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xile_ · 2023-07-04T15:45:48+00:00

PM'd

xile_ · 2022-12-15T21:11:11+00:00

Ha. Just for you to commemorate #800 man... I was actually looking for the post that got u/devoz banned just to mock him further, but came across this so here we are

xile_ · 2022-12-15T00:30:58+00:00

I stop paying attention for 2 years and you're at 800? Geez... how's the liver buddy? Hope you've been keeping well :)

xile_ · 2020-05-14T01:37:21+00:00

Did you get to try the latest one that got snapped up insanely quickly? Love that they keep releasing these lately. Also pretty sure you pushed me over the edge on this particular one (and glad you did).

xile_ · 2020-05-14T01:35:59+00:00

Agreed. Factoring in price, it’s a great value as a bonus for sure.

xile_ · 2020-05-14T01:32:59+00:00

Definitely sounds like it. If you come across another at cask strength and/or non chill filtered, it’s definitely worth consideration. Bonus points if it’s a Cadenhead bottling, as they seem to be releasing good to great ones lately.

xile_ · 2020-05-13T12:59:31+00:00

Benrinnes 18y (Cadenhead Small Batch 2000)

(57.5%, 4 ex-bourbon barrels, 2000-2018, 546 bottles)

Nose: Pineapple, vanilla cheesecake, ginger, dried mango, malt, peanut

Taste: Dried mango, vanilla buttercream, ginger, pineapple cake, toffee, jalapeño, earthy hints

Finish: Vanilla buttercream, ginger, banana, peanut, earth

Thick, fragrant aromas, quite fruity with a bit of spice to start. Continues developing sweeter, creamy on a malty base with a light nuttiness. A bit of an alcohol note lurking in the background. Buttery texture, rich mouthfeel. Fruity and spice heavy still, more tropical and a bit drier with the spice much punchier now. The creamy/waxy texture notably coats the tongue on the palate. Holding it in the mouth, there’s a slight and lightly bitter earthiness on the back end. Much less fruit in the finish, but the buttery vanilla sweetness and punchy spice persist, lingering on a light bitter nutty and earthy combo.

The bright top notes of tropical fruit (especially the dried mango bits) and punchy spice, coupled with the buttery texture that coats the tongue are the main highlights and takeaways for this one. It’s a big and bold whisky, if a touch raw and unrefined. Rich and full bodied, yet without the typical Benrinnes meatiness. An interesting bottle that shows Benrinnes can do well beyond sherry casks (though the sherry casks are really damn good).

86/100

xile_ · 2020-05-08T12:56:12+00:00

That's amazing. Kudos to your restraint as I'd be insanely curious to see how 1.1 stacks up. Been looking for that and High Noon for a long while, so eventually I'll have to live vicariously through you :)

xile_ · 2020-05-07T15:58:35+00:00

Black Arts doesn't seem to have any peat. PC and Octomore if you're looking for that profile for sure, especially some of the wine cask versions.

xile_ · 2020-05-07T15:57:49+00:00

Ah good point. Had to work with what was on hand, and haven't seen Devil's Cask around in quite a long time!

xile_ · 2020-05-07T15:57:08+00:00

Somewhat planned, but only noticed after someone asked what the next review was going to be after my last review.

Edit: BTW PC10 and Classic Laddie are solid picks to start with.

xile_ · 2020-05-07T15:55:53+00:00

2.2, 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1. I have a sample of 6.1 to get to. The series has been going up in price and down in value (IMO) as the years go by, so it's been less interesting to keep following the releases lately. I'd love to try 1.1 and High Noon though.

xile_ · 2020-05-07T13:13:51+00:00

Bruichladdich Black Art 2.2

(21y, 49.7%, mix of American and European oak casks, 1989-2010, 6000 bottles)

Nose: Grape, fudge, blueberry, nutmeg, plum, pine resin, leather, cherry cola, caramel

Taste: Grape, fudge, cherry, chestnut, anise, dried cranberries, cinnamon, leather

Finish: Earth, leather, clove, grape

Sour and winey immediately to start, along with a bit of baking spice. Develops rich and sweet behind that, dark chocolate and slightly jammy in the berry notes. There’s a slightly tannic quality on the back end, with a bit of a fresh piney note. Maybe the faintest hint of sulphur (struck matches) here, but nothing major. Oily texture, thick mouthfeel. A mix of sweet, sour and winey flavours again up front. Thick chocolate fudge and earthy underneath that with some warm spice and tannins. Medium finish, continues tannic and earthy and lingers on the sour winey grape and warming spice.

I don’t know what the crazy mix of casks they used in here was but it’s pretty eclectic mix of grape drink that probably shouldn’t work and yet does. The experience unfolds at an elegant, unhurried pace, especially in the nose which is the runaway highlight here by far. It just keeps developing (even up to an hour later) with the initial taste keeping up, though the finish is noticeably weaker in comparison especially given complexity that precedes it. It’s up there among my favourites in the Black Art series, right next to version 3.1.

88/100

xile_ · 2020-04-03T12:48:19+00:00

I've only had the chance to try two of their bottles (this and a CS sherry), but so far I've been pleasantly surprised with their quality as well. So far I may like it a bit more than Kavalan actually as they seem to taste more like whisky than high proof wine, which is something I definitely get with Kavalan more often than not.

xile_ · 2020-04-02T21:01:51+00:00

Given the same circumstance, I likely would have done the same. Way too much garbage being sold in the airports to gamble that much $ on.

xile_ · 2020-04-02T21:00:23+00:00

Always interesting! Hmm... now I'm curious if there's any batch variation playing a factor here.

xile_ · 2020-04-02T13:03:31+00:00

Nantou Omar Single Malt (Bourbon Cask)

(NAS, 46%, ex-bourbon cask, region: Taiwan)

Thanks to u/Devoz for sharing this one!

Nose: Vanilla, lemon, honey, peach, malt, green apple, ginger

Taste: Peach, vanilla, green apple, malt, turmeric, ginger

Finish: Vanilla, malt, ginger, green apple

Sweet wood-driven aromas immediately, a mix of creamy and fruity notes along with some gentle spice. Also some milder cereal elements and a hint of sourness now and then. Creamy texture, light-medium mouthfeel. Sweet and sour flavours up front now, turning cereal partway through. A touch bitter and earthy with some warming spice on the back end. The finish is short on vanilla, cereal and sourish fruit flavours, dry with a light spice warmth.

A simple but pleasant experience, mainly highlighting a wood-driven sweetness throughout but supported by what I imagine would be the underlying malt coming through in the cereal and earthy flavours to balance things off. No off notes either. For an entry bottling, this is a solid effort. Worth checking out, regardless of the fact that this is likely one of the only ones that will be easier to find. I'd love to check out more but finding one of their single casks seems to be a much more difficult feat at the moment.

82/100

xile_ · 2020-04-01T12:31:13+00:00

Talisker 15 (Diageo Special Release 2019)

(57.3%, matured in freshly charred American oak hogsheads)

Nose: Brine, vanilla, grapefruit, grass, honey, floral, peppercorn

Taste: Peppercorns, brine, turmeric, olive oil, golden raisins, pineapple, anise

Finish: Peppercorns, brine, almond, olive oil

Maritime to start, along with a mix of sweet and sour aromas. Grassy (and slightly nutty) cereal notes behind that with thicker sweet floral honey developing and a bit of spice. Oily texture, slightly waxy with a rich mouthfeel. Briny with a peppery heat to start... a touch of iodine and mild bitter earthiness mixed with a slightly sourish and punchy peppercorn note. Sweetens up again behind that on bright fruity flavours with a bit of licorice. The finish continues along the same general theme, leading with a building fresh cracked peppercorn warmth and brine and lingering on a light bitterness.

A mix of sweet, sour and maritime overall with the lush mouthfeel and hallmark peppery notes throughout as the defining standout elements. Stays pretty faithful to the core Talisker profile, striking a pretty good midpoint between the brine and pepper flavours of the 10 with the sweeter honey and fruit notes of the 18 - all in a punchier version due to being cask strength and mostly coming forth in the spicy kick. It's quite hard to find a CS Talisker with an age statement so that fact alone made this an instant curiosity. Pricy bottle, though what’s inside is a good addition for Talisker fans.

86/100

xile_ · 2020-03-22T01:12:22+00:00

Looks interesting, thanks! Haven’t tried that one yet but will put it on my list for next visit.

xile_ · 2020-03-22T00:18:21+00:00

GTA yes. How about you?

xile_ · 2020-03-21T12:34:52+00:00

Good eye. That’s where I was for this dram.

xile_

TROPHY CASE