MrWizard's Ramblings

More samples to deal with before I drown in little bottles! Samples have been generously provided by friends,Michael, Jeremy, Logan…

Dalmore Cigar Malt, 44%
Ah general release Balmore. You’re terribly priced and terribly proofed for most of the regular releases. I wonder what does Cigar Malt version offer… For context this is supposed to be paired up with a cigar, if it wasn’t obvious from the name. At least it’s 44% abv for a change. Assuming that this is the new Cigar Malt reserve, and not the discontinued more than a decade ago original edition. Dalmore uses a slightly older base stock of Dalmore whisky and age it in previously used American bourbon casks, Matusalem sherry (which is an enriched 30-year-aged sherry) casks, and the new addition of cabernet sauvignon casks. The spirits are matured independently, and then blended in a 20% / 70% / 10% proportion respectively to make up the Cigar Malt Reserve we see here today. Sherry funk and concentrated flavors on the nose; old leather and wood, some dark dried fruits, prunes, cranberries and cherries are there. The palate falls somewhat flat from that luxurious nose, with mostly wood, bourbon spices, and some savoriness. Medium length aftertaste with baking spice and little charred wood lingering in the back. Overall: One-sided and drinkable neat but perhaps does pair better with a cigar. Value: At $150 in total wine… No, just no.
Score: B+

Convalmore 22, Distilled in 1984 Gordon & MacPhail 52.2%
“Convalmore 1984 22 Year Old Cask #1538 is the official title”. An old bottling of Convalmore by G & M. intense old ex-bourbon nose, though likely a refill cask as it seems a little on the thinner side on the color, with tons of green apples and pears. Slightly nutty palate with orchard fruits and a bit of spice catching up. Medium aftertaste with lightly pears lightly dusted with pepper dominating. Overall: I’ve expected more. This is basically an Old Malt Cask that is tasty and above the average for the peers, not a standout. Value: No clue on the price, but findable only on auction.
Score: B+

Balvenie 12, SiB # 5310, 47.8%
This is in-fact Balvenie 12 Yr Single Barrel Old First Fill Bourbon Cask. Looks like ex-bourbon from the color. Intense and quite spicy green pear arugula and almond salad on the nose dusted with parmesan cheese. The palate is quite subtle comparably, malted butter cookies, hold the sugar. The aftertaste comes back with more white pepper and is quite long if somewhat subtle. Overall: Enjoyable in its subtle-ness, and I like Balvenie usually, but this one is just too young and not a good cask in my opinion. Value: Listed in Total Wine at $84.99, with cask quality variable it’s still an average value. Any more and it’d be a bad value.
Score: B-

Kilkerran 8 Cask Strength 2017 Limited, Ex-Bourbon, 56.2%
Kilkerran is a Springbank’s experimental facility so all sorts of interesting things come out of it. I’ve reviewed a sherried one a bit ago, quite favorably. https://www.aerin.or … y:entry210627-201643 Anyways, this is ex-bourbon variation, released in 2017 or so. Light sweet peat smoke, intense orchard fruits with typical green apple-pear nose. Sweet and savory with good kick of sweet smoke and spice. It’s like smoked crunchy bits from Texas BBQ. The aftertaste is more of the palate slowly fading. Overall: This is great, even if peat isn’t my thing. Somehow this manages to be flavorful enough and not overpowered by the smoke, yet the smoke is still there in spades. This bottle is legit. Value: This was ridiculously priced in 2017 at 45 Euro… That’s… amazing value. Anywhere sub $90 is a good price for this.
Score: A-

Ohishi 7, SCWC / K&L Pick, 41.5%
A Southern California Whiskey Club and K&L Store pick single cask this is a 7 year old rice whiskey finished in Madeira Cask. By the way this is basically a soju/shochu, not a malted barley whiskey but at least this is a single cask. Strong madeira wine notes on the nose. More wine on the palate that’s quite lacking on the secondary flavors. Wine finish all the way down. Yet again noting, this is a rice whiskey so this automatically makes any secondary notes quite light. Overall: Quite solid amount of flavor for the proof and is rather good blend of Madeira notes from likely a good madeira cask. Unfortunate lack of malt makes me think of neutral alcohol with wine influence. Top pick at a bar, combine this with plenty of food and this is a winner. Solo contemplative drink this isn’t… unless you really like fortified madeira. Value: At $80… this is an confusing proposition for a rice whiskey… but considering the pedigree, the finish and the fact this is a single cask this is probably a passable value for the checkbox.
Original Listing: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1595456
Score: B+

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

I’ve asked for interesting samples from friend Charu… I got interesting samples from friend Charu. This time tons of random rum. Not the bottom shelf kind either. As with most Malternative reviews, my palate is not trained for it so I’m mostly judging it compared to whiskey. Previously from friend Charu: https://www.aerin.or … y:entry210317-202914

Foursquare Plenipotenziario 12, Velier Bottled 60%
A 12 year old blend from Foursquare, bottled by Velier. That nose is just dark molasses, and near-burnt sugar. So good, so deep, almost wood stain funky. Quite hot on the palate with 60% abv, tons of wood, sugars, leather, more of that toasted sugar bitter note too. Long aftertaste slightly bitter with deliciously burnt sugar and tons of toasted vanilla with baking spices playing the 3r fiddle here. Overall: Really quite tasty if one likes heavily toasted sugar-vanilla mix. Basically creme brulee top layer in liquid form. Possibly, ever so tiny bit too much bitterness on the palate. Value: N/A, though these are rather expensive even at MSRP.
This guy: https://www.masterof … -year-old-2007-wine/
Score: A- /RUM

Foursquare Redoubtable 61%
Another named release from Foursquare. Another blend of column and pot still rums from Foursquare. Typical burnt creme brulee sugar top on the nose. Quite sweet on the palate, with toasted, but not burnt sugar and vanilla notes. The aftertaste is yet again a typical Foursquare with toasted sugar vanilla blend, wood, some baking spices that finishes light and dry. Overall: Sweet and almost light, this drinks under it’s proof, yet just a tad too sweet for me without few darker bitter chocolate notes to back it up. Just a few would do, not enough to reach the bitterness of Plenipotenziario above, but perhaps a mix of the two would hit the right spot for my palate. Value: Circa $100, it’s probably alright considering how highly in demand Foursquare stuff is.
Score: A- /RUM

Stolen Overproof 6 Year Old Rum, Jamaican Rum, 61.5%
A 6 year old product from Hampden estate stills. Another funky nose with almost rubbery notes balanced by sugared vanilla. Nutty sweet palate with more burnt sugars, tons of spice and nearly tropical drink (don’t forget the bitters) quality. The aftertaste finishes with menthols and almost medicinal though a little bit short. Overall: As K&L Folks have mentioned this is a fantastic mixer for tropical drinks though very drinkable on its own if a little ‘funky’ for my palate. This reminds me of some sort of medicine with menthol notes towards the end. Still I’d probably drink this straight at a tropical resort. Or Mai Tai’ed the heck out of it. Value: This is $40? Pretty darn good overall.
Almost Certainly this: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1302807
Score: B /RUM

St Lucia 9 years, 2011 Bitters & Bottles SP, 60.3%
Bitters and Bottles store bottle , distilled in 2011 and 9 years old. Cask number 89308 (if I’m reading the label correctly). CHAIRMAN’S RESERVE 9 YEAR SINGLE CASK 100% SUGARCANE POT STILL RUM is the title. Funky menthol and rubber notes on the nose. Oh, I hope this isn’t another medicinal one. Tons of menthol, alcohol burn, licorice notes galore, this is almost like a bitey metholy rye in rum form. A little bit of water cuts down the burn and makes it a little more palatable. This is still pine resin, tons of menthol and some eucalyptus through and through the palate and the aftertaste. Overall: Not my thing, though I’ve glad I’ve tried it. Few drops of water is heavily recommended. Value: $138.50 I have no clue how to judge it but I’ll for, a little bit on the expensive side.
While it lasts: https://www.bittersa … arcane-pot-still-rum
Score: C- /RUM

St Lucia 11 years, Bitters & Bottles SP, 57.9%
Another Bitters and Bottle store bottle, this time cask number: 5150608 and as of 11 years old. A nice balance of wood, burnt sugar notes and spices. Something dark and tropical appears in between the sniffs on the nose. Still slightly medicinal notes remain. The palate is ginger-cinnamon toasted sugar candy, with some alcohol of course. Little bit of mint comes through but mostly whatever was on the palate continues into the medium length aftertaste. Overall: I am quite enjoying this contrary to the 9 years old one above. It’s got some funk and mint/eucalyptus going on but by no means it’s unpleasant to drink. Kinda like an enjoyable rye whiskey for me, I don’t usually like rye but sometimes the balance is there. Value: At $52.50 this is super solid deal.
This is the link: https://www.bittersa … on-cask-strength-rum
Score: B+ /RUM

Subtle Spirits, Tempest Rum, St Lucia 62.7%
Joshua Thinnes’s single cask pick, 9 year old, 100% Sugarcane, single cask #797082011 by Chairman’s Reserve stills. Lots and lots of wood on the palate, torched sugar, prunes, black raisins. Sweet and almost salty palate, alcoholic dried fruit compote, vanilla-sugar mix torched into bitterness, almost like oversteeped black tea, lots of wood notes with pine needles. Reasonably short but pleasant aftertaste with more dried fruit notes lingering around. Overall: Good but not my thing to be honest. I’ve got some mediocre associations with dried fruit compotes back from my childhood so it’s certainly working against me. As much as I want to like it… it’s not my thing. Honest disclaimer is I’m not too much into St Lucia’s palate balance. Water snaps things together nicely and changes the balance towards good notes. Few drops are highly recommended. Value: This is expensive. No.
Original listing: https://www.subtlesp … com/blog/the-tempest
Score: B (B+ with water) /RUM

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

I’ve reviewed non-scotch whiskeys before… So why stop now….

Penderyn 6, RoCo SP, Cognac Cask 61.9%
Hailing from a Welsh distillery, this is one of 430 bottles selected by ROCO spirits near Sacramento a Penderyn 6 year old malt that’s been in ex-cognac casks and selected for “The 200 club”. Nose is green apple skins, ripe bananas, green grass, some peach notes, some grapefruit peel, pepper and alcohol. Very sweet, bordering on honeyed tea notes, vanilla, white pepper and it’s also quite ‘breathtaking’… as in I couldn’t breathe for a bit after sipping my first sip. Becomes much more palatable after that on the experience, yet still quite warming on the throat due to untamed alcohol. ‘Creamy vanilla custard rum flambe’ is good description of the aftertaste. Overall: Oh I wish this was few years older to give alcohol a chance to calm down. This got amazing flavors but it’s also got untamed fury. Like being beaten up in a brawl by an attractive bodybuilder, great to look at, but it does still hurt. Fantastic young malt but it’s still young and after adding water everything falls apart into grassy raw notes suspended in light sugar syrup. Value: Looks like it was ~$99 which isn’t actually terrible for an uncommon distillery single cask. It’s not much of a value compared to it’s Scottish brethren but in context this gets a pass for the checkbox sake.
Score: C+

Port Dundas 14, Single Grain Scotch, Old Particular SiB, 48.4%
I’ve tried Port Dundas before and the one I’m thinking about was frankly, amazing… This bottle was fantastic: https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1192854 and I’ve also made no secret in the past that young single grain is a mess. So I’m clearly biased. Digging into this: the nose keeps on changing from vanilla rubbing alcohol to… grassy agricole rum, with a side of a screen wipe smell. Sweet vanilla cake that becomes a carnival of szechuan peppers on the palate. Reasonably long, gentle and very sweet aftertaste… Also like a vanilla cake. Overall: This needs another 20 years in a cask and it’d be amazing… As it is, it’s a curiosity but not much more. Don’t do young single grain kids, it’s not worth it. The dissolution of Port Dundas distillery is a shame but if you can get your grabby hands onto some old stock of theirs… It’s probably great . This, on the other hand, is barely passable. “Vodka (vanilla) cereal.” Value: N/A, not going to guess. If this is from auction and shipped to US… real bad. If sold locally… single grain bottles are pretty cheap comparably to their malt brethren. Still, don’t do single grains younger than 25 year old or so.
Score: C-

Samuel Gelston’s 25, Single Malt Irish Whiskey, 52.4
A blend of Bushmills casks… This is quite… interesting… from friend Logan. The nose is leathery dry peaches and apricots with more tropical fruits, mangos, papaia etc. That nose is ultra tropical with a tinge of smoke, but really more of a sundried smell. Velvet-smooth palate at the first moment, then intense wood and baking spices kick in. Smoked cinnamon mango on the long aftertaste. This really does tastes somewhat smokey even if it’s not supposed to be smoked or peated, but it’s so well integrated, it’s great! Overall: This starts yum, and finishes little bit on the bitter wood side on the second part of the palate. Perhaps just a tad overaged. I want to spend time in the nose… but palate is sort of a mess somewhat muddling the experience once I sip. Value: Very sold out but I’ve seen this between 300 and 400 and that doesn’t lay well for me. As usual, for that price the value is low, especially with Bushmills stocks.
Score: B+

Teeling (Cooley) Vintage Reserve 23, Irish Single Malt 58.9%
Yet another interesting sample from friend Logan. To be clear there’s no such thing as a Teeling 23 year old single malt as teeling isn’t even 23 years old as of this writing. So this is another Cooley… Dried fruit compote on the nose, dried apricots, prunes, some tropical notes are in the background. There’s probably some sherry cask involves in this considering it’s not a single cask bottling. Definitely getting a little bit of varnish on the nose too. Woody, sweet, more dark dried fruits, licorice on the palate, super interesting and very complex. Long aftertaste with warmth and more licorice notes that finishes almost drying with tannins. It’s like a tasty fruity root beer cocktail. Overall: Real enjoyable, Cooley works great in ex-bourbon, but this blend with some sherry involved and is no slouch. Definitely recommended to at least try since finding these bottles are nigh impossible. This particular one is apparently from Japan market. Value: As with just about anything from Logan, not going to bother guessing… this is not a cheap bottle even when it was released in 2015.
Almost certainly this: https://www.whiskyba … /teeling-23-year-old
Score: A-

Cooley 17 Single Malt, @SFWBSS Pick SiB, 58.07%
Another Cooley, this time a 17 year old from 2003, ex-bourbon cask, picked by local whiskey group and I got a little sample via a bottle split. I’ve written about Cooley before here: https://www.aerin.or … y:entry210914-215238 so no need to reiterate, they’re a legendary Irish distiller that preceded Teeling. Intensely tropical nose, with leche fruits, peaches, mangos mingling together into a light tropical fruit concoction. Delicious and rather sweet palate with more tropical fruit punch flavors going on. Mango-coconut notes are the standouts. More coconut mango on the medium length aftertaste together with some baking spices and ginger notes. Overall: I’m quite enjoying this. It’s super sugary, almost agave syrup or cream-soda like, with tropical flavors and bourbon cask spices. But something in there is missing for me. Perhaps it’s so sweet that it evokes fruit punch and spoils my mental image? Almost too much on the senses out of the bottle… With water… most everything snaps into place. Yes! That was it, just add water! Value: Eeeeeeh. It’s $200 for 700ml… not a fan of that value to be honest… yet I still paid for part of the bottle to try it. If you’re a fan of Cooley malt it’s probably worth it considering current market… but honestly, it’s rather bad value especially if buying blind.
Score: A-

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

Apologies for an unexpected break in reviews. I’ve been on and off sick for the last two weeks and took it a bit easy on the alcohol to recover. Not to mention trying to taste and smell something with clogged up sinuses is a bit a of a challenge. On the good side of things, I’ve got a lot of accumulated samples… So look forward to more reviews soon.

Introducing new (and also old because there are few older reviews are also falling into this tag) category of ‘malternative’ spirit reviews. I may not revisit this tag too often but I will record my thoughts since I do get samples for non-whiskey booze too.

Full disclaimer, oftentimes I’m not familiar enough with the spirit in question to baseline it against others of its kind… consider my grades as an outsider’s opinion.

El Tesoro Reposado, K&L Sp, 40.7%
Sample courtesy of friend Charu. The nose is grassy fresh cut tropical fruit salad… Like the top of a pineapple. Light, sweet, slightly peppery and tropical palate. Lots of spices, primarily chili peppers rise in the reasonably long aftertaste. This is a tequila that truly wants to be paired with some mexican food or cheese. Side note, pairing it up with some smoked gouda is amazing. Overall: Highly enjoyable with mexican food but not too special on its own. I would absolutely drink this all day with tacos or whatever i’m given.
https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1538832
Score: B-

Ivy Mountain Peach Brandy, 40%
Unclear which batch this is, but likely batch 1…. Sample courtesy of friend Charu. It smells like pure peaches. Not even a note of alcohol for my ’seasoned’ nose. Okay, maybe a little bit like a peach extract/flavoring to be fair. Sweet peach skins and maybe a little bit of bitterness from around the pit on the palate. Very long and very… ‘peachy’ aftertaste. It really does taste like peach sangria or a real peach that’s been soaked in white rum for a while. A fun little experience, it makes me think of peach-flavored liquors or peach-flavored rum, though I’m fairly sure this is not flavored by any means. Overall: Fun summery drink for sure. “Don’t worry; be happy”. As straight as a line on complexity and perhaps it’s for the best.
Score: B

L’encantada Lous mouracs 1983 #25 Lincoln Road Pick, 48.6%
A small sample from friend Charu. This is so ridiculously dark and complex across the board. The nose is wonderful blend of old paint and varnish with vanilla extract and fruit compote. The palate is deeply oaky, super fruity and almost resembles Oloroso sherry for me, which is something I really really like in the glass. Toasted vanilla, lots of wood yet not overwhelming the balance is great here. Tons of dark dried fruits and some spice on the finish. Overall: Lovers of subtle spirits should not apply. This is not your shelf cognac light fruity style. This is luxuriously dark, deep, and amazing. Delicious example of brandy that I would love drinking even being a scotch lover. Definitely one to change a whiskey-drinker’s mind. It’s quite difficult to even call this an armagnac when trying blind… It’s something between a bourbon and heavily sherried scotch on the palate. Value: This is north of 200… so not cheap.
Someone else’s thoughts here: http://plebyak.blogs … s-1983-armagnac.html
Score: A-

Pierre Ferrand Renegade Barrel 1 - Cognac and Sauternes Cask, 48%
Sample from friend Charu. This batch is aged in combination of old cognac and sauternes casks. The nose got a minor but odd acrid note to it, like raw grapes or maybe bad white wine mixed with woody alcohol. The palate is actually not too bad. I don’t have too much cognac practice, but it’s definitely vanilla, ripe red grapes, pine nuts, very floral and quite sweet. The aftertaste brings interesting gentle szechuan pepper notes and some vanilla extract. Overall: Sweet and pleasant, this can appeal to those that enjoy Hennessy/Remi Martin no age blends but for my palate it’s not all that interesting. A solidly drinkable cognac, with an interesting twist and much more character than overblended generic ’staples’. Value: Solid, at ~$80 for the brand. Not that I have any expertise in cognac pricing.
Score: B

Pierre Ferrand Renegade Barrel 2 - Oak and Chestnut barrels, 47.1%
Sample from friend Charu. Very herbal on the nose, an herbal fruit compote to be fair as is the norm with cognacs. More herbs on the palate but now with wood and grapes, and raisins dominating, backed by the vanilla toasted wood. Lots of spices, some oak and vanilla; and of course more dried raisins, though this time white raisins, on the palate. Overall: This is quite a trip on the senses, though I’d have guessed the finish was some herbal vine finish rather than chestnut. Definitely oak-forward, with wood trying to unbalance the rest of the spirit it never quite gets there. Definitely an interesting and different take on a cognac. Not a typical offering and is likely polarizing to those that are more familiar with cognacs. Still, I’d drink this stand-alone no problem. Value: Solid, at ~$80 for the brand. Not that I have any expertise in cognac pricing.
Score: B+

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown