Whisky Review: Springbank Single Cask 2000 Aged 15 Years (10th Anniversary Bottling for Premium Scotch Importers, Australia) “PSI II”

Style: Sherry and Smoky Nose: Serene brown sugar syrup glistening gently, integrated with a healthy dose of salted caramel and smoked hay stack. Underneath sits traces of lemon citrus and briny tone. Finish with a tail of chocolate brownie and dry barley. Palate: Clean, crystallized Oloroso brown sugar beautifully ties together with the Springbank distillate,…

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Whisky Review: Springbank Vintage 1998 “PSI I”

Style: Dark fruits and Intense Nose: Red cherries, sugar plums and black currants stack together and form a round and rich sweetness. All carried by turbo-charged spirit spice. A touch of hay stack peat presses on a layer of subtle sweetness – lime tart, pumpkin slices and aloe vera. Search deeper there is some dry…

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Dram Review: Springbank Local Barley Aged 10 Years

[57.3%・10 Years Old・Bottled in 2017・Official Bottling・Limited Release of 9,000 Bottles] Nose: The nose is naturally attractive, comforting aromas of clean barley and heather. There’re also some soft stone fruits and even softer minerals, full bodied but not at all harsh at its strength. Some silly vanilla and buttery caramel rounding off harmoniously. Palate & Finish:…

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Dram Review: Springbank 15 Years Old 100% Pure Malt (Bottled Circa 1960-1970s)

[43.0%・15 Years Old・Bottled Circa 1960-1970s・Official Bottling・General Release] Nose: A sweet, soft nose of clean hay straw and some dried white fruits, white peaches to be exact. Quite delicate really with the grassy note well merged with the white tea note.  Then there is this very subtle hint of fine olive oil as it opens up…

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Dram Review: Glen Scotia Aged 15 Years

[46.0%・15 Years Old・Bottled Circa. 2015-2017・Official Bottling・General Release] Nose: Minerals and rum soaked raisins, quite vanilla-y with traces of metallic notes.  After a while comes the overripe fruits, dried apricots and honey. Palate & Finish: Sweet rum and raisins, not too full bodied but quite smooth with a dose of liquor soaked oranges.  It grows a…

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Opinion: Chatting away with Mr. Ian Schmidt of Tin Shed Distillery

On a random Tuesday morning, I was dropped off at an industrial suburb just outside of Adelaide CBD where I spent the next four hours with Mr. Ian Schmidt, the co-founder and distiller of Tin Shed distillery, producer of Iniquity. The first thing I got shown were a couple trays of 200ml whiskies neatly arranged…

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Dram Review: Twenty Third St. Hybrid Whisk(e)y

[42.3%・NAS・Bottled Circa 2017・Twenty Third Street Bottling・General Release] Nose: Tight nose initially, feels quite spirit-y and young with a strange mothball note.  It opens up to honey water with vanilla from the bourbon component. Palate & Finish: Sugary water, brown sugar to be specific.  A quick bite of spices with hints of vanilla, chocolate and artificial…

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Whisky Review: Bowmore 1988 Vintage Edition

Style: Soapy and Complex Nose: Sea spray, then immediately there is the er… Parma violet soap on the second layer. Behind we have tropical fruits rolling in – bright pineapple, coconut and passion fruits. Vanilla milk, chilli heat followed by a second wave of martime notes, seaweed and gentle tar smoke to finish. A rather…

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Whisky Review: The Macallan Estate Reserve Ernie Button Limited Edition

Style: Rich and Sherry Nose: Started with red plums and prunes, sweet and around aroma. Plenty of chocolate sauce pursues from behind. Menthol, then we have digest biscuit and roasted malt to buffer the acidity. A few almond croissant and cookie dough dissonant hidden within, while subtle, graceful grassy and floral notes sitting deep at…

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Whisky Review: Johnnie Walker Island Green

Style: Sweet and Smoky Nose: Fresh ginger and pine opening, followed by a good dose of ester, yellow fruits. Hickory smoke lunges forward and we are offered plenty of youthful Caol Ila here… Down a level there’s mossy peat, lemon cup cakes, chilli heat casually switching on and off. Palate: Bold, sweet fruits and barbeque…

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