Glenmorangie - The LaSanta

Glenmorangie, a distillery dating back to the mid-1800s, holds the title for consistently having the best selling Scotch in Scotland (the Glenmorangie Original). Their proposition is unique:  first, the water they use is a mineral rich hard water from the Tarlogie Springs, unusual as most whisky makers use soft water.

Second, they favour American oak and actually own a forest in the northern part of Kentucky for use in their barrels (after which they use the barrels to make Kentucky bourbon).

After being purchased by the French company Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in 2004, Glenmorangie was repositioned as a more luxury brand, most evident via the naming of their Scotches:  Nectar D’Or Scotch, Sonnalta PX, LaSanta Highland, The Quinta Ruban. The curved bottles also help distinguish the brand versus their competitors.

The LCBO offers a fine selection of Glenmorangie Scotch starting at just over $60 and up to $100. I selected the LaSanta Highland Malt as it was aged in American oak and finished in a Spanish Sherry Cask, which promised enough sweetness that it could be drunk as a dessert Scotch.  I wasn’t disappointed, although my initial impression was that it was too sweet.  Over the next few occasions, the sweetness mellowed on my pallet and I began tasting the greater complexity present.

On the nose there’s a fine scent of honey, dried fruits, and woody oak. It’s a very promising start, suggesting a smooth finish. The pallet matches the nose, though the flavours explode where on the nose they’re mild. The honey sweetness hits you first and then the dried fruit finish, with hints of toffee, follows.  Some might find this Scotch too sweet at first (as I did), but the warming bite of the alcohol is still very much present. The woodiness comes through from start to finish, and you’ll have a nice lingering taste before you enjoy your next sip.

Out of the Scotches selected thus far, Glenmorangie is definitely sweeter and without detectable peat. Its rich colour sits well in a glass, and the flavours are plentiful.  Having had other Scotches from Glenmorangie in the past, I would say that you really can’t go wrong with a purchase from this distillery. It’s also a good gift idea.

Note: Originally published on Spotlight Toronto

Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old

Not enough is said about whisky bottles, and Balvenie bottles deserve special mention. These bottles are fantastic, and not for innovation, but rather for their classic look. These bottles are the kind that you proudly inch forward on the booze shelf, the kind that you enjoy poring because the shape and heft in your hand. They’re also practical, designed with a short but wide rim in order to decrease the amount of drip.

Balvenie comes with great pedigree. In the early 1800s, William Grant & Sons (the owners of Glenfiddich) were looking to expand their operation and opened Balvenie. It’s one of the few family-run distilleries left in Scotland and they pride themselves on producing Scotch the traditional way. Most of the processes are done on-premise and by hand, a rarity these days in mass-produced whisky. They grow their own barley and rely on coopers for artisanal barrels. David Steward, long time William Grant & Sons Malt Master, is now solely focusing his attention on Balvenie during his semi-retirement. Stewart is largely credited for being among the first to do ‘cask’ finishes; that is, a process by which a traditional Scotch is aged in bourbon or sherry casks and then finished in a different cask to add more flavour.

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask
After 15 years of regular aging, this Balvenie Scotch was finished in a cask that previously held about 50 types of David Stewart’s choice rums. The intention was to imbue the Scotch with the rum’s buttery sweetness without making it overpowering. I’ve had this Scotch on two different occasions before writing this article and enjoyed it greatly each time.

The nose is only slightly sharp, with light tropical fruits and citrus. It’s a very vibrant, perky Scotch, both on the nose and on the pallet.  That sharpness comes with a juicy sweetness, vanilla, and what best can be described as orange zest. On the finish there’s a more tropical dried fruit finish. I would consider this Scotch a mellow well rounded drink with a shorter finish that leaves you wanting for more. The buttery sweetness of the rum is apparent, but this is certainly a Scotch with the bolder flavours one would expect. It’s a fantastic treat and I’ll be saving this one for special occasions.

The Caribbean Cask is available at the LCBO for a limited time at just under $100, and while this would be a great addition to a whisky cabinet, you could easily opt for any of the other Balvenie products: The 12 year old Doublewood is only $65 and has a very loyal following, and on the higher end, Balvenie also has a 21 year old Portwood Scotch for about $215.

Originally published on Spotlight Toronto

Tullibardine

I have an admitted soft spot for Tullibardine. I toured their distillery last year and sampled a wide variety of their single malt offerings. It wasn’t a Scotch that I fully appreciated at first, but I purchased a 1993 vintage which had been aged in muscatel barrels. It was sweet, nicely balanced with oak, and quickly became my favourite easy-drinking Scotch.

Sadly it wasn’t available at the LCBO at first. That changed earlier this year when the LCBO brought in the regular aged 1993 vintage as a limited release. At $65 this is a fantastic purchase, and it’s already almost entirely sold out.

I was pleasantly surprised when I had my first sip of this vintage. You’ll get a hit of alcohol on the nose, but the taste is surprisingly mild by comparison. On the palate you’ll get more of the zesty flavour with a bitter finish, almost like that of a not-quite-ripe green grape (though not nearly as sweet). The after-taste is pleasant and mellow.

Tullibardine has an interesting history. The distillery was largely closed down in the 1990s and it moved quickly between a few buyers. These latest releases are from their old barrels (distilled by previous owners but left on-premise) that have been well aged. Their primary business is small-lot exports, and they’re not as well known within Scotland relative to other distilleries. Tullibardine Scotches offers a fantastic value, considering the evolved and multi-layer flavours.

If you’re ever near the distillery in Perthsire, Scotland, I recommend you take the tour. And if you happen to pick me up a bottle of the muscatel 1993, I’d be extremely appreciative!

Note: Originally published on Spotlight Toronto

Lagavulin 12 Year Old

One of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, Lagavulin has a history dating back to the mid-1700s (although their ‘official’ opening date was 1816). Lagavulin doesn’t make affordable Scotches -  their standard 16 year old is $110 at the LCBO, and it goes up from there, although they have recently released a 200mL ‘trial’ size of their 16 year old for $33.95.

A new LCBO entrant in the Lagavulin line is a limited quantity 12 year old cask strength Scotch. There are still some bottles available but the product is listed as discontinued so don’t expect to see it again until perhaps next year. Lagavulin has been releasing these Scotches annually since the early 2000s and judging from the reviews, they keep getting better each year.  My recent preference for cask strength Scotches made this an easy pick for the Whisky Cabinet.

As with all peaty Scotches, the first scent is smoke. It’s not Laphroaig smoky, but a more composed and complex earthy smokiness such as that of a nearby fire (whereas with Laphroaig, you are standing in the fire). That smokiness is joined with caramel, citrus, and an almost imperceptible hint of lavender. On the pallet I find this Scotch a perfect balance between the common taste profiles of salty, sweet, and the smoky. There’s a depth to every element, like that of a richly delicious meal. The after-taste is warm, with the smokiness slowly drifting away. Whereas some Scotches at this age have a heavy dried fruit sweetness, the Lagavulin has a softer, less imposing sweetness.

When drinking this Scotch, it really is about the second and third taste, as the initial hit might be too explosive in both peat and alcohol to fully appreciate. Give it a chance, let it warm up, and then enjoy. At around $115 at the LCBO it’s not inexpensive. If it’s too late to purchase this Scotch at your local LCBO, the 16 year old should be readily available and is an excellent option.

Note: Originally published on Spotlight Toronto