Cigar Weekly

jazznut · 10-28-2007, 05:24 AM

I spent last Wednesday evening sampling as well as discussing the merits of the following three whiskies with a fellow whisky lover. Here are my impressions...

Aberlour 15 Year Old Sherry Wood Finish – 43%
Amber gold tending to mahogany. The luscious Sherry cask enhanced melding of field berries and high-toned mint is seductively rich and oh so smooth, yet never over the top. Balanced, integrated and quite stunningly beautiful. A sweet dram to be sure.
This one is, I believe, being discontinued, and is therefore definitely worth grabbing should you have a bit of a 'sweet Sherry-tooth' and happen to come across it.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask – 48%
Full rich gold. A lovely fragrance of dune grasses, pears and golden plums vies for one’s attention with inviting scents of vanilla and uplifted smoke. Altogether more emphatic on the palate, even bordering at times on seeming a tad surly. The influence of the quarter casks strips the normally layered Laphroaig peat of much of its seaside vegetative element, leaving a simpler coal tar oriented smokiness to complement the incessantly waxing and waning fruit-malt aspect. And a tannic textural quality, undoubtedly also derived from the wood finishing, grips tightly from start to finish. Long and bold if a little bare-boned. This bottling certainly represents an unusual and impressive expression of the distillery’s make. But does quarter cask finishing really allow the full range of Laphroig flavours to shine through? I’m not entirely sure. Nonetheless, Laphroaig Quarter Cask is definitely a fun whisky for anyone willing to take that phenolic plunge into the barrel. When the first dram brings a smile to your face, you’ll want to pour a second.
This one works extremely well well as an 'appetizer' or as a 'closer'.

McClelland’s Islay – 40%
Fairly deep gold. Rounded from the outset by recharred Bourbon wood, with no rough edges from the relative youthfulness apparent. That characteristic fern-like and dusty peat demeanour positively sings Bowmore. Beyond the overture, however, Loch Indaal waves pound assertively as the smoke grows more palpable. A more malt driven and less Sherry influenced pour than many of the official distillery bottlings, perhaps, but very good nevertheless.
This one remonds me just a little of the relatively Sherry-less character of the older Bowmore Mariner and Cask Strength editions, and represents a good value.

10-28-2007, 05:24 AM	#1
jazznut Managing Editor Emeritus Herf God Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 25,991	"3-PACK" of tasting notes: Aberlour, Laphroaig &am I spent last Wednesday evening sampling as well as discussing the merits of the following three whiskies with a fellow whisky lover. Here are my impressions... Aberlour 15 Year Old Sherry Wood Finish – 43% Amber gold tending to mahogany. The luscious Sherry cask enhanced melding of field berries and high-toned mint is seductively rich and oh so smooth, yet never over the top. Balanced, integrated and quite stunningly beautiful. A sweet dram to be sure. This one is, I believe, being discontinued, and is therefore definitely worth grabbing should you have a bit of a 'sweet Sherry-tooth' and happen to come across it. Laphroaig Quarter Cask – 48% Full rich gold. A lovely fragrance of dune grasses, pears and golden plums vies for one’s attention with inviting scents of vanilla and uplifted smoke. Altogether more emphatic on the palate, even bordering at times on seeming a tad surly. The influence of the quarter casks strips the normally layered Laphroaig peat of much of its seaside vegetative element, leaving a simpler coal tar oriented smokiness to complement the incessantly waxing and waning fruit-malt aspect. And a tannic textural quality, undoubtedly also derived from the wood finishing, grips tightly from start to finish. Long and bold if a little bare-boned. This bottling certainly represents an unusual and impressive expression of the distillery’s make. But does quarter cask finishing really allow the full range of Laphroig flavours to shine through? I’m not entirely sure. Nonetheless, Laphroaig Quarter Cask is definitely a fun whisky for anyone willing to take that phenolic plunge into the barrel. When the first dram brings a smile to your face, you’ll want to pour a second. This one works extremely well well as an 'appetizer' or as a 'closer'. McClelland’s Islay – 40% Fairly deep gold. Rounded from the outset by recharred Bourbon wood, with no rough edges from the relative youthfulness apparent. That characteristic fern-like and dusty peat demeanour positively sings Bowmore. Beyond the overture, however, Loch Indaal waves pound assertively as the smoke grows more palpable. A more malt driven and less Sherry influenced pour than many of the official distillery bottlings, perhaps, but very good nevertheless. This one remonds me just a little of the relatively Sherry-less character of the older Bowmore Mariner and Cask Strength editions, and represents a good value. __________________ My whisky adventure began at the age of nine. Good things DO take time!