BLADNOCH 10 years old Flora & Fauna 43%

Nose:
Wonderfully chewy and fresh apricots with some citrus added for good measure. Forceful and sophisticted malt provides for some much needed masculinity.




Palate:
Marmalade-like fruitiness rules the roost initially. The malt, at first a bit on the shy side, eventually comes into its own in wonderful confident fashion.



Finish:
Almost perfect malt-oak fusion produces hedonistic strands of coffee, chocolate, toffee and liquorice.

Comment:
Truly glorious! All the flavour components of this whisky is in utmost balance. Could be the perfect summer dram for those who prefer the smoothness to be accompanied by something more robust. Not sure how long this one will be available, now that this long-threatened distillery has managed to produce some bottlings of their own. Better not take any risks: get one today.

Rating: 8 3/4 /10

PLATTE VALLEY Straight Missouri Sour Mash 5 years old 80,6%

Nose:
Well balanced, moderately oily corn benefits from confident support of spices.




Palate:
Smooth buttery corn. Nothing else, really but very tasty all the same. Nice creamy texture.




Finish:
More corn abetted by short bursts of helpful white pepper. Perhaps a bit subdued.


Comment:
This is the original bottling from the McCormick distillery in Missouri. I have never tried the current version thus being unable to make any comparisons. Complexity is not the first word that springs to mind here. Still, a charming little rascal. Approach with an open mind if you can find it.

Rating: 8/10

JOHNNIE WALKER Green Label 15 years old 43%

Nose:
Dry anise and sweet malt coalesce perfectly. A dash of peat heightens the nosing experience. Some gingery notes on top, as well.



Palate:
Liquid honey encapsulates charming and sophisticated malt, bordering first on the liquorice-like before eventually metamorphing into chocolate and coffee.





Finish:
Long, almost levitating finish. Dry chocolate followed by bursts of smoky and spicy malt. The chocolate then returns laced with acerbic tea notes.


Comment:
Johnnie Walker is a byword for top quality whisky and this one is no exception. There are curious echoes of the Black Label here, but (of course) without the wall of hard grains. Next time you´re out shopping, try skipping the Highland Parks and Taliskers in favour of this one. You won´t be disappointed.

Rating: 8,5/10

THE ANTIQUARY 21 years old 43%

Nose:
Dried apricots lead the way, flanked by waxed honey and surprisingly fresh malt. Smoky oak holds up this lovely firmament. Restrained yet beautiful.




Palate:
Gentle honey and apricot/orange marmalade secure the soft qualities, counterbalanced by dry malt and some modest grains. The oak more minty now.



Finish:
Small in size but very concentrated and tasty, first with menthol-ish spices, followed by pronounced orange peel before eventually bowing out with some chewy oak.


Comment:
This is a whisky that grows on you. At first I dismissed it as being too non-descript but as you can see, I have changed my mind. Good blends are very much about exquisite balance and this one achieves that in no uncertain terms.

Rating: 81/4 /10

JIM BEAM Rye 7 years old 40%

Nose:
Good fatness on the nose lays the ground for attractive juicy fruit and hard candy. Firm spices spearheaded by cloves broadens the palette.




Palate:
More or less a continuation of the nose with some chewy toffee added for good measure. Alluring spice bite.





Finish:
Lemon cough drops aided by ozone-fresh spices. Perhaps a bit on the short side.


Comment:
I have no idea whether this is a discontinued whisky or merely limited to certain regions. It´s a 1000 ml bottle which points firmly towards an airport existence. Perhaps not as fun as the younger and zestier standard version but retains enough qualities to be able to save the day.

Rating: 8/10

OLD BARTON 8 years old 43%

Nose:
Flavoured tea, soft cherries and sweet chewy corn. When body temperature has been reached, a mesmerizing tobacco sweetness appears.



Palate:
All grains work in tandem here, producing a potpourri of flavours consisting of ginger cookies, overripe berries and surprisingly visible malt. All this even further enriched by chewy oak and buzzing spices.




Finish:
Orange marmalade followed by spicy oak and toffee. Fading out with soft cherries.


Comment:
A fine array of flavours but somehow not as well constructed as the 8-year old I sampled a couple of weeks ago. A good whiskey, no doubt, but where the constituent parts do not gel to 100%. The nose is wonderful, though. From when does it date? Your guess is as good as mine. I only knew of Very Old Barton before I laid my hands on this one.

Rating: 73/4/10

CANADIAN HERITAGE 21 years old 60%

Nose:
Toasted oak infiltrates a tasty morsel of orange peel and luxurious caramel sauce. Not that far removed from an extra aged grain whisky but there are noticeable bourbon traits, as well.



Palate:
Velvety texture. The caramel is clearly the leader of the pack here but is augmented by frighteningly attractive brown sugar. A thick syrupy fruitiness tries to gain a foothold but is only allowed a couple of short peek-ins.


Finish:
More toastiness to begin with. Then chewy oak and lip-smacking juicy orange-laced caramel sauce.

Comment:
This whisky has an interesting route. Distilled and bottled in Canada on behalf of a UK company, then imported to California and finally bought by me in Germany! As for its origins, I cannot tell for sure but there is a persistent rumour tracing it to one of Hiram Walker´s dismantled distilleries in British Columbia but I cannot know for sure. Mystery also surrounds its age. Distilled in 1976, bottled 2001, the neck label reads, which would make it 24 or 25 years in my book but the front label claims it to be 21 years old. Confusing but that shouldn´t stop you from enjoying it if you manage to track it down.

Rating: 8 1/4/10