end it is pleasant and a nice experience. Not terribly complex or evolving for me, but comfortable and interesting. The palate did not get to a good place for me tonight – simple, one-dimensional, and not entirely pleasant. That odd plastic/rubber taste progressed through the dram.  This last sip is just such an entry level cheap booze feel. Quite a dissonance with the nose.

I do love the bottle – a lovely fluted neck with a sizeable shoulder at the opening. Squat and sturdy, small, and the label is striking in its elegance. I appreciate the description of the two cask maturation and what each brings to the whisky. 

For me, not a dram I would be quick to put on the shelf again. 

Glenmorangie – The Quinta Ruban 14yo
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 14 years
Abv: 46%
Non-chill filtered
(tasting note from Nov 23, 2020)

Glenmorangie has a fairly large number of whiskies in their lineup. I haven’t heard much to tempt me into the distillery offerings, but this particular expression was strongly recommended to me, so I picked it up to give it a listen. I make the 14yo distinction here, because they seem to also have a 12yo Quinta Ruban.

Bottle notes
“This whisky offers a nose of rose-scented Turkish delight, honeysuckle, tangerine and dark chocolate. A soft, velvety texture leads to tastes of berries and nutmeg entwined with mint chocolate and Seville orange, then a bold and deep finish.”

Nose
Citrus fruit immediately upon entry – lemon hints and strong orange. The rind of the fruit seems to be prominent. Chocolate undertones carry the fruitiness along. I’m struck by the (unpleasant) memory of a Christmas stocking “chocolate orange”. The memories of that travesty may be unpleasant, but this nose is anything but. It is rich, deep, strongly aroma’d, with hints of the barrel spice creeping in on the edge. The barrel wood grows with time in the glass, and presents a wonderful serving of oranges on the staves of the wooden barrel. Definitely some nice complexity, layers, and an evolving nose.

Palate
Sweet, vibrantly orange, spicy but not overly so. The heat is tamed wonderfully with a rich, sweet coat. The orange is lovely, and whatever chocolate I detect is the furthest thing possible from the dreaded Christmas stocking “chocolate orange”. The barrel notes that come stronger with time in the glass similarly present themselves on the palate later on, a wonderful evolution of the dram that presents such an interesting journey.

Finish
A lovely slow ride of fading sweetness, field freshness. Lingering, departing spice.

Final Thoughts
This is a lovely, sweet dram of whisky. The citrus and sweetness are prominent throughout, and tames the strong abv, making for a dangerously smooth drink. There eventually comes such a prevalent undertone of wood notes that I feel as though I’m drinking it straight from the barrel. Rich, smooth, a delight on the nose, a taste that brings new angles to that, and a finish that lets you down gently and smoothly.

This has been on my ‘to get’ list for a while, based on a conversation with a co-worker, who professes this to be the very best whisky he has ever tasted. After a second conversation where we explored similar/differing preferences (for example, he is not a Glenfiddich 12 fan, same as me), it felt like our preferences were close enough that I gave it a try. Very glad I did, and delighted that this 14yo expression is part of the Glenmorangie core lineup.

Ardbeg An Oa
Age: No Age Statement (NAS)
Abv: 46.6%

These notes are from a fresh open pour I did when picked up this bottle last year. I’ve learned that the term for that first time opening of a bottle is “neck pour”. For some reason, I don’t care for the term, so I think I’ll stick with “fresh open”. Without a doubt, I find there is a difference in experience between fresh open, 1/4 gone and under half left in the bottle. 1/4 gone seems to be the sweet spot for me, but I always enjoy these first fresh open experiences – like unwrapping a gift at Christmas!

The Ardbeg 10 is one of my favourite whiskies, so I am always interested and excited to pick up one of their other core expressions, to see how they are similar and how they are different. The An Oa (pronounced “Ann Oh”) was dwindling in availability last summer, so I grabbed one of them before they were gone. I haven’t seen them available here in NS since late last year.

On the initial nose – unmistakably Ardbeg.  Nice.  It becomes much gentler, very quickly though.  Some sweet notes start to poke through. Citrus.  Lemon.  Lemon pledge cleaner.  The smoke and peat are quite subdued now. Spice.  Turns to grassy.  Fresh grass.  Very earthy now – grass, dirt, but a real brightness or sweetness in there still. Wine perhaps – sherry.

On the initial palate – smoke, peat.  There is some bite to it!  Sweet, fruits.  Mm!  Burnin’ in ma belly! Are there dark fruits?  A definite toffee-like finish.  Slightly cigar-like now.  A touch oily, but not like the 10. It was strong.  Not the smooth roundness promised on the box!

Earthiness continues to dominate the nose.  Hints of peat, smoke is faint.  Briney, perhaps?  Spice is here now.  Black pepper, clove – yes.

Sweet, toffee on the taste.  More rounded now.  Less of that spirit punch.  Nose brings in hints of mint maybe?  Lemon mint.  Occasional wisp of the Ardbeg smoke.  Faintly meat-like.  Caramel, at the right distance.

I find I am really having to play around with the distance on nose to get different notes.  But it’s so lovely to be able to get those different notes. Like playing the slide of a trombone, experiencing the different dimensions and notes.

Overall an interesting dram.  It was not a flavour knockout for me, but interesting, subtle, changing.  Based on previous experiences, I expect it to soften and sweeten now that the bottle is open.  The Ardbeg signature/fingerprint is definitely there, and a joy to behold.  This is a great contrast to the dirtiness of Wee Beastie.  Far more subtle than the 10.  I like it well enough, but not a stand out for me yet.  I expect it to grow on me.

Old Pulteney
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
Abv: 40%

Old Pulteney is not available here in NS at the moment. When I first rekindled my whisky journey in 2019, my early shopping trips to the LC tended to center around price point and sales more so than actual research. I spotted an Old Pulteney on a yellow tag sale, so I picked it up to see what it was all about. Since then, it has disappeared from the shelves here, but just across the border in NB they still stock it. I picked up a bottle over the summer when we were there on holiday.

Bottle Notes
“Our Twelve Years Old is matured next to the sea exclusively in fine American Oak ex-bourbon casks. Flickering from amber to gold and copper on the eye, subtly intense waves of fresh brine, toffee and salty sea air recollect the Caithness coastline, with honey, vanilla and spicy fruit washing across the palate in a faintly salty, long-lasting finish.”

Nose
Some nice brine to open the show. Gentle waves of toffee or butterscotch. Lots of gentle notes here – nothing stringent or sharp, just a comfortable, inviting cloud of whisky goodness. The salty air is prominent, consistent, and a thorough delight.

With a bit of time and air, the barrel starts to show, with gentle vanilla notes seeping in from the bottom.

A dusty malt note appears later in the dram – a nice light blanket that does not diminish the salty air or the butterscotch notes.

Palate
Honey coats the tongue, and the saltiness continues with a lip smacking pop.

Some fruitiness pops up now, berries perhaps. There is a definite sweetness here, the honey may be the driver, but some berries and fruit are definitely passengers on this trip.

Finish
Mostly a lingering brine, the honey sweetness sticks around for a medium length of time. Loving that salty taste and finish.

Final Thoughts
This is an excellent whisky. I have a history with this one, and up until this year, I would not necessarily have included it in my top whiskies list, but either my palate has changed, or this newer bottling has taken it to another level.

When I was able to buy it here in NS, the Old Pulteney 12yo came in an oval shaped canister, and was a 700ml bottle size. In NB, they still have a few of those around, but mostly they have a newer 750ml size that comes in an impressive square, sturdy box.

The 700ml bottling that I started with, I recall as a bit sharp on the palate, light on the promised salty air, but with a nice thread of smoke that I always got in a narrow strip down my tongue on the finish. These latest drams from the 750ml bottling, the salt and brine are front and center, the sweet honey and butterscotch toffee presents a lovely creaminess, and the barrel notes come in mid-dram, in a gentle and inviting way. I would not say I can pick up any smoke from these latest drams, but honestly, I don’t think it needs any.

This is a winner, I would recommend picking one up if you happen to see it on a shelf somewhere. I expect to be making a road trip to NB some day to restock!

Ardbeg Wee Beastie
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 5 years
Abv: 47.4%
Non Chill-filtered
(tasting note from Nov 7, 2020)

Ardbeg, one of the stalwart distilleries on the isle of Islay, producer of one of my very favorite whiskies to date, the Ardbeg 10 year old. This new 5 year old expression is the latest addition to their core line of whiskies. They’ve been applauded for not shying away from boldly stating the “young” five year old nature of this bottling.

Bottle Notes
“A monster of a dram. Young and intensely smokey with a rich explosive mouthfeel of chocolate, tar and savoury meats.

Senses are heightened with each encounter. First comes an intense aroma of cracked black pepper, mingling with sappy pine resin and the sharp tang of smoke. Suddenly the explosive mouthfeel bursts forth with chocolate, creosote and tar. Savoury meats sink into the palate, before the long salty mouth-coating finish slinks away.”

Okay then! Sounds like a feisty dram to be sure, let’s see how it ships.

Nose
Immediately – smouldering, tarry railway ties. Smoke and tar, heavy, greasy creosote ties. Hints of fruit peek through here and there. Peat may be in there, but raw, and rough. The smoke comes and goes in strength, wafting it’s way through the glass. There is a rawness, a harshness of the tar and creosote that never diminishes. Not quite a dirtiness – the edges are crisp and sharp, even with that oily character. With some effort, I can pick out the chocolate the bottle claims.

After repeated returns to the nose, overall I feel a burning, smoldering, smoking creosote oil lamp.

Palate
Strong tar and dirty creosote – overwhelming! Some sweet notes attempt to sooth the tongue. Bursting, strong, fiery. Those sweet fruits do crowd in as the tar fades. Striking and strong, a pleasant burst of fruit, but one that is fleeting.

Finish
Quick at first, but then a lingering, ashy, mouth-coated beast pokes its head up and takes you for a stroll. Cigar ash and fading creosote. The sweet fruit hints a return now and then, but it is faint and fleeting like a nymph on the fens of Scotland. A cigar long since finished, and I crave a brushing of the teeth.

Final Thoughts
It is a heavy dram. Heavy on the nose, the palate, the finish. I feel tired after having finished it! I’ve carried the dirty creosote soaked railway tie down the lane, thrown it on the smoldering fire, and taken a bite of almost-ripe fruit to finish the chore. The ashen finish follows me to the bunk, where I fade to sleep with faint dreams of what could be.

I think there is a heaviness here that is an abrupt departure from the Ardbeg 10, as in, I don’t think this is just an Ardbeg 10 bottled 5 years earlier. But I love the uniqueness, the distinctiveness of it. It’s an awesome bottle to have on the shelf, for that “once in a while” trip down a very different path. I think it’s something I’ll want on my shelf again at some point, but this one has been here a while, and will likely be here for a while longer!

Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch – Triple Grain American Oak
Blended Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
41.3% abv
Bottle Number: TG3 81613
(tasting note from Oct 29, 2020)

The Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch series is an experimental extension of the JW brand. Master blender Dr. Jim Beveridge leads the experimental blending and they’ve been releasing these “blenders’ batch” editions over the past few years. This is the third release in the series, following Red Rye Finish, and Bourbon Cask and Rye Finish.

This had been hanging around the NSLC shelves for quite a while in my observation. At $50 it was a borderline for me, nothing in the online reviews got me interested enough to give it a whirl, even in our Johnnie Walker infatuation period. When it went on yellow tag for $42 I thought I’d give it a whirl.

Bottle notes
“Three Grain whiskies using wheat, barley and corn – blended with select Malts. Sweet and creamy with fresh fruits and gentle, spicy smoke. Aged 10 years in American oak casks.“

Nose
Predominantly barrel and spice on first approach. There are subtle notes of fresh fruit, and some hints of malty cereal.

With time and tasting, the cereal notes are stronger – quite pleasant after a sip and 10 minutes. A bran or wheat cereal, with a light topping of fruit, served in a new wood bowl. This has really become quite a nice little dram on the nose, but the start was such strong barrel and spice, hard to approach initially.

Palate
Creamy, fairly smooth and fruity, some kick of spice, and an oaky presence. Each sip brings more of that creamy mouthfeel and sense of cereal with a light topping of fruit.

It becomes more muted later in the dram. But not unpleasant – it has turned even smoother and integrated in the mouth.

Finish
Lingering, medium length. Fading cereal and barrel. Creamy for some time.

Final Thoughts
I found this to be a bit of a harsh startup, but with time became a fairly pleasant dram. The wood and spice dominate for the first 5 minutes or so, but then fades and let’s a lovely creamy cereal and subtle hints of fruit to take center stage. The mouthfeel is unique and pleasant. Often there is a kick of spice and spirit, so it feels like a dram to be careful with. But with the right care, is a pleasant partner.

Likely not a bottle I would pick up again. I do enjoy the special edition nature of it, and the link to Johnnie Walker, but as a dram of whisky, not one I would choose over any number of other decent available selections.