Month: December 2015

Whisky Review: Limeburners “Directors Cut” M134

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Tasting Notes

Limeburners “Directors Cut” Barrel M134 ☆☆

Style: Musky and Muscat-Sweet

Nose:

Sprinkles of chili powder leads the introduction and followed by some adorable creamy beeswax which evolves to honey-coated mochi (Japanese rice cake) and cream brûlée. Subtle, dry raisin notes more apparent when giving it sometime to breathe, generating some appetizing acidity to make the nose very stimulating!

Palate:

Sugary grape dessert wine at the first touch of the palate. It lingers for a short while until the sugar-coat dissolves… Hot chili burns a searing path and punches with real strength. A generous slice of strawberry plum cake with a special mix of spices as undertone, subtle hints of cloves, pepper, ginger, cinnamon and rhubarb… Complex, earthy and fresh!

Finish:

The fury of spice dissipates and the finishing is a jolly good Muscat with drops of ginger juice. Stamps of oak come and fade, long sweet relishing finish.

Thoughts:

Heavy, aromatic, spicy whisky and with enormous strength to back it up… Such a masculine character! Personally I really enjoyed the unique waxy touches and the spicy lower tones… It is a signature that seldom other whiskies can offer. For cask strength drinkers who are looking for something special, this is a must-try dram!

(2014/61%/NAS/Barrel No.:M134/NCF/NC/Bottle: 40 of 101)

-EC

 

Dram Review: Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013

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[48.0%・Bottled in 2013・Official Bottling・Limited Release]

Nose:

Mmmmm the nose is satisfyingly rich. Premium leather, dark chocolate brushed with balsamic vinegar sauce. Bright dark fruits poached to a sticky reduction. Wine cured apricots and soft raisins bringing a wee citrus edge. A combination of moist oak and lightly toasted wood chips with a touch of cinnamon spices, rounded by a lovely creaminess.

Palate & Finish:

Flavours burst open on your tastebuds. Chinese style simmered coca-cola with a few slices of ginger and hint of cinnamon, coated by creamy café au lait and milk chocolate notes. The classic sherry influence presents itself in a balanced manner, the raisin note is assertive but it manages to intertwine smoothly into the narrative. Spices excite but swiftly fizzle out; the oak adds to the weight but doesn’t dominate the conversation, something only shared amongst a small number of old whiskies..

The creaminess lingers in the finish with the dark fruits steadily giving a citrus edge in the background. Hints of brown sugar and burnt toffee to provide the slight sweetness that sticks between the teeth. It’s sweet, but not in excess, with a hint of tobacco and leather to make this a chewy drop, closes off with just a faint dose of dark chocolate bitterness.

Thoughts:

What a dram! The fragrance just becomes more and more alluring in the glass long after the last drop had been tipped onto the tongue. Salivating stuff.

☆☆ [Highly Recommended]

–Nicholas

Dram Review: Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye

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Look, to be quite clear, this entry is not about whether Mr. Murray was right when he crowned the Northern Harvest Rye the best whisky of the year. It’s simply how I felt about this dram..

Sweet honey and maple syrup on the nose, a light dose of drying rye spices. Cinnamon dust, white pepper and a white oak note. It’s rather fragrant.

Juicy and fruity on the palate initially but it dries up rather quickly. The creamy side then surfaces, smoothening the body. Nashi pears and ripe strawberries dusted with vanilla sugar providing that refreshing sweetness.

A mild finish with a hint of caramel note, there is an interesting smokiness to go with the mellow spices.

It is a very pleasant whisky and the thing I enjoy the most about this dram is that unlike a lot of rye whiskies, it is not heavy-handed with rye spices. I have tasted quite a few whiskies this year but I must say this wasn’t on my radar… so cheers Jim for bringing this to my attention.

☆

-NL

Whisky Review: The Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength Edition Batch 2

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Tasting Notes:

The Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength Edition Batch 2

Style: Spicy Sweet and Peaty

Nose:

A peculiar nose, starts with an attention seeking peat at the front, followed by a mix of sour and sweet notes – vinegar and honey, carbonated drinks at one point, slight creamy and then there is reinforcement for the sweeter side, pineapples, chocolate and oat, a rather dry form of sweetness. An undertone of spiced wood and smoke to give some extra thickness and backbone to the structure.

Palate:

Chocolate drizzles on malt biscuit at the first sip. Brilliant oiliness and sweetness with subtle pear and pineapple notes while really strong on vanilla and whipped cream. Reminds me of egg custard with syrupy topping here! Spices flares, smoke churns and peat burns from behind and wrap around the sweet core.

Finish:

Soft milky egg pudding notes remaining toward the end. Threw in some burnt oak to balance with the sweet flavours with some dryness and bitterness. Indistinct smoke and peat stayed for a short while, tasty finish.

Thoughts:

The nose caught me off guard with its stark acidity, a really interesting way to play the stimulating and surprising factor. It is also surprisingly not very spicy, especially considering the abv is very close to 60%. Overall it is a nice sweet dessert-like Whisky with a decent balance/mix of dryness, smoke and peat. Delicious drop, this is.

(2015/OB/NAS/CS/NC/NCF/Batch No. 2/LE/9000bottles)