Whisky Tasting: Spring 2023

We are together once again, stout yeoman all! Ready to sup at the teat of our reasonably priced distilleries.

The usual rules apply - buy your 700ml bottle for under $100 and bring it in a paper bag, so we make our tasting notes and score each one without knowing what we’re drinking.

Whisky: Jura 10 (40%) - Bourbon and Sherry casks
Supplied by: Tim Griggs 
Notes:
Chosen from the selection at the airport! And as you’d expect from such a dram, it’s relatively simple in flavour, neither harsh nor bitey.
The nose detects raisins and rose water.
The flavour is very light, with sweet caramel and vanilla notes.
Score:  40 / 60

Whisky: Jura Rum Cask (40%)
Supplied by: Simon
This is somehow familiar! Two of our panel have chosen the same brand.
There’s a tang of cola on the nose.
On first taste it’s still smooth, but has more bite than the Jura 10. There’s a little bit of a tang, a sourness to it.
Score:  34 / 60

Whisky: Auchentoshan 12 yo - bourbon and sherry cask
Supplied by: Tim Grimsey
An old favourite of Tim's, presented to this group for the first time.
It has a very fruity nose, with banana and peach!
This is more complex and very oaky, with a little black pepper.
Score:  43 / 60

Whisky: 23rd Street Australian Malt (46%)
From a South Australian distillery.
Starts strongly with a lovely nose - dark chocolate and toffee notes
Bit of a burn mid palate, but none at the back. It feels strong!
Really vanilla, very rich, 
Good mouthfeel, oily and rich, the sort of thing you could happily drink alone.
Score:  39 / 60

Whisky: Glenshiel Deluxe Highland blend (40%)
Supplied by: Andy
He deliberately chose the cheapest single malt he could find - we didn’t know that when tasting it and making notes.
The smell and taste are very different, almost like two different drinks.
The nose is good, pear and honeycomb come out first. It’s a little bit spicy too, with clove and vanilla.
It has a good mouthfeel, but the taste is ordinary - a little sour, like wine grapes that aren't suitable for eating.
Scores:  42 / 60

Whisky: Silkie Signature Blend (46%)
Supplied by: Marty
An easily found Irish whisky.
Very sweet scent, with a touch of apricot, 
The taste is also sweet and a little tingly, with a tiny glow of smoke.
There’s a nice after-taste, a pleasant lingering sweetness, which speaks of a well-made spirit.
As you continue drinking it, the flavour only improves!
Scores:  43 / 60

Whisky: Deviant Anthology (50.3%)
Supplied by: Michael
This is a bloody marvellous drop from Tasmania, which doesn’t actually qualify as whisky, as it hasn’t been in its barrels for long enough!
The nose offers mandarin, lavender, and a hint of toffee.
The taste is complex and unique. Sweet, creamy, barley forward, with loads of citrus.
No regrets on buying a bottle of this, especially for under $100! If you see another one, buy it instantly.
Scores:  50 / 60

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Whisky Tasting at Mine

I've started a little whisky tasting club with some friends.

It works like this: 

• Each person buys a 700ml bottle for under $100.
• It is presented to the group in a brown paper bag with all identifying marks on the neck covered or removed.
• We taste each one without knowing what it is. As we taste, we discuss it and finally give it a score out of 10. (The score is entirely subjective, it's just about how much you like it.)
• After each bottle is scored, it is finally revealed! What have we been drinking? Did anyone identify it correctly?
• The winner gets the kudos of having the best taste in the group that night.

Despite the varying tastes of the group, tonight it was virtually all Scotch! And pretty similar flavour profiles too.

There was nothing bad in the bunch, which made for a very pleasant evening.

Here are the night's bottles and tasting notes, from highest score to lowest.

The Gospel Straight Rye (32/40)

Intense, syrupy, and complex.

A spicy taste, almost Christmas cakey. Is that from sherry casks?

It has an oily mouth-feel. Unlike many of the other whiskies we tasted tonight, it's better without water added to it.

"Quite boozy, it feels strong but pleasantly so."

Jura 10 (31/40)

It's rich with a slight sourness. But it's quite well rounded so that doesn't spoil it.

Good at first sip, even better with water added.

"There's a lot going on with every mouthful."

The Glenlivet Illicit Still (29/40)

This is a well respected but sometimes boring Scotch brand trying to make something a bit more intense.

Floral, balanced, easy on the tongue. Very very drinkable.

"A quality drop but innoffensive."

Highland Park Viking Honour 12 Year Old (28/40)

Smooth and easy with a hint of toffee.

A refined flavour, with no bad notes.

"Makes me reflect fondly on the life choices that led me here."

anCnoc 12 Year Old (28/40)

A very light colour, but the taste is soft, sweet, and oaky.

The back-taste reminds us pleasantly of hibiscus tea.

"Fizzy in the mouth."

This was our second get-together. And for the second time it was revealed that someone had spent over the limit!

In fact the winning bottle was $115, so it was well past the post.

We all enjoyed drinking it, so nobody objected too strongly. But it has been decided that if you win with a bottle that cost you more than $100, you forfeit the bottle at the end of the night and the host gets to keep it.

Sláinte!

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