Year 2017 highlights!

Last year we've established the tradition to summarize the results of each year and name the best ones in 3 categories. So let's proceed to what the year 2017 brought us... 

Whisky felling #8. Three decades of Glen Grant: Glen Grant GM 1965/2013, Glen Grant GM 1952/2012 and Glen Grant GM 30 yo Crown of flowers label

New Year is very close and this is the time when you'd like to relax and sip some damn tasty old Glen Grants. But let's start from the very beginning...

Very good article about sherry casks from Ruben

Shortly about solera system, types of sherry, what casks are really used in whisky industry and some myths to be busted, the whole text is here (taken from www.whiskynotes.be). 

Park'em all: Highland Park 25 yo 48.1%, Highland Park 30 yo 48.1% and Highland Park 40 yo 48.3%

Sergii birthday and smallest HP tasting (a year ago I bit him and infected with orkneyphilia, you know). 

Travelling across Islay: Bowmore 1990 McC, Laphroaig 1991 McC, Caol Ila 2005/2017 CS GM, Laphroaig 10 yo CS Red Stripe (bottled 2007) and finally Port Ellen 27 yo 1978/2006 DL Platinum

Spontaneous tasting with Andrii on one of October Fridays, why not explore our favorite island? :) 

1-st year of this online notepad, 16 000 views and 2 new Highland Parks today: recent HP 25 yo 45.7% and HP 30 yo TWA Funghi 52.2%

Sherry or bourbon? That is the question. 

Whether 'tis nobler in bourbon to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Or to take arms against the casks of sherry

And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep. 

Samaroli tasting: Allt-a-Bhainne 1995, Braeval 1994, Glenburgie 1995, Mortlach 1997, Bunnahabhain 1988 and Bunnahabhain 1989

These were mainly Coilltean releases, though in any case Samaroli bottles are worth trying. 

Small session of samples: Glendronach CS batch #4 54.7%, Invergordon 46 yo 1966/2012 DR 51.9%, Bunnahabnain 11 yo PX finish distillery only 54.6% and Bunnahabhain 11 yo Rubha A' Mhail 57.4%

That would be random selection of samples I've tried recently. Just to dot the i's. 

Arran 21 yo Anniversary 52.6% and Mannochmore 25 yo 53.4%

Two samples dating back to this summer.

Whisky Corner celebrates its 5 years and so do we: Magilligan 08 yo peated, Glenmorangie 10 yo (2-nd generation), Highland Park Fire Edition, Highland Park 2007 GM, Laphroaig 1999 Kingsbury, Bowmore 1996 Kingsbury, Caol Ila 17 yo Exclusive Malts, Caol Ila 21 yo Kingsbury, Caol Ila 26 yo Syndicate, Caol Ila 30 yo and Lagavulin 20 yo Syndicate

11 samples might be too much for 4 of us, but we'll do our utmost!

Valera's birthday, Charles MacLean in Kiev and 10 rare malts: Carsebridge 1979 DT, Cameronbridge 1979 DT, Imperial 1990 DT, Inverleven 1979 DT, Old Pulteney 1990 bottled for Corvin, Mosstowie 1975 DT, Glenlivet 1970 DT, Caperdonich 1968 GM, Miltonduff 1968 GM and Strathisla 30 yo GM

One of the evenings that whisky afficionado can recall till the end of the life: Charles MacLean, beautiful malts and gorgeous music. 

Tobermory and Ledaig journey - Ledaig 10 yo, Ledaig 18 yo, Ledaig 1996/2015, Tobermory 15 yo, Tobermory 18 yo, Tobermory 21 yo, Tobermory 22 yo and Tobermory 32 yo 1972/2005 49.5% - Ukrainian Whisky Connoisseurs Club #118

Quite a work to be done today.

Whisky felling #7. Bunnas from 60-s: Bunna 12 yo 43% (bottled in 70s), Bunna 1963/1997, Bunna 1965/2001 Feis Isle and Bunna 1968 Auld Acquaintance.

All hands on deck!..

Campbelltown vs Lowlands: Longrow 21 yo and Springbank 21 yo (bottled 1998) vs Littlemill WB cask #34 and Littlemill 1989 TWA

The age is more or less the same, all 4 samples are quite rare and hopefully tasty, so let the regions battle begin...

Elements of Islay: Lg5, Lg6, Lp7 and Laphroaig 10 yo CS batch #009

At last it's raining after a week of summer heat, nice occasion to have a few drams of Islay. Thanks to Andrii and congrats!

2 new Highland Parks (Rebus 30 and Valkyrie) + 5 malts worth 90/100 or even more: Springbank 12 yo Burgundy, Springbank 21 yo single cask, Glen Ord 28 yo, Tomatin 30 yo and Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist

Actually it all should have ended with Glen Ord, but we decided to add Tomatin 30 yo for dessert and eventually a sample of Ardbeg was summoned to this rank of warriors...

Grand Maltbarn summer tasting: Ireland 27 yo, Fettercairn 29 yo, Blair Athol 28 yo, Tobermory 22 yo, Inchgower 35 yo, Speyside 43 yo, Paragon very old + bonus: Clynelish 21 yo DT, Glen Garioch 25 yo TWA and Dailuane 31 yo TWA

The tasting took place in hospitable Double Whisky located in Poltava, Ukraine. 

Post #100 and .... Bunnahabhain 40 yo 41.7%!

I've decided to celebrate post #100 with something really special. Actually that would be post #101, but who cares, one of them was a summary of year 2016 highlights, so it doesn't count. 

Glenglassaugh 30 yo, Glenglassaugh 39 yo, Glendronach 25 yo Grandeur, Brora 30 yo IM and Ardbeg Kelpie CR

Initially it was planned as comparison of two Glenglassaugh, but then three more malts were added.

Ledaig 9 yo Maltbarn, Springbank 12 yo (batch #9), Glendronach Grandeur 25 yo (batch #7) and Dalwhinnie 29 yo 1973

Quite a break occurred (summertime, you know), so let's open July page with 4 very decent malts. 

A pair of SMWS Glenlossies: 46.47 Mexican Breakfast and 46.49 Mango Colada

Sweet and grassy profile should be perfect to be enjoyed during vacation. 

Bowmore 21 yo 1995/2016 WhB 54.7%

First we take Bunnahabhain, then we take Berlin Bowmore.

Whisky felling #6. Exploring Lowlands: Auchentoshan 1992/2013 Maltbarn №44 52.0%, Bladnoch 1992/2010 cask #2608 55.0%, Littlemill 1989/2014 TWA Liquid Library 48.7%, St Magdalene 1982/2009 Chieftain's Choice cask #2219 55.0%, Inverleven 1973/2011 Deoch An Doras 49.0%, Auchentoshan 1966/1997 cask #1005 46.1%

Summertime... and the living is easy. Malts are jumping and the mood is high.

Another Friday evening: Bunnahabhain 12 yo (bottled in 90s), Dallas Dhu 1981 DT, Tomatin 30 yo, Imperial 1995 SV, Linkwood 31 yo Chairman Stock

Tonight we'll have a couple of 30 yo malts together with young Bunna from 90s. 

Springbank 25 yo 46% (bottled 2014)

Not a single reason to reject 20 ml of Springbank 25 yo even if you're driving a car.

Friday popurri: Tobermory 15 yo 46.3%, Macallan 12 yo (Flli Rinaldi) 43%, Linkwood 1975 Rare Malts 56.1% and Auchroisk 1996 Scyfion choice 42.8%

Two rare bottles today: Macallan 12 yo (bottled in 80-s) vs Linkwood 1975 RM.

50 years of Caol Ila: Caol Ila 25 yo 1978/2003 59.4% and Caol Ila 25 yo BF 1984/2010 54.1%

Let these beauties be dedicated to 11 000 pageviews which occured quite quickly after we hit 10 000 mark.

First 10 thousand of pageviews and ... Bruichladdich Valinch 1986/2001 cask #700 53.5%

Actually that happened far quicker than I expected so instead of a bottle I planned to open in June I'll celebrate that with another rare and hopefully tasty dram presented by my friend Timur. 

Friday tasting: Ardbeg Kelpie, Compass Box Flaming Heart, Imperial 21 yo TWA and Bowmore 15 yo TWA

A couple of new malts combined with a couple of old TWA friends, that should be good. 

Bunnahabhain 30 yo 1987/2017 Maltbarn №68 bottled for Bootleggers 48.7%

As you might now that is special release for (but not limited to) Ukrainian whisky aficionados bottled by well-known and much appreciated German bottler. At the last these babies arrived :)

Campbeltown: Hazelburn 9 yo Barolo, Springbank 12 yo CS (batch #12), Springbank 16 yo Private bottling and Longrow 18 yo

Let's try all 3 malts produced at Springbank distillery: Hazelburn (triple distillation + non-peated), Springbank itself (2.5 times distillation + slightly peated) and Longrow (double distillation + moderately peated). 

Another Friday: Glendronach 2002 single cask, Bunnahabhain 25 yo Artist #3, Glen Garioch 21 yo Mba

Why not taste some new malts on Friday evening?.. That was rhetorical question of course :) 

Laphroaig vertically - Ukrainian Whisky Connoisseurs Club #116

Actually we already had Laphroaig vertically in a Club 6 or 7 years ago, though modern 25 and 30 yo versions are rumoured to be completely different. 

TGIF: Highland Park 20 yo Cadenhead Single Cask 50.6% and Bruichladdich 24 yo Cadenhead Small Batch 53.3%

It was Friday again and a bunch of whisky maniacs popped into Goodwine store to taste Cadenhead novelties.

Whisky felling #5. Yoichi (Hokkaido spirit story): Yoichi 10 yo 45%, Yoichi 12 yo 45%, Yoichi 15 yo 45%, Yoichi 20 yo 52%, Yoichi 1991/2011 single cask #129651 63%

Idea of Japanese malts tasting arrived quite long ago, finally we managed to gather what we think is good selection, so let's travel to the most northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Two mystic drams: Bunnahabhain Moine Feis Isle 2009 58.4% and St Magdalene IM 1982/2009 55%

We're continuing playing "guess what's in your glass" game, this time we have a couple of drams. 

Bunch of samples: Chichibu Wine Wood Reserve, pair of Clynelishes, Higland Park Ice and trio of Taliskers: 20 yo, 25 yo and 30 yo

Several samples arrived so why not taste them all?

Murray McDavid - Ukrainian Whisky Connoisseurs Club #115

March tasting was dedicated to Murray McDavid bottlings.

Highland Park 16 yo single cask #5831 for Maxxium 58.7%

Orkney malt at cask strength is always a pleasure... Especially when it's single cask :)

One night in ... Ledaig

Threatening set of 6 cask strength samples from 6 different bottlers, ABV varies from 55.1% to 61.9%, only the strongest will survive :) 

Glendronach Parliament 21 yo, Benromach 30 yo, Laphroaig 18 yo Berry Best and Port Ellen 28 yo DL Platinum

Can't find the right idea for this tasting: sherry and bourbon? Speyside and Islay?

Miyagikyo 15 yo 45%

Discontinued and often neglected malt. 

Exploring sea malts: Clynelish 14 yo TWA, Bowmore 13 yo TWA, Caol Ila 19 yo TWA, Lagavulin 14 yo DD and Laphroaig 15 yo TWA

General theme of this tasting would be sea and its influence on malts. 

Friday party: Scapa 14 yo, Highland Park 15 and 18 yo, Springbank 12 yo Burgundy and two single cask Caol Ilas

Tonight we'll travel from Orkney to Western Hebrydes with intermediate stop in Campbelltown.

Strathisla 30 yo Pinerolo import 40%

We have tasted Strathisla from 60-s recently, this very bottle from 50-s was planned for the same tasting, though it arrived too late. 

Whisky felling #4. Gordon & MacPhail: Glen Grant 21 yo GM 40%, Glen Grant 46 yo 1966/2012 GM 40%, Strathisla 40 yo 1967/2007 GM 43%, Glenlivet 56 yo 1954/2010 GM Private collection cask #2736 50.6%

Four bottles, eight men and one life. 

Auchroisk 20 yo Special Release 2010 58.1%

Young and almost unpronounceable Diageo distillery with so few official releases.

Whisky felling #3. Lagavulin: There and Back Again: Lagavulin 16 yo (bottled 2015) 43%, Lagavulin 16 yo (bottled 2008) 43%, Lagavulin 16 yo White Horse (bottled 2-nd half of 90s) 43%, Lagavulin 16 yo White Horse (bottled 1988 -1994) 43%, Lagavulin 25 yo 1977/2002 57.2%

Second Lagavulin tasting in row though with a bit different idea: we took 4 different 16 yo bottles from 4 different decades and added old 25 yo release. 

Lagavulin vertically - Ukrainian Whisky Connoisseurs Club #114

That is not the easiest distillery to build vertical tasting, though "Fortes fortuna adjuvat"... 

Cragganmore 25 yo 1988/2014 Special Release 51.4%

Not the latest 2016 Special Release but at least it has got an age statement :)

Glen Keith 20 yo DD vs Glen Keith 21 yo TWA

Both Daily Dram and The Whisky Agency are very nice bottlers which makes this comparison a fight :)

Laphroaig 15 yo 43% (bottled 2008)

Tasted this one in 2009 on Islay (Laphroaig has just stopped production of 15 yo and was expecting 18 yo expression to be bottled), time for retasting has come! 

Highland Park 21 yo 47.5%

The bottle has just arrived from the auction, so why not open it?.. 

The Balvenie DCS Compendium Chapter One - Distillery style

Lucky to visit such a tasting tonight... Could easily be a tasting of the year.

Manager's Dram tasting - Ukrainian Whisky Connoisseurs Club #113

January tasting usually is planned to commemorate birthday of the first President of the Club - Alexey Savchenko Snr. Being designated as his friends meeting the core theme for the evening was selection of originally non-commercial Manager Drams (predecessor of Manager's Choice series). 

Whisky felling tasting #2. Orkney saga: Highland Park Saint Magnus 12 yo 1998/2010 55.0%, Highland Park Earl Magnus 15 yo 1994/2009 52.6%, Highland Park Earl Haakon 18 yo 1993/2011 54.9%, Highland Park 25 yo 1981/2006 48.1%, Highland Park 25 yo 1975/2000 51.5%

This tasting was shifting its date for a few times but finally it happened. Hooray! 

Port Ellen 7-th release 1979/2007 54.7%

Robert Burns night should be celebrated with something special, why not Port Ellen?..

Trio of indie Bowmores: 2001 the Whiskyman, 2000 MoS and 1998 TWA Stamps

Sooner or later I will find my best Bowmore, so far it's 17 yo Seagull.

Highland Park 26 yo 1981/2008 Cooper's Choice 46%

Oh Orkney, with all thy beauties I love thee still, I said in Kirwall and have not forgot it... 

TGIF: Aultmore 11 yo WM, Dalwhinnie 25 yo and Glen Ord 15 yo Clydesdale

Thanks God it's Friday and I can drop in on local whisky Mecca and have a few new drams tonight. 

Tobermory 20 yo MBl and Ledaig 18 yo

Two malts from isle of Mull tonight. Born in the same family but different roads were chosen.

Bunnahabhain 1989 DT, Bruichladdich 1991 MBl and all times classic Bunna XVIII

Tasted these Islay boys and girls decent 6 months ago, at last this review is finished. 

Benriach 37 yo 1968/2006 DT cask #2597 48.6%

As Serge says "after 1976, 1968 was another great vintage at Benriach…". So let's give a try, it's Friday the 13-th after all. 

Bowmore grand tasting: Legend, 08 yo Seagull, 12 yo, 17 yo Seagull, Dusk, Dawn, Darkest and Cask strength

At last I'm back home and it's hightime to finish last sample of Bowmore and finish the tasting from 2016. Bowmore is a kind of terra incognita for me, so consecutive tasting of 7 old Bowmores should shed some light on it.