The Silk Road of Wine

Scotch Review: Laphroaig 15 year old

 The ubiquitous Laphroaig 10 year old edition is a real love-it-or-hate-it litmus test for scotch aficionados.  The "Islay character" of smoke and peatiness is on full-throated display in that malt (if you love it), or it reeks of medicinal iodine (if you hate it).  I tend to favor Speyside malts and am not a huge Islay fan except for a warmup on a cold and rainy winter evening, so I alternate between the two poles.

That said, the 15 year old version is entirely different.  If you have steered away from Islay peat monsters in the past, this is worth a second look.  The nose has just a whiff of smokiness, and sherry comes across as the predominant aroma after a few minutes in the glass (Glencairn glasses accentuate this even further in my samplings).  No iodine and no medicinal notes in this one - that's a good thing in my book ...!

The thing I really noticed about this scotch was how balanced it felt in relation to many others from Islay.    Rather than screaming PEAT!!! at the top of its lungs like its younger sibling, the 15 year old instead presents a little fruit, a little spice, a handful of peat, and some sweeter honey-like sherry wood to round it out.  It really comes together nicely if you can bear to let it sit in your glass for a few minutes, and a sprinkling of water of course helped to open it up as well.

Grade: A- (a great Islay malt for those who normally don't like Islay malts).  

Note that the 15 year old has been discontinued and replaced by the 18 year old edition, so buy up what you can now.

Scotch review: Springbank 10 year old

 Springbank is a scotch from the lone distillery remaining in Campbeltown, a remote corner of Scotland.  It isn't the most popular or most widely-known malt, but those who like the "Campbeltown style" are rabid fans (and I count myself part of this clan).   

Campbeltown was Scotland's commercial distilling hub before the rise of Speyside.  Given it's proximity to the western sea, Campbeltown gained much of its prominence during the steamship era (and owed much of its subsequent decline to the railway era).  Further, since it was the last stop before the New World, Michael Jackson in Scotland and its Whiskies states that Campbeltown's decline "allegedly happened after the distillers there became known for rough whiskies supplied to American speakeasies during Prohibition."

Visiting the distillery appears to be an odyssey unto itself, as described by the Malt Maniacs:  

"[F]rom a traveller's perspective, visiting the Campbeltown area is a small nightmare.  One has to make a long trek to the Southern tip of the Kintyre peninsula on the Western coast of Scotland to reach Springbank - or the nearby Glen Scotia distillery. Except for the distilleries, there's not much happening in Campbeltown. And even for the people that want to 'get away from it all' for a few days, Springbank is a fairly poor destination. It's one of the few distilleries that isn't surrounded by the lush Scottish countryside - located in the middle of a busy town.

Many distilleries welcome visitors with open arms, but when some of the maniacs visited Springbank in 2005 they didn't seem very pleased to see us - or the other visitors for that matter. So, for me the best thing of the trip was the night I spent in the same hotel that Alfred Barnard stayed in when he visited the area over a century ago."

 Whew!  After that experience, you might want to skip past Springbank to something more common - don't.  The Springbank 10 year old is a great introduction to the Campbeltown style - mildly briny with some iodine from the sea, slightly sweet, fruity and creamy at the start, and very pleasant throughout.  While not as sherried or refined as the 15 year old, the 10 year old is a great everyday dram that deserves a taste if you have the opportunity to dip your toe into this unique distilling region.

Grade: B (a bit pricier than others in this range at $55, but understandable given the lack of economies of scale in Campbeltown - support them if you can)  

Balvenie-Glenfiddich tasting at Nihon Whisky Lounge

(This was a writeup from a few months ago that didn't get posted for some reason, so re-posting now) 

I had the pleasure of attending a private tasting of two of the William Grant single malt scotch giants, The Balvenie and Glenfiddich, this week of WhiskyFest San Francisco.  The tasting was held at Nihon Whisky Lounge, which is a great Japanese restaurant that also boasts the largest single malt selection found on the West coast (over 400 bottles, according to their website).

The tasting was split into two halves.  First up was Ray Pearson, Brand Ambassador   (Western division) for Glenfiddich, which was the #1 scotch in the world last I checked.  See my extended interview with Ray here. Ray provided context on Speyside as a region within Scotland and the typical character of malts from that region ("full, fresh, and easy on the palate") which has led to their widespread popularity.  

Ray spent a fair bit of time covering the importance of wood in the aging process.  Glenfiddich primarily employs bourbon, sherry and new oak barrels, and aims to achieve a level of consistency across the three woods in their 15 year old malt at volumes unseen by others in the industry through the solera process - basically adding new product at specified intervals to vats containing older product of varying ages to achieve fractional blending ("similar to adding sourdough starter in baking," according to Ray).

To highlight the impact of the woods on the finished product, Ray presented three Glenfiddich samples: the 15 year old, the 21, and the Distillery Edition (102 proof).  The 15 was malty and spicy, with some hints of sherry; it wasn't my favorite of the lot, but it grew on me the more I sipped it.  The 21 year old was a different beast entirely, since it had been aged in Caribbean rum barrels and presented assertive, strong flavors of toffee and caramel as a result - I liked this the best for its change of pace, though it isn't a typical Speyside malt by any stretch.  Lastly, the Distillery Edition was a 51% ABV (alcohol by volume) version of the more common 40% ABV 15 year old; it was certainly stronger, though interestingly more cloudy in the glass since it is non chill-filtered.  

Next up was Andrew Weir, Brand Ambassador for The Balvenie (see my extended interview with Andrew here), to provide insight into the history and character of this very popular Speyside malt.  Andrew also   touched on the importance of wood to his brand ("think of whisky like baking a cake - adding layers of complexity throughout, and the 'icing' is the flavor from the wood"), and shared some interesting factoids about the distilling process:

• In the same way that brandy is effectively "distilled wine" (same ingredient list), think of scotch as distilled beer
• The distilling process is not only time-consuming, it is also expensive - sherry barrels are twice as large as bourbon barrels but 8x as costly ...
• Scotch distillers are paying Spanish coopers these days to grow/harvest forests and manufacture sherry barrels since the demand for the barrels in Scotland far outstrips what is required for sherry production on its own

Andrew shared three malts from The Balvenie collection: the rum cask 17 year old, the madeira 17, and the portwood 21.  The rum cask 17 was a nice contrast with the Glenfiddich 21 year old given their shared rum heritage; the Balvenie version only spent 5 months in a rum barrel for finishing (the "icing" on the cake) and was softer on the palate.  Molasses, banana, caramel, brown sugar, and cinnamon spice predominated - reminded one of a holiday cake in some ways.

 The madeira 17 was the star, and has been garnering rave reviews (John Hansell of Malt Advocate recently awarded it 90 points).  It presented great balance and long finish, with flavors of spice and fruit that were milder and more subtle than the rum version or the portwood 21 version which followed.  The latter spent 21 years in first-fill sherry and bourbon barrels, with a 4 month finish in port barrels, and it shows - the overwhelming sensation I got was of chocolate-covered raisins.  While pleasant as an after-dinner drink, it was a bit too much after sampling the madeira version, which won my vote as best of the tasting.

The passion that both Andrew and Ray have for their brands and for scotch overall was evident in their presentations - thanks to both of them for their insight and for allowing us to explore some great drams with them! 

An Interview with Andrew Weir, The Balvenie Ambassador (part II)

 

In part I of my interview with Andrew Weir, The Balvenie Ambassador for the Western US, we explored The Balvenie’s whisky-making philosophy and what the role of Ambassador entails.  Here is second part of our interview. 

Are there any new trends in single malt scotch (manufacturing, marketing or retailing) that you have been impressed by?

I’ve found Twitter to be a really effective social networking tool (ed. note: you can follow Andrew on Twitter @BalvenieAW).  It enables me to introduce The Balvenie to consumers by contributing to the ongoing conversation on the web, and especially to spread the word about tastings and new releases.

The online community in general is bringing our category to a much wider audience. We have created some pretty nifty technology on our site (thebalvenie.com) where Scotch fans across the globe can build and review their own virtual whisky shelf. We know that Balvenie fans are explorers and this tool supports that in a 2009 kind of way.

Turning to the industry overall, single malt scotch is perceived as either a sophisticated or an elitist drink in the US, depending on who you talk to – how does this differ from Scotland, and how are you and the industry looking at this (a good thing or a bad thing)?

Sophisticated yes, but I wouldn’t say elitist. I’m from a working class family in  Scotland and I was exposed to single malts before I came to the States.

Scotch is way more than a drinking experience – there’s a story, a history, a journey. I’d suggest readers check the Internet for a seminar near them - there’s always a chance to sample something with all of the above without breaking the bank.

Lastly, what would you recommend for the newbie scotch drinker, someone who wants to learn more – it can be at least as intimidating as learning about wine if not more so.  Books, specific scotches to sample, classes or tastings?

Do a Google search for “scotch tastings” in your local area and attend a few.  Talk to people and ask questions, no matter how basic they may seem – if I am hosting a tasting, it’s a joy for me when someone sheepishly raises their hand and asks “what is the difference between Scotch and whisky?” 

It gives me a chance to share my passion for what goes on in The Balvenie distillery to transform water, yeast and barley into the wonderful, honeyed drink they have before them.  It is a real joy to take a look over at the very same person who told me at the start of the tasting “I don’t like Scotch” and see their eyes light up as they begin to sample what their palate likes and doesn’t like.  In many cases they ask me where they can buy a bottle of what I’ve just shared with them!

Thanks, Andrew, for a chance to learn more about The Balvenie story - keep an eye out for him at a tasting near you, it is well worth the time! 

An Interview with Andrew Weir, The Balvenie Ambassador (part I)

   I recently had the pleasure of sitting down for lunch with Andrew Weir, The Balvenie Ambassador for the Western US.  Andrew is based in San Francisco and arrived in the States in 2005 after a long acting career in his native Scotland and in the UK, with roles on stage, on screen with the BBC, and in films such as Braveheart. 

In his current role, Andrew has the privilege of educating interested Americans, from newbies to longtime aficionados, by sharing his deep knowledge of Scotch whisky and The Balvenie story.  He is a prolific Twitter user as well (you can follow him @BalvenieAW).  Here is Part I of our interview.

·     Let’s discuss The Balvenie for a few minutes.  Explain what the role of The Balvenie Ambassador entails – outreach to new customers, expanding the palates of existing, etc?

A bit of both really. The role involves a significant amount of travel, which leads to random meetings at bars, in restaurants, airports, planes, etc. Trying to convince the middle-aged businessman/Scotch lover sitting next to you on the plane that what we do is actually ‘work’ can be challenging!

My role is about facilitating an experience as much as it is about sharing a story and providing an informal education. Whisky is a personal experience so I’m not the guy who stands preaching about ‘the only way to drink this’ or giving them a chorus and verse tasting note … I'd prefer to ask them a lot of questions. What do YOU taste? What does this remind YOU of? 

I’m also there to offer context – we have an enviable commitment to craftsmanship and a five generation family story, coupled with a few gems passed on from David Stewart (our malt master with 47 years service), there’s plenty to talk about. The liquid says a lot too! 

·      What is The Balvenie’s whisky-making philosophy – what are you trying to achieve in your single malts?

Ultimate craftsmanship. We believe the quality of the whisky can be directly attributed to the fact that we still make whisky in the traditional style, using practices that have been abandoned elsewhere in the industry – from growing and malting our own barley to employing a dedicated coppersmith and a team of highly-skilled coopers.  The love, care and attention that goes into the production of every drop can’t be underestimated.  

How does The Balvenie view itself today in the world of scotch whisky, and where are you heading over the next 3-5 years?

Simply put: Balvenie is an explorers single malt. There’s something about it that gives people enormous satisfaction in recommending it to their friends. This is the reason DoubleWood is now a staple on the home bar (ed.note: see my DoubleWood tasting notes here). I hear ‘this is my go to’ and ‘it’s my old friend’ several times a week. 

Up until fairly recently, Balvenie was mainly enjoyed anonymously (as part of our award-winning Grants blend) - I believe that this brand was built largely on the basis that whisky drinkers shared a ‘secret’ with their friends and the liquid didn’t disappoint. Still doesn’t. 

Part II of our interview is continued here.

The Glencairn whisky glasses have arrived!

Exciting times - the award-winning Glencairn scotch whisky glasses arrived yesterday.  I gave them a whirl with a wee dram last night.  The rounded bowl and elongated barrel certainly aided in nosing the malt (especially after a bit of water to decrease the alcohol, open it up and release the aromas), especially compared to a typical highball glass.  I'll continue to A/B test over time, but with over 5 million glasses sold they are surely doing something right ...

Incidentally, the Glencairn site is very slick and has a nice 30 second animated sequence on how to appreciate whisky - recommended!

Scotch Review: Oban 14 year single malt

  Oban is the unofficial capital of the Western Highlands, and this is one of the few distilleries operating in the region.  It is one of the smallest producers in the Diageo "Classic Malts" series, and is one of less than a dozen active distilleries that can trace its roots back to the 18th century.

The whisky itself is certainly tasty enough.  It has a balanced nose with a bit of peat in the background; I didn't sense the briney character (like a Springbank from Cambeltown) that is often associated with Oban, but that may have been this particular bottling.  The palate showed a little smoke and malt, and opened up better with a small dose of water.  

Overall: B- (an enjoyable whisky and well worth sampling; for my taste, it lacked a finish and a bit of spine that would make it really stand out) 

Scotch Review: The Balvenie 15 year "single wood"

     The Balvenie is certainly becoming one of my favorite malts; it suits my palate, and apparently the region suits many other folks as well (4 out of the 5 top-selling single malts are Speysiders).

There is something about wood finishes that marries extremely well with the honey-orange characteristic that is so pronounced in The Balvenie range - there is a larger post in here somewhere to explore why this works so well.  For now, it is worth 'savoring' the point.

The 15 year single barrel I sampled was strong (47.8%) yet soft and opened up easily, either neat or with a few drops of water.  The nose had orange, honey, and something stronger - cedar?  After five minutes to open up, "hot spicy cinnamon candy" was my first reaction upon returning to this dram.

On the palate, this malt was sweet, with some gingery bite to it.  Perhaps it echoed a couple of dishes I experimented with this week in new cookbooks, but the combination of spiciness and power felt like a culinary fusion of Moroccan and Vietnamese in the glass - very pleasant, though a slight burn going down detracted a bit until it fully opened up (who can wait that long ...?).

The finish was something that really stood out to me; it lasted well over 30 seconds, and continued to develop new, subtle flavors the entire time as I carried on a conversation.  Very impressive.

Overall grade: A- (highly recommended, at least on a par with the Doublewood) 

For more reviews across The Balvenie range, check out the tasting notes on MaltMadness.com 

Scotch Review: The Glenlivet 18 year single malt

Honey - layers of wonderful honey mark this malt, which I liked very much.  There's a bit of fruit on the nose, but it is the honey essence that kept me coming back for another dram (this bottle didn't last the week during this summer's vacation). 

The ubiquitous 12 year old version of The Glenlivet is certainly fine and middle of the road, though it may have self-defined the road by being so widely available ... I've always found a bit of satisfaction in enjoying a scotch that uses the definite article in its name, and here's how The Glenlivet got its moniker:

The fame of the Glen Livet valley had already widely spread at the time of the visit 
of King George IV to Edinburgh; some people claim he actually asked for it by name. 
Because the name of the 'terroir' became very well known, more and more distilleries 
in the area added 'Glenlivet' to their own name. A joke from those days was that the 
name 'Glenlivet' meant 'The long Valley' - because so many distilleries were located 
there. Until 1984, many distillers still put 'Glenlivet' behind their name on their labels.

After a many legal battles in court, only the Glenlivet distillery is allowed to use the name THE Glenlivet.

A few drops of water seem to open the nose a bit quicker on this one, although not required, and it is hard to let such an easy-to-consume malt sit for a long time in your glass to allow it to develop properly absent any water.

Score: A- (a good value at $53; not all that easy to locate, though)

Scotch Review: The Balvenie 12 year Doublewood

     This malt has a lot going for it.  A beautiful bottle, a wonderful nose, and one of the best price-value ratios (~$35) of any single malt on the market today.  Plus the ineffable satisfaction of sipping a dram of one of the very small handful of whiskies whose name is the definite article ("The" Balvenie). 

I first sampled The Balvenie months ago and have been going back to it regularly ever since.  It is from Speyside, and is matured in two woods.  During maturation, it goes from a traditional oak whisky cask to a first-fill Spanish oak sherry cask.

This two-stage process is evident in the Doublewood's character.  The oak cask previously held bourbon (according to their website), which softens and adds character.  The sherry cask, on the other hand, lends depth and complexity to the malt's flavor.  While I can't say that my palate is discriminating enough to parse out one from the other, the combination is what pulls it all together in the end.

The nose is big and somewhat sweet, with hints of vanilla (the oak cask at work?).  On the palate, it is smooth and mellow, fruity and sweet with a touch of spice, in line with what the nose prepared you for.  It can work with a bit of water to bring out the bouquet faster, and I tried it with and without to good results.  Good long finish as well.

Overall grade: A- (and a smashing A+ for value!)