Tag: whisky

Macallan is a strange whisky. It’s considered to be good, but not good for its price, and it doesn’t have characteristics that are considered to be good, such as 46% ABV. By this point, there’s an entire category of YouTube reviews of “MacCallan alternatives”.
There is a catch, though, which is independent bottlers. I have a bottle from Berry&Rudd which I like, as well as more recent Olorosum and the Dark Fruit Feedback Loop 17 (Balmenach?) from Scotch Whisky Society.
It is rumoured that Signatory independent bottlers buy distillate from Macallan, but do not dilute it like Macallan does. And that’s what Speyside M is. With the emphasis on M: there are just two distilleries in Speyside that start with M, and experts say this ain’t Mortlach. I believe them, since Signatory actually have a bottling from Mortlach, and they say so on the bottle. So it’s either Macallan, or Signatory playing the entire whisky community really well.
I was delaying this bottle, until I discovered it almost entirety disappeared. There are plenty of 14 years around, but not 16. So I did get one of the last ones available.
On the nose, it’s Christmas pudding: molases, dates, figs, raisins, all the sweet and sticky and dark stuff. And tastes as you’d expect: sweet, a bit sour, and with a very long warm finish. The closest I have at the moment is probably the aforementioned Dark Fruit Feedback Loop 17, although Lochlea Cask Strength Batch 2 comes close too. Definitely intesnse at 57% ABV.
Considering that I paid 83GBP for that bottle, and Scotch Whisky Society at that age is around 100GBP, it’s a steal.

There is a certain irony I write about random whiskey tasters, but sometimes ignore bottles I buy. I’ve had Aberlour 18 for over a year now, although didn’t touch it much, and I recently opened Bunnahabhain 18. Both are great whiskies for their price, although both are slightly subdued from what I had expected.
Aberlour has the slight disappointment of being 43% and chillfiltered on top. But I didn’t learn about it until recently, and honestly hadn’t I known, I would have considered it to be superb. In fact, all the whisky Youtubers are still considering it superb, despite the characteristics. It’s slightly sweet, spicy and complex.
Bunna 18 is more peated than I expected after loving Bunna 12, but still less peated than common Islay whiskies. It’s less sweet that Aberlour 18, although there’s still that, and also slightly savory. I call it “pancakes with bacon and maple”.

I had a bottle of Redbreast 12 from 2020, and I might have pulled it in one of the advent calendars as well. But this time, I decided to get a taster set with Redbreast Lustau and Redbreast 15.
Lustau is smooth and sherries, smells of vanilla, with some oily texture common to Irish whiskies and long warm finish. The closest from Scotch is probably Tamdhu 15. Very pleasant, and for 65GBP, it’s a great value for money, even though it’s a no age statement.
The Redbreast 15 is smooth, as expected from Irish whisky, with vanilla nose, oily mouthfeel, surprising warmth for 46%, a bit of sweetness, and tart aftertaste from oak barrels. For around 92GBP, it’s reasonable, although at the higher end.
If I was to pick one, I would go with Lustau.

13th is Noble Rebel Smoke Symphony. I guessed 40GBP and Scotland, because who else smokes whiskey? It’s 37GBP and indeed from Scotland. Taste is not bad, not fantastic. But for 46% ABV has plenty of warmth in the throat.

14th is Milk&Honey Classic from Israel. I have their Milk&Honey Elements, which is the sherried whiskey, which I think is great value for money. And I might even reviewed the Classic once already, as it’s sold in Ben Gurion. This one is very sharp, both on the nose and palate. Still, if I was told it’s a 10 years old Speyside, I would believe it. It has plenty of sweetness to it, and a lot of warmth for 46%, but not something I would personally buy.