Scotch

A couple of weeks back you might remember me waxing on about the Keys to the Clan minis program (programme, for my friends on the other side of the pond). Here’s the link to the post, just in case you missed it. In short, there have been 48 different Clan minis released into the US market and our friends over at ImpEx were kind enough to send me three minis.  All from a different clan. Thanks to ImpEx, SF and EK for the samples! Being a New Englander and basically growing up knowing this and that person who knew or was related in some way to the Kennedy family (as in JFK, RFK and Teddy of the famous Chappaquiddick incident) and having a life-long crush on Jackie Kennedy Onnassis… I decided to open the Kennedy mini. Note: all of the minis contain the same juice, I just wanted to drink a Kennedy under the table.   Here are my notes: On the nose –  Young yet pleasant.  I know it says single malt but it almost has the vibrancy of a nicer high-malt-content blended Scotch whisky; orange creamsicle, pears, sherbet and the slightest hint of smoke.  (The smoke could be my imagination playing tricks on me.) A bit of pineapple cake in here as well and then some sugary angel food cake.  This is quite the dessert-like dram so far. All this fruit makes me think of Balblair a bit, to be honest. On the mouth – As to be expected with 40% ABV, there’s very little attack upon entry which is just fine for the newbie whisky drinker as it’s quite fruity and very approachable (no burn). That touch of smoke returns, yet the fruit doesn’t go away.  But now there’s something sour in here that I can’t quite place my finger on.  Not offensive, just sour-like. Oat cakes lead us in to the finish… Finish – Shortish finish with slight pepper and that sour element I caught on the palate. In sum – While this is not really a “sit and ponder” sort of whisky, it holds it’s own well enough. All I can picture is 200 Kennedys at a wedding or something like that and toasting to the husband and bride. Mazel Tov, I mean, Kampai, I mean Slainte!! Tweet#call_to_action h4{padding:0px 6px;}The post Keys to the Clan – 50ml mini bottles of Single Malt Scotch Whisky – and now, to taste the whisky! appeared first on JEWMALT WHISKY ? REVIEWS.

Glen Grant 37 yo 1975/2012 (49.6%, Exclusive Malts for Whisky.com.tw, hogshead, cask #5477, 140 bottles) - Glen Grant 11 yo 1969/1980 (75 proof, Averys, sherry wood) - Glen Grant 1959/1999 (47.3%, Samaroli, sherry, cask #3790) - Glen Grant 1949 (40%, Gordon MacPhail, +/-1980) - Johnny Heartsman

Benromach 10 yo (43%, OB, +/-2012) - Benromach-Glenlivet 17 yo 'Centenary' (43%, OB, 3500 bottles, 1998) - Benromach 1968 (40%, Gordon MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, +/-1985) - Benromach 27 yo 1966/1993 (53.5%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection) - MUSIC: June Tabor

Glenlivet 30 yo 1981/2012 (53.4% Signatory, sherry hogshead, cask #9457, 186 bottles) - Glenlivet 1973/2012 (48.6%, Berry Bros Rudd, cask #10658) - Glenlivet 21 yo 1960/1981 (54%, Gordon MacPhail for Nadi Fiori) - Glenlivet 27 yo 1955/1983 (46%, Cadenhead, black dumpy) - MUSIC: Don Byron

Glenrothes 18 yo 1994/2012 (50.7%, The Maltman) - Glenrothes 24 yo 1988/2012 (49.3%, Whisky-Doris, sherry hogshead, cask #7317, 288 bottles) - Glenrothes 41 yo 1970/2011 (43.5%, Duncan Taylor for Whisky Shop Dufftown, Octave, cask #491630, 69 bottles) - Glenrothes 42 yo 1969/2012 (42.6%, Adelphi, cask #2, 297 bottles) - Glenrothes 1969/2008 (43%, Gordon MacPhail, MacPhail?s Collection) - MUSIC: Albert Mangelsdorff

Clynelish 1997/2012 (54.8%, Berry Bros Rudd, cask #6473) - Clynelish 15 yo 1997/2012 (55.7%, The Bonding Dram, hogshead, cask #5733, 265 bottles) - Clynelish 16 yo 1996/2012 (57.2%, Svenska Eldvatten, first fill sherry butt, cask #8780, 240 bottles) - Clynelish 17 yo 1995/2012 (51.4%, The Whisky Agency, Liquid Library, refill sherry, 366 bottles) - Clynelish 1983/2000 (47%, Samaroli, cask #2684, 360 bottles) - Clynelish 1983/2002 (47%, Samaroli for A. Bleve Roma, cask #2685, 306 bottles) - MUSIC: Larry Bright

Miltonduff 1995/2012 (56.8%, Malts of Scotland, cask #MoS 12033, 192 bottles) - Miltonduff 1989/2012 (54.3%, Berry Bros Rudd, cask #449009) - Miltonduff-Glenlivet 20 yo (95.5 proof UK, Forth Wines Ltd Milnathort, +/-1970) - MUSIC: Bellemou Messaoud

Glenglassaugh 'Revival' (46%, OB, 2012) - Glenglassaugh 1986/2010 'The Manager's Legacy' (45.3%, OB, Dod Cameron, refill sherry butt, 500 bottles) - Glenglassaugh 33 yo 1978/2012 (44.8%, OB, The Massandra Collection, Madeira Style Finish, 437 bottles) - Glenglassaugh 17 yo 1967 (40%, Gordon MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, old brown label) - Glenglassaugh 45 yo 1967/2012 (50.2%, OB, The Massandra Collection, Red Port Style Finish, 372 bottles) - MUSIC: Magma

Laphroaig 13 yo 1998/2011 (64.4%, CS Dram Collection, sherry butt, cask #700048) - Laphroaig 14 yo 1998/2012 (53.8%, Archives, bourbon hogshead, cask #5619, 156 bottles) - Laphroaig 15 yo 1996/2012 (51.2%, Signatory, hogshead, cask #8510, 297 bottles) - Laphroaig 17 yo 1995/2012 (53,9%, The Whisky Agency, bourbon barrel, 253 bottles) - Laphroaig 21 yo 1990/2011 (55,9%, The Whisky Agency The Whisky Exchange ?Private Stock?, bourbon hogshead, 264 bottles) - Laphroaig 30 yo (43%, OB, US bottling, 75cl, +/-2002) - Laphroaig 14 yo 1970/1984 (57.1%, Samaroli for Osteria Apostoli, cask #4367) - MUSIC: Barry Miles

Bunnahabhain 5 yo 2006/2012 'Moine' (61.1%, Archives, bourbon hogshead, cask #800041, 264 bottles) - Bunnahabhain 6 yo 2005/2012 'Moine' (60.1%, Riverstown, hogshead, cask #11045, 262 bottles) - Bunnahabhain 10 yo 2001/2012 (46%, The Maltman, sherry cask) - Bunnahabhain 1997/2012 'Driftwood' (46%, Wemyss Malts, hogshead, 374 bottles) - Bunnahabhain 13 yo 1998/2012 (55.2%, Adelphi for Taiwan, cask #6039, 629 bottles) - Bunnahabhain 1991/2012 (46.1%, Berry Bros Rudd, cask #5525) - Bunnahabhain 32 yo 1979/2012 (51.4%, Signatory for Waldhaus am See Switzerland, cask #9516, 603 bottles) - Bunnahabhain 35 yo 1976/2012 (49.1%, Whisky-Doris, sherry hogshead, cask #6112, 248 bottles) - Bunnahabhain 38 yo 1973/2012 (41.2%, Wilson Morgan, sherry butt, cask #1) - MUSIC: Majid Bekkas