Johnnie Walker Green Label
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 15 years
Abv: 43%
Blended with whiskies from Talisker, Linwood, Cragganmore, Caol Ila.
(tasting note from Dec 4, 2020)

This is a fun bottle – can’t buy it in NS! It has made a brief appearance here in the past two years, but it is not a shelf staple. On occasion I get my brother to import one from PEI when he makes the trek over. Having done just that recently, I was keen to rekindle my positive memory of this Whisky Noob favourite. This is a fresh bottle open review.

Bottle notes
“N: Vibrant and complex natural aromas of wood smoke, seashore, crisp cut grass and fresh fruit.
P: Intensely rich notes of peat smoke, pepper, deep vanilla and sweet fruits with hints of fragrant garden fruits, cedar and sandalwood, with a big Malty heart.
F: Long and spicy with honeyed sweetness, oak and light smoke.“

Nose
Gentle smoke to open the dram. Malt and cereal, with some fruit in there. There is a freshness on the nose. A lovely, light, fresh field sweetness. Wood smoke wafts in and out. Hints of pastry tickle at the nose, a fruity freshness sweetens the whole. With time, the nose evolves to that lovely apple pie, with the faintest hints of smoke curling about the crust. But, a fresh apple pie. Just newly in the wood fired oven, with still some time to bake. A seaside air of freshness comes to mind near the end of the dram. I am suddenly struck by the memory of Talisker 10! Slightly briny, salty dockside air.

Palate
Lovely fruits and a hint of toffee, some peat and smoke very understated but present. Even stronger apple pastry on later sips, smoked apple pie, fresh fields

Finish
Smoke rises and fades to tickle the tongue, sweetness fades, an oily finish. Memories of the nose.

Final Thoughts
Such a great, changing and interesting whisky. I did indeed feel as if I was taken on a tour of the source whiskies, with the freshness, the brine, the smoke. Without question this dram changes over time, and one could easily spend a half hour and more just tracking the journey on the nose. My memories of previous drams were honoured (smoke, grass and apple pie), but the maritime brine is a new dimension for me this night. Truly one of my favourite whiskies, a shame that I need to import it!

Highland Park 12
Viking Honour
Single malt scotch whisky
Age:  12 years
Abv:  43%

Right off the bat I have to say how much I love the Viking theme – these new(ish) Highland Park bottles are works of art, full of raised scrollwork and a seriously solid and artistic feel to them. I also love the corks – they have a small groove on the mouth of the bottle that the cap twists into and secures the cork in the bottle – nice! I didn’t even notice it on my first Highland Park bottle, but now that I am aware of it, I look for it. And, I’ve found the same system on other bottles! 

Bottle Notes 
“Natural color, Heather honey sweetness, rich fruit cake, aromatic smoky peat.“

Nose
Light vegetal peat, even lighter wispy smoke.  Fresh fields, with the occasional wet boggy patch that kicks out that vegetal peat. Hints of sweet berries. 

As the dram continues, the peat and light smoke holds strong – much more so than I recall from previous drams. It is assertive, and establishes itself as the character of this dram tonight. There is an accompanying sweetness that never quite fades away, but only raises its hand now and then. I can’t quite place the source of the sweetness, but berries come to mind. Light raspberry maybe, or some other. 

Palate
Smoke and spirit! Kind of strong in fact, on first sip. Mmm, but a nice oily coating that holds lingering remnants of the smoke and peat and sweetness. 

Goodness, I am loving this smoke and peat on the palate. Even later in the dram, it is holding up, if not growing in strength. The sweetness (honey?) asserts itself more as the dram progresses – still background to the peat but definitely a strong supporting character. 

Finish
Long, that oily coating keeps the memory alive, and I taste light smoke, and sweetness, for a lengthy, lingering finish. 

Seriously, lovely finish. Strong at the start, gentle fade, lasts a solid 30-60 seconds. A warm, cozy mouthfeel that sticks around. 

Final Thoughts
This is a darn fine whisky. There is a light smokiness that marries with the vegetal peat perfectly – I can picture myself burning a slab of peat out on the fens. I wasn’t able to pinpoint the fruit sweetness tonight, but it accents the core of the dram consistently, and noticeably. The finish tonight was a mouth-coated journey that trailed the core experience of the nose and palate in a very complimentary way. The whole journey was complete, and enjoyable. 

I do like having an HP on the shelf – the bottle alone is such a striking piece. It has become a whisky that I enjoy on occasion, and I was happy to finally sit with it and fully explore its offering.

Oban 14
Single Malt Scotch whisky
Age: 14 years
Abv: 43%
(tasting note from Dec 17, 2020)

No bottle notes of substance, lots of lore which is pretty cool, but nothing to lead the consumer in the experience.

Treated myself to a year end special bottle and re-added Oban 14 to the cabinet. Definitely a Noob favourite, I last had it here over a year ago, probably tasted Wayne’s over last winter, and where I still have some Oban Little Bay on the shelf, I was definitely keen to set up the Oban bookends!

Nose
Initially quite a bit of gentle peat and woodsmoke to greet me. There are fields of fruit, salty air. A rich abundance of fruit and field. It is very delicate – nothing jumps out of the glass and smacks you in the face, you have to approach it softly, intently. There is a woody smokiness threading throughout, but so very light and subtle.
There is a distinctive maritime nose here – salt air, underpinned with apple, pear, red berries. And it comes back repeatedly – a lightly vegetal, smokey bed under it all.

Palate
Creamy, rich and full. There is fruit, and spice. Salt and custard. But my goodness, the full, rich mouthfeel above all, and the flavours come in as a supporting cast. Like the nose – light, subtle, smooth. There is cinnamon, fruit again, and definitely a touch of sweetness. But foremost for me, is the mouthfeel rather than taste.

Finish
Light but lingering. Caramel, spice, faint fruit. Wood, and a lovely, lightly salty song.

Final Thoughts
I was pretty excited to have this on the shelf again. I really wanted to share the opening with someone but alas, times being as they are, I figured I should open the bottle and get the air working on this wonderful whisky. Oban 14 continues to be one that I feel escapes me somewhat, but tonight it connected – it is subtle. Light, delicate – you have to pay attention. I was delighted to detect the light smoke, and the salt! Lovely, lovely combination, and the fruity threads throughout. This is so smooth, but with a richness, as well. Happy to have it in the cabinet again, it will take a proud spot on the top shelf!

Ledaig Aged 10 Years
Single malt scotch whisky
The Isle of mull
Age: 10 years
Abv: 46.3%
Un-chill filtered

Ledaig 10yo (pronounced “Leh-d-chig”?  Led Chig?  Le Chig?  We’ve debated it endlessly, but it is definitely not “Le-daig”) is an offering from the Isle of Mull, which puts it in fine company with the other Islands.  Another “no longer available in NS”, I picked this bottle up in NB over the past summer.

Bottle notes (box notes, actually – nothing on the bottle itself)
“Colour: Bright Lemony Gold.
Nose: Sweet briny smokiness with a distinctly island character that hints at mild antiseptic, creosote, wax polish, mint chocolate and floral seaside aromas.
Palate: Tantalizingly sweet yet medicinal flavours release sparks of spicy pepper with peaty smoke and vanilla malty creaminess.
Finish: Spicy white pepper and sweet vibrant licorice and cloves with a lingering saltiness.“

Nose
Strong, vegetal peat. Wet, slightly rotting grass. Swirling smoke, in and out. Wooden barrels, buried ‘neath wet vegetation, slowly decaying from the damp.  Hints of a rich fig fruit.  With some time, I start to pick up a coastal brine.  Closing my eyes, I am transported to a seaside marshy bog, a smoldering pile of peat slowly burning nearby.

After a sip, there is a floral presence, and nail polish remover.  No… less that, more into a cleanser, the antiseptic notes.  Yes, the peat is still there, but a strong nosing curves it to the medicinal.  Definitely hints of floral, though I cannot pinpoint them.  Very interesting how tame the peat, vegetation and smoke have become after a solid sip.  Still present, and come forth when called, but the nose has changed, aye.

Palate
Bright and fiery at first, and a huge dose of saltiness.  In fact, after many minutes with the nose, I feel unprepared for this first sip – it hits fast, and salt swamps me.

Subsequent sips are more controlled now, the smoke and peat are here, definitely wooden notes of spice and vanilla.  A slightly… metallic tang?  Medicinal probably, not quite metallic, but that tinge of antiseptic I guess.  I get less salt now, but it is there, just more entwined with the rest.

Finish
The first sip fades to more of the nose – slight peat, the brine persists, and a sweetness dances about.

Later finishes start to leave a bit of a coating on the tongue, a less pleasant taste than the palate experience.  Slightly plasticky, some licks of salt, a general peat/smoke cloud.  I’m suddenly struck with the image of a tongue depressor.

Final Thoughts
Well, this one is pretty cool.  Bruce researched and secured this one last year, and my goodness, it was a find.  After his initial discovery, we landed a couple more bottles on yellow tag here in NS, and in hindsight, I wish I had cleared the shelf.  This is one of the finest aroma’s I’ve experience from a dram of whisky!  It is such a wonder on the nose.  Granted, you have to be inclined to the peat and island character, and if you are, this is one of the top tickles you could possibly treat your nose to.

Tonight was an exceptional experience on the nose – probably the very best I’ve had with Ledaig 10yo.  My notes may make it sound like the opening of a horror movie, but it is more like the opening crescendo of a classical masterpiece.  Without question, you have to be a fan of the Islay style peat and smoke, and if you are, this junket over to the Isle of Mull for a Ledaig is one of the best side quests you could embark on.  

Past drams have delivered more enjoyable tasting and finishes, but the nose tonight was unparalleled – just a complete joy that put a smile on my face right out of the bottle.

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.