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Fluster Cluck – Serendipity in a Bottle

What exactly is a Fluster Cluck?  You might well ask.

It is generally accepted to be an accumulating series of errors that, collectively, doesn’t end well.

Except that, sometimes, Serendipity intervenes and what is potentially a disaster turns out very well, despite itself.

A good example is Iniquity’s Fluster Cluck whisky from The Tin Shed Distilling Company.

In the distillers’ own words, Fluster Cluck is defined as:

    1.  A fortuitous fluster of cluck-ups.
    2.  Seriously good smoky single malt whisky.

The story goes that there were three major (and some minor) cluck-ups involved in the construction of the dram.

Cluck-up One – Peating

The first was the peat.

As with some other Australian distilleries, The Tin Shed’s barley is commercially malted and brought in to the distillery unpeated.  It is “re-wetted” with water and dried again with peat smoke.

This is a different process from the traditional Islay method, where smoke from a peat fire is blown across the raw barley to start germination.  The re-wet method provides a slightly different taste profile – rather than a peat hit up front that you get expect, say, an Ardbeg or Caol Ila, re-wetting seems to give a peaty “hit” a couple of seconds after the first swallow.  It sort of sneaks up on you.

The Peat

The source of the Fluster Cluck peat, however, has a rather more convoluted story to it.

Normally, The Tin Shed peating uses peat from the Fleurieu Peninsular, south of Adelaide.

This time, by mistake, the distillery used some old peat obtained from the Tasmanian highlands in 1932, pre-WWII.  And pre-atomic age.

In itself, the phrase “pre-atomic age” is not a remarkable thing.  But if, like me, you’ve had more than a few birthdays you might remember that, in the 1950s, some above-ground nuclear tests were conducted in South Australia.  The tests were held at Maralinga, roughly 500km northwest of The Tin Shed Distillery’s current location.  I could dive off now into a long dissertation on the effects and impacts of these tests, but you can read all about it here .

ClucK-Up Two – DILUTION

The second cluck-up revolves around reducing the strength of the new make spirit before it was put into a cask.  The intention was to reduce the abv to 60% for filling, but a communication error mistakenly reduced the liquid to 48% before going into cask.

The over-reduced spirit was put into a 200 litre ex-Heaven Hill bourbon cask.  At the time, this was a complete departure from normal practice for the distillery and, as a result, the cask became one of their “Anomaly” series of limited bottlings.

The Tin Shed is a serious multi award-winning distillery, a tasting venue of note, a superb eatery with a most comprehensive menu, a live music entertainment and a functions venue.

 CLUCK-UP THREE – RACKING

Being an anomaly, the cask was “temporarily” stored for most of its time in a rack in the highest and hottest racks just under the roof – and seemed to have been forgotten about for a while.

On-going Issues

The stuff ups kept rolling, with delays in packaging and labelling which luckily had no adverse effect on the quality of the liquid inside – amongst other things, the heat of the barrel’s location helped the abv to climb over 1%.

Fluster Cluck – The Tin Shed Distilling Company, South Australia

Cask: 200 litre Heaven Hill Bourbon
ABV: 49.1%
Appearance: Gold
Nose:  Wine sweet, minor vanilla, rich parsley sauce, almost port-like note and with a tawny-coloured under-smell I cannot identify.  A rather busy and very attractive nose that leads me in.
Palate:  Sweet, sharp on the tongue.  No peat at the front,but a “hidden” peat hit shortly after swallowing.
Finish:  A slow, tannic drying on the roof of the mouth.  A very pleasant after-taste.
Comment: A well-inegrated dram that does not need any move abv “power”.
It is my view that, if The Tine Shed wants to keep on clucking things up, they to this standard!

The Tin Shed Distillery

The shed “hides” in the town of Nairne in the picturesque Adelaide Hills, roughly 40 km (25 miles) south of South Australia’s capital city.

When I say “hides”, The Tin Shed Distilling Company is not really that good at hiding.  If you have mentally pictured a shed of the backyard garden variety, you are way off the mark!

The building is massive, metal-clad, and black, towering over a supermarket and shopping centre on a semi-rural road.

But one thing that The Tin Shed is good at hiding is its light.  Under a bushel.

A sweeping uphill driveway delivers us to the car park and the impressive main entrance.

Inside the building, the first thing that strikes us in how gloriously cool the temperature is after the energy-sapping 30 degrees C outside!

Then we notice that everything in this place is super-sized.  And super professional.

The armchairs, the dining area (a dining area in a distillery??) with long tables and comfortable chairs, the bar – and the welcoming array of bottles on it.

There is Iniquity Whisky, Requiem Rum, TSD spirits (gin and more whisky), and Piotr Vodka.

Not just a distillery

Pretty much all of the distilleries I’ve been in are just that – a distillery.

But The Tin Shed is not only a distillery.  Far from it!

It is a Destination – with a capital D.

The Tin Shed is a serious multi award-winning distillery, a tasting venue of note, a superb eatery with a most comprehensive menu, a live music entertainment and functions venue.

Founders and owners, Vic Orlow and Ian Schmidt, are the most jovial and hospitable of hosts. Their company motto is “It’s our job to help you enjoy some of the finer things in life!”, and they mean it.

The Barrel Store

Having worked our way along the bar, sampling pretty much everything Vic and Ian have on show, we receive an offer to go to the barrel store.

The store is another huge, green, metal-clad building up another long up-hill curving concrete drive onto a promontory above us.

Inside the store, palette racks reach up to the roof, loaded with assorted casks.

In the corner, on the polished concrete floor, is a plush leather, gentleman’s club couch acting as the centrepiece of a very select tasting room.

Vic is wandering around the store with a 3m length of plastic tubing, busy extracting samples of gin/vodka (for my wife) and whiskies (for me).  I have to say that I stopped paying attention to the gins and vodkas after Vic asked if I’d like to sample a special PX “Birthday” whisky, being bred for Ian’s upcoming significant birthday in a month or so.

This spirit has been sitting for three and a half years in a first fill PX cask.

That is one magnificent whisky!  I want one!

Go There

If you are ever around Adelaide (or even in South Australia!) I strongly recommend you visit the Tin Shed Distillery.  And have lunch there, too!

Post Scripts:

A couple of unusual bits that have come to our attention recently:

the Muff Liquor Company

Yes, it really is a thing!  An interesting distillery, in Muff, County Donegal, Ireland.

The distillery is backed by nearly 500 shareholders, including high-profile investors like Russell Crowe, Ed Sheeran, Ronan Keating, and Jimmy Carr.

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A Nose Knows – The Power of Aroma.

I’ve been sitting here thinking.  Which frequently leads to rabbit holes to disappear down..

I’ve been thinking about noses and aromas, and I have some questions:

Why, when I nose a whisky, do my opinions on the aroma vary so much from other people’s?  And can’t those other people agree with each other, either?

To add to this complicated ponder, I’m pondering how come I remember certain smells and associate them with certain things, places, or times.

Another mystery – I can’t always remember how something smells when it’s not physically there to be smelt.  But as soon as I smell the smell I remember what it is.

I have to admit that I have the mixed fortune to have inherited a good-sized nose for smelling stuff.  It can, in times of need, suck up an appreciable amount of atmosphere. 

Not my nose! But you get the idea.
How does the nose work?  Time for some research.  

Smell is one of the most powerful memory drivers and triggers that we have.

As whisky drinkers, we know that our “aroma memory” plays a huge part in our assessments of a dram.

And that assessment starts with the Nose.

What does this whisky smell like?  Smoked bacon?  Vanilla?  Christmas cake?  Is the smell good or bad?  What memories does it invoke?  Those decisions often depend on whether our memory of the smell is positive or not.

Smell bypasses this relay station step.  Scent has a direct pathway to the brain.

Making it work

Take a deep breath.

Without our thinking about it, our brain is decoding the air around us — coffee brewing, rain on warm pavement, freshly cut grass.  Our sense of smell works quietly in the background, yet it has an extraordinary influence on memory, emotion, taste, and even behaviour.

Why Smells Bring Back Memories

Other senses (e.g. sight, sound, pain) must first pass through the thalamus – the brain’s sensory relay station – before reaching our memory-processing area.

But smell bypasses this relay station.

Scent has a direct pathway to the brain and can trigger vivid memories or feelings way more quickly and intensely than other sensory cues.

This is why a certain smell can suddenly remind us of a person, a place, or a moment from long ago. No other sense is connected to our memory in quite the same way.

When I was a kid – maybe 5 or 6 years old – there was a bakery near my grandparents’ home.  I used to ride there on my scooter.  Today, over 70 years later, the smell of freshly baked bread delivers me straight back there as if it were yesterday.  In colour.

Only certain receptors respond to certain smells, like a key fitting into a lock.

How does smell work?

Every smell starts with tiny particles called odour molecules, released into the air from things like food, flowers, smoke, or perfume.

Inside the top part of our nose is a small area called the smell centre. This area is covered with millions of special cells designed to detect smells. And it plays a huge role in how we experience the world.

The cells that detect smells are called smell receptors. Each receptor has tiny hair-like parts that stick out into the air inside our nose. The tiny hairs are covered with a thin layer of moisture.

When odour molecules touch these hairs, they stick to them.  Each smell has its own shape, and only certain receptors respond to certain smells, a bit like a key fitting into a lock. This is how our body knows the difference between the smell of an orange and the smell of smoke.

The Receptors

Once a smell receptor is activated, it sends an electrical signal to our brain.  All of the smell signals go to a part of the brain called the olfactory bulb, the main smell-processing centre.

The Olfactory Bulb.

The bulb collects the signals and begins to sort them out.  It looks at which receptors were activated and in what pattern.  Our brain then uses this pattern to figure out what the smell is. This process happens so fast that we can usually recognise a smell instantly.

 Smell and Taste

Smell plays a major role in how food tastes. The same receptors that smells uses are duplicated in the tasting phase, and continue into the after-taste.

Our tongue can only sense five basic tastes – sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savoury.  It’s our sense of smell that adds nuance to the taste, and most of what we call “flavour” actually comes from smell.

When we eat, smells travel from our mouth up into our nose. Our brain combines what our tongue tastes with what our nose smells. This is why food tastes bland when our nose is blocked.

Without smell, much of the flavour is missing.  Remember Covid, when you thought everything tasted of nothing, and that your sense of taste would never come back?

Why You Stop Noticing Certain Smells

Have you ever noticed how your first impression of a whisky’s nose will change after you’ve tried the other six samples on the table?

The change happens because your sense of smell adapts quickly – our smell receptors become less sensitive when they are exposed to the same smell for a long time.

This helps our brain focus on new or important smells instead of being distracted by constant ones. It also prevents our brain from being overwhelmed and helps us to stay alert to new or changing smells in the environment, such as a gas leak or spoiled food.

It’s a useful feature that helps keep us alert.  And alive.

When the Sense of Smell Changes

The sense of smell can change for many reasons.  Colds, allergies, and sinus infections can block odour molecules from reaching smell receptors.  Ageing can also reduce the sense of smell over time, sometimes lose it completely, impacting our enjoyment of food, safety, and emotional well-being.

Remember Covid, when you wondered if your sense of smell and taste would ever come back? 

A Powerful Sense We Often Forget

Even though we don’t always think about it, smell is a powerful sense.

It helps us enjoy food, connect with memories, detect danger, and experience the world in a deeper way.  And define whiskies!

The next time a scent catches your attention, remember that your nose and brain are working together in an amazing way — all in just a single breath.

 

 A Couple of Fun Facts

The human nose and brain are capable of distinguishing at least 1 trillion different odours.

The 1-trillion estimate came from a 2014 study where participants were tested with mixtures of 128 different odorants, proving the human nose is far more sensitive than previously believed.

Dogs, on the other hand (paw?), possess an extraordinary sense of smell, with 125 to 300 million scent receptors compared to 6 million in humans, making their noses 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive.

So next time you want to nose your whisky, get your Labrador to help.  Actually, maybe not – the Authorities might have Issues.

The Smell of Ants

The smell of ants is often caused by formic acid (which smells like vinegar) or other pheromones used by ants to communicate.  And only about 20% of people can smell ants.

I just thought you might like to know that.

Slainte, and happy nosing!
John

1st Rule of Laboratory Work:  Hot glass looks the same as cold glass.

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A View of NZ Whisky

Over the last few years, many observers have written learned commentaries on the state of NZ whisky production.

A long-time mainstay of New Zealand life has been our aptitude for innovation and invention.

But the one facet of the New Zealand whisky scene that seems to have been overlooked is those same two attributes – innovation and inventiveness.

Geographic Isolation

Part of those abilities may have a lot to do with our geographic isolation.

Until the relatively recent phenomenon of on-line shopping, we couldn’t just “pop next door and get it”: we had to make it ourselves.   Whatever it was.

Instant coffee, hokey-pokey ice cream, the Zorb ball are all the results of NZ ingenuity.  Bungy Jumping off a bridge, racing boats powered by the Hamilton jet engine in rivers too shallow to swim in – all credited to Kiwis.

And, despite what others may claim, don’t forget the Pavlova!

It is part of our New Zealand DNA to build things, to improve on things, to be different to everyone else.  And you don’t have to be born here to join in – it almost seems to be something in the air we breathe.

Talent with Alcohol

New Zealand, long famous for its world-class wines and craft beers, is now making increasing waves in the whisky scene globally.

In recent years, driven by bold experimentation and a uniquely Kiwi approach to craftmanship, the industry has undergone a remarkable transformation.

A Bit Of History

Whisky production in NZ started back in the gold-rush days of the 1800s.

Thirsty gold-miners, who knew about distillation, made alcohol spirit to ward off the bitterly cold Central Otago winter weather.  On the wall of the Lammermore Distillery in inland Otago there is a sign saying “Distilled Illegally Since 1863”.

I have to be clear that the sign does not apply to the current operation, of course, but rather to the fact that the area was possibly a “watering stop” on the route to the Central Otago gold-fields.

 

In the 1880s, Scottish banks, wary of New Zealand’s increasing status as a whisky nation, agreed to fund the country’s railways provided that the government create measures against local distilling.

That worked – Not!  Almost laying down a challenge!.

Hokonui Hooch

In the wake of these strict measures, illicit moonshine production thrived throughout the 19th century.  Hokonui Moonshine, produced in the Southland town of Gore, was particularly popular, and can still be bought legally today.  It even has a museum and annual festival named after it.

 

 

Modern production

But today’s distillers are increasingly experimental.

Locally sourced barley, pure alpine water, and native woods create expressions that reflect the country’s diverse landscapes.

Some producers, like Cardrona Distillery in Central Otago, have embraced single malt production using estate-grown barley and proprietary yeast strains.  These are resulting in whiskies with distinctive floral and fruit-forward profiles.

Though still a niche player on the global stage, New Zealand whisky is rapidly gaining international recognition for its quality and creativity.

The innovative Pōkeno Whisky in Waikato is also pushing boundaries.  Its use of native manuka wood for smoking barley, infusing their spirits with a smoky, herbal complexity that’s unlike anything found in Scotch or bourbon.  Maturation in hand-made casks of Totara and Kauri woods are also augmenting the traditional oak, producing some enticing new back-notes of stone fruit and lemon.

Pokeno Whisky, Solera

Otago’s Lammermore Distillery (a certified fully organic distiller) blows manuka smoke across the germinating barley.  Others, such as Waiheke Whisky in the Hauraki Golf east of Auckland, Reefton Distillery on the South Island’s wild West Coast, The Spirit Distillery in Christchurch and the Kiwi Spirit Distillery in Tasman region’s Takaka are producing a dazzling array of drams of all varieties.

More Distilleries 

And more distilleries are popping up every time you turn around!

As soon as you think you have a grip on a definitive list, there’s another one or two new ones arrived.  And they are all producing good interesting drams – 1919 Distilling in Auckland, Dunedin’s No 8 Distillery and Southward Distilling in Wellington are prime examples joining the flood.

The cross-pollination with New Zealand’s vibrant wine and craft beer sectors has led to whiskies with layered, unexpected flavour profiles.  Our distillers are not afraid to challenge convention; using casks previously occupied by liquids ranging from Pinot Noir and Syrah,  beer, rum, or honey mead   Experimental casks are becoming a hallmark of the industry.

The Road Ahead

Though still a niche player on the global stage, New Zealand whisky is rapidly gaining international recognition for its quality and creativity.

Admittedly there have been a few mis-steps along the way, some of which we’ve passed comment on.  But fortunately, they haven’t been totally disastrous or had a too detrimental effect on NZ’s reputaton.

With increasing exports, international awards, and growing interest from connoisseurs, the future looks delicious.

Techniques born in Scotland and Ireland are being adapted and augmented to include local flavours, and NZ distillers are banding together to protect their blossoming whisky culture.

Today, New Zealand is home to one of the most exciting whisky scenes in the world. The number of whisky distilleries across the North and South Islands is growing rapidly, with a new generation of producers exploring the relationship between tradition and innovation.

Stand back, World!

 

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A Lot Of Tasting

No great spiel this time.

But, as we head rapidly towards the southern hemisphere spring, we offer you some really interesting whiskies to get your taste-buds around.

Six from a Big Sherry tasting.

 

Balblair 15 year old

ABV: 46%
Casks: 9 yrs in America oak, 6 yrs in Sherry Butts.
Nose: A light sugar sack, dusty, and banana fruit.  Beautifully integrated.
Palate: Hot, with raisins, sweetness.  Sharp at the start, then smooths out.
Finish: The fruit lasts, with the sweetness.
Comment: Nice.  The distillery was established in 1790 and has a dunnage warehouse.

Tamdhu “Batch Strength” Batch No 7

ABV: 57.5%, Age 5-15 yo
Nose: Charcoal(!), pencil sharpenings, rubber/sulphur, and three match heads.
Palate: A huge whack of heat!!  There’s a slightly weird rhubarb note at the start, but it’s not unpleasant.  Tobacco and sweetness later.
Finish: Long and long.
Comment:  An unusual up-front taste, but great.  Reduction decreases the initial whack and , but softens the amount of heat.  Another nice dram!

Signatory 2004, Bunnahabbain

ABV: 61.2%, Age 20 yo, distilled Mar 96.
Cask: First fill oloroso butt.
Nose: Tarred rope. A sweet undertone, with orange peel, PX origin.
Palate: Too hot to hold in the mouth for 20 seconds.  Sweetness abounds, licorice and a small bit of sulphur.
Finish: Long,  warming and sweet.
Comment:  Reduction softens  and sweetens the taste, and the licorice improves.  I purchased an earlier version of this expression during a visit to the distillery in 2016.  It was brilliant then, and it has only improved!

Ardnamurchan AD Release 2004

ABV: 50%
Casks: A mix of PX and Oloroso.
Nose: A forest floor and light golden syrup, sweet, with some lychee nuts.  Dried apricot/mango, grapefruit marmalade, PX.
Palate: Sweet, hot, rubber/charcoal, a marmalade-y note, salty and honey.
Finish: A slight harshness (sadly)
Comment:  50/50 peated & non-peated components. Another dunnage warehouse.

 Annandale “Man o’Words”

ABV: 60.8%.  Age: 7yrs, distilled 2016, bottled 2023.
Cask: An oloroso sherry butt.
Nose: Oloroso, with a slightly soapy edge, rubber.
Palate: Smooth and HOT!!!.  Manuka Honey.
Finish: Reduction tames the heat, and adds more honey.
Comment: Scores well.  A Lowlands distillery, Annandale only produces single cask expressions, in two styles – “Man o’Words” represents the unpeated spirit, possibly alluding to poet Robert Burns, and “Man o’Sword” represents the peated spirit, honouring King Robert the Bruce.  

A very wise man once said to me “If you see a whisky that has Benrinnes written on it, grab it.” 

Benromach Cask Strength Batch #5 2014

ABV: 60.6%
Casks: A 50/50 mix of ex-sherry casks.
Nose: Honey and a plastic raincoat.
Palate: Starts sharp and peaty, then smoothes out. Honey abounds.  A lot going on in the mouth.
Finish: A tannic, sourish finish.

One from Pat’s cupboard:

Grants 100 US Proof, Superior Strength

ABV: 50%, colour Light gold.
Nose: Light and a bit nondescript, with little standing out.  A not of asparagus.
Palate: Tannic, with a complex multi-taste and a hot edge.  Sour, I expected vanilla but it’s not there.  A whack of heat and taste, then not very much at all.
Finish: Short. Fades quickly.
Comment:  A good “I can’t be bothered deciding what to drink” whisky.

And one from my cupboard

Single Malts of Scotland, Reserve Casks, Parcel No 3, Benrinnes

A very wise man once said to me “If you see a whisky that has Benrinnes written on it, grab it.”   Over a lot of years, he’s not been wrong!

ABV: 48%, Age: 13yo, Distilled 2007, Bottled 2020
Casks: 6 casks, but the types are not stated (I strongly suspect sherry in there somewhere).
Nose: Raisins, dried fruit (indicates a PX cask at some point), golden syrup, floral tea, nut butter and used tea bags.  Well integrated nose, with no nose prickle.
Palate: Heat on tongue is great.  Beautifully smooth and integrated.
Finish: Throat heat stays, sours a bit (oloroso influence?)
Comment: No great strong nose, but lovely to breathe in!  A flush of warm rises from chest to neck.  This is special!

Sláinte

John

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Blessings From The Swamp – The Kauri Cask

A brief wooden explanation

Kauri is a timber not well-known outside New Zealand.

For those unfamiliar with it, the tree (Agathis Australis) is a unique conifer that is exclusive to subtropical New Zealand. These monumental trees first appeared during the Jurassic period, about 190/135 million years ago, and (according to Uncle Google) hold the world record for trunk volume.

The wood’s common uses are in boat-building, furniture, cabinetry, veneer, musical instruments (guitars), and turned objects such as salad bowls.

The wood has pale yellowish white to golden brown heartwood. and, due to the tree’s large size, is nearly always knot-less, with minimal wastage.

“This is the first experimental Kauri Cask Malt to be released.  We managed to recover enough heartwood to craft a 160-litre barrel. “

The harvesting of standing kauri trees in New Zealand is strictly controlled, and lumber is seldom seen outside of its natural range, with the exception of a type of the wood marketed as ancient kauri or swamp kauri —this wood is obtained from previously fallen trees that have been preserved in New Zealand swamps and bogs.

In my recent article on Pokeno Whisky’s barrels, I commented on some swamp kauri that Pokeno Whisky had acquired, and about an experimental cask that Master Cooper, Milke Tawse, had constructed from it.

Mike said “It was from a local guy who came in and offered us it. He pulled it out of the swamp about 30 years ago.

“It sat for a long time drying.  It’s been pulled out, milled, and held in storage.   He wasn’t sure what to do with it.”

After trialling the kauri, Mike made a cask from it.

“It was sort of tracking in the right direction so we thought we’ll try a full cask – a 200-litre one.”  At this stage now, the distillery is waiting to see how it evolves.

The barrel has stopped being experimental now, and has become a Real Reality.  In a glass.

The Kauri Cask

When asked about making the Kauri cask, Mike commented, “The making of the kauri cask certainly had its challenges when assembling it.

“It was a lot more brittle than totara and oak. I eventually managed to pull it together after 2.5 hours of steaming the wood after I raised the shell.

“Even then there were a few broken staves that had to be taken out which reduced the size from 200 litres to about 150 litres.  I just had to roll with that size, as I couldn’t afford to take any more out.

“When it was on the rack ageing, there were a few further staves that had begun to split and break, which started to concern me but, in the end, they didn’t give us much trouble.”

So, for the first time ever, here it is!!  A whisky matured in a Kauri cask.

POKENO KAURI CASK NOTES:
Distillery notes on the box:

Single Cask, Single Malt Whisky
Cask Number Kauri 1
Distilled 29/05/20
Bottled 15/06/25
280 bottles at 48.6% ABV.

Distillery notes on the bottle:

“This is the first experimental Kauri Cask Malt to be released.  We managed to …(recover) … enough heartwood to craft a 160-litre barrel.  The cask was filled October 2023 with spirit which has been distilled in June 2020, to finish for 20 months.  ….. Due to the softness, porosity and scarcity of Kauri wood, it is unsure at this point if there will be another release of this single malt in the future.”

MY Tasting notes:

Nose:  Grassy, sweet Pacific (Samoan)  reeds.  Tinned baked beans in tomato sauce, golden syrup, a fleeting savoury note, raw brown sugar, mashed ripe bananas and oak dust.  The expected Pokeno distillate fruity notes.

Palate: There is tongue heat, but with no sharp edges.  A quick move to a tannic feel and a slight sour note – is this the effect of the Kauri, because we’ve not noted it in other expressions from Pokeno*.  Sour oranges and citrus with the bananas.

*I asked Pokeno Whisky owner, Matt Johns, about the taste.   He said that the “slightly sour dryness on the back end comes from the Kauri – same elements as in kauri gum – bitter lemon etc.”

The complex flavours are well-integrated and balanced.

Finish: The oak-y flavour lasts, with throat/thorax warming.

Comment: Overall, a beautiful nose that I could spend hours mulling over.  The flavour is not as vibrant as, say, the Totara cask but the sheer experience of tasting this unique dram is worth every bit.

There is a note that zips across both the nose and the palate, so fast that you don’t have time to identify it. If you can pin it down, please let me know!

Post Observation:  This dram grows on you with time.  Some of that, I suspect, is the result of increased oxygenation as the bottle level drops.

The sad thing about it all is that I probably won’t ever have another bottle!  But, boy, am I enjoying this one!

Slainte
John

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Observations on Whisky Matters – Change for the Better?

A Three percent Drop

by Pat

No, not a gift mortgage rate.  That’s definitely not the case!

I am referring to the amount of Alcohol by Volume (ABV) in your whisky.

Recently I was trying to drink some of my surplus whisky from my collection, having finally decided what I really want to keep and pass on.

I chanced to come across a couple of old bottles of Grants 12 year old blended whisky.  It’s a whisky I really like when I just want something non-challenging before dinner.

To my surprise (and horror), when I looked at the two bottles, one was 43% abv and the other was 40%.  Both were normal bottlings, the only difference being that one was newer.

Vertical comparison

The next move?

Simple!

Open both to do a vertical tasting to compare the two expressions.  What a difference three percent makes!  The higher abv version tasted like a single malt, the lower (40% one) just didn’t!

This got me thinking.

I checked out my wife’s favourite Jim Beam Black and, sure enough, what used to be 43% is also now a 40%!

Now, I don’t really know what is driving these drops in ‘horsepower’.  Is it an attempt to lower the tax on the beverage?  Or are distillers and blenders trying to stretch the stock further to cover increased demand?  To my mind, the Black from Beam and the 12 year old from Grants were both traditionally meant to be that next step up from entry level.  They were intended to offer a more refined experience – but has lowering the abv achieved that goal?

Looking back through my collection of whisky miniatures – which doubles as an excellent archive – I see that even the Glenfiddich entry level 12yo (now sold at 40%) used to be 43 percent.

When you cheapen your products for market demand, your reputation suffers.  We have pointed this out in previous articles, particularly in relation to some well-known brands’ supplied to supermarkets in the UK.

After having had vertical tastings from previous years from these distilleries it becomes clear that quality has gone on the line as a result.

Does a 3 percent abv drop make a difference?

Oh, yes, it does.

 

What Regulations? 

by John

It’s a bit like wearing knitted swimming togs or a mankini. You know it’s possible but, really, should you?

Since the early 14th century, Aqua Vitae (the water of life, and the fore-runner of whisky) has been stored – and matured – in oak barrels .  And people have got good at it over the years.  Distil a liquid mixture of barley, yeast and water to produce alcohol, put the result in a barrel and go away for a few years until you think it might taste good.

It’s an extremely simplistic view, but that’s the bones of how whisky is made.

A recent magazine article on NZ’s TV focussed me on the concept of NZ-made, rapid-matured, whisky and rum.

An operation called Eltom Distillery, in Auckland’s Parnell, is looking to revolutionise the way whisky (in particular) is “aged”.

In researching what Eltom was all about, I came across a very informative Stuff article, which made things a little less murky.  The article is well worth reading if you’re a whisky fan.  I found the bit about how the “products had come out on top (in the company’s) own taste testings against well-established, well-known traditional spirits” particularly interesting!

The “process”

I am at a bit of a loss as to how to describe the rapid-maturing process, but start with a pressure cooker and go from there.

As I understand the concept, cubes of various oak are added to an un-aged spirit.  The “various oak” bit determines what planned spirit-type outcome is expected.  The liquid (with the cubes in it) is then heated and pressurised – a process which reportedly results is a matured flavour profile.

It has been claimed that the process can produce the equivalent of 20-year-old matured spirit in just a few days.

I have some issues.

Issue 1 – Ingredients:

The NZ Whisky guidelines from Distilled Spirits Aotearoa (DSA) state, in Clause 3, that “ingredients intended to flavour the whisky … are not allowed”.

The DSA Guidelines also say that “Wood chip may not be used or added to the cask during maturation”.  It strikes me that both of these points are being overlooked by the distillery.  I suppose that Eltoms could get around the last bit by saying there is no cask involved in the maturation.

That may be true, but it’s a bit of a stretch!

To the best of my knowledge, the Guidelines are currently just that – guidelines.  Sadly, they are not regulations, requirements, or legally enforceable –  although they damned-well should be!

Issue 2 – Independence of tasting:

Conducting taste testing of your own products against others, and then claiming yours came out top, seems to lack independence.  A lot.  Just me?

Issue 3 – Stock Levels:

I thought it would be fun to try some of Eltom’s output, just to see what it’s like.

So I went to their website to buy some.

The site currently has a range of eight products – one gin, two “single malt” whiskies, one American whiskey, a “Lost” whisky, and three rums.

All of them, bar one of the rums, are marked as “sold out”.

Question:  if, as Eltom claim, the products can be produced “in just a few days”, how come they have no stock?  Strange!

Sadly, though, the lack of purchase-able stock indicates that I may have to wait a while to give you the results of my (truly independent) tasting.  If ever.

In the meantime, I’d love to know how traditional whisky/whiskey drinkers and – possibly more importantly – the generations of distillers, view this new process.

I have a vision of them all, in their graves and spinning like rotisserie chickens!

 

PS:  In writing this article, I have not spoken to anyone from Eltom Distilleries about their processes or products.  After recent experiences with other “original” products, from the Puhoi area north of Auckland, I couldn’t really see the point.

 

 

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The Economic Impact on Whisky – Is Quality Dropping?

Over the last three or so years I have been getting the impression that some Scottish whiskies – especially standard distillery bottlings – seem to have been slipping in quality.

Maybe I’m not imagining it.  Maybe it is real.

But, being a loyalist, I thought “that can’t possibly be right.”

So I canvassed the view of some people whose opinions I value.

And apparently I’m not alone in my thinking.

These days, I am drinking a lot more New Zealand-produced whisky – strictly for research purposes, you understand.

With the exception of a couple of recently reported, horrendous, examples the overall standard and the degree of innovation of NZ product has been noticeably improving year on year.

Against that, it seems that the quality of Scottish whisky has been a subject of increasing scrutiny recently.

While Scotland continues to produce exceptional whiskies, several factors suggest that the standard of normal distillery bottlings is experiencing a decline.

Research time!

Market Pressures and Cost-Cutting

Rising production costs and global trade uncertainties (especially in the last few months ! ) are resulting in significant economic challenges and increased market pressures.

And the whisky industry is not exempt.

In 2024, Scotch exports fell in value by 3.7%, while volumes rose by 3.9%.  Although these numbers are not solely about whisky, they do provide indication that exporters are getting less money (= decreased profitability) for their product.

In order to help maintain profitability, cost-cutting measures come into play, and these can have a tendency to impact product quality.

Some of the emerging countries have their own whisky rules, and  are not constrained by the SWA regulations, a freedom that provides the opportunity to offer innovative products to the global market. 

Bottling Practices

Whisky has traditionally been bottled at higher strengths to preserve its flavour profile.

However, I have noticed a recent trend towards bottling at lower alcohol by volume (ABV) percentages – aka “shrinkflation”.  Check over your whisky stocks – what was 43% a few years back may now have become 40%, and that 3% drop is apparent in both aroma and taste.

While spreading the peanut butter a bit thinner on your toast increases how much further your stocks of peanut butter will go, it won’t enhance your overall toast experience!

Global Competition and Market Saturation

The sharp rise of whisky producers in other countries – such as Ireland, Japan, India, and New Zealand – has intensified competition for Scotland.

Some of the emerging countries have their own whisky rules, and distillers there are not constrained by the Scotch Whisky Association (the SWA) regulations.  This freedom provides the opportunity to offer innovative products to the global market.

Additionally, the influx of new entrants leads to market saturation, making it more challenging for traditional Scottish distillery outputs to maintain a competitive edge.

As just one example, look at the astounding success of NZ’s Pokeno Whisky Totara Cask products – not possible to make under Scottish rules, but gold medal winning around the world!

Independent Bottlers Facing Challenges

Independent bottlers, who have historically provided unique and high-quality expressions, are encountering difficulties. For example, Gordon & MacPhail announced in 2023 that it would cease purchasing stock for independent bottlings to focus on its own distilleries.

As Whisky Magazine has noted, this shift will limit diversity and innovation in the market, potentially leading to a more homogenized product offering.

Environmental and Regulatory Challenges

The SWA has previously commented that the Scotch whisky industry is under increasing pressure to meet environmental standards and regulations.

While many distilleries are making strides towards sustainability, the costs associated with these initiatives divert resources from quality control measures. Additionally, regulatory changes can affect production processes, impacting the final product’s quality.

Conclusion

The industry, especially the traditional bits of it, is increasingly under the pump to produce whisky that the world a) likes and b) can afford.  This position is not helped by increasing levels of product taxation and tariffs.

While I would love to be able to provide an answer to the problem, the only saving grace I have is eyeing my collection from the last 20 years and looking forward to opening it one at a time!

Campbeltown Comparison

On a not entirely unrelated subject, the following are my notes from a recent Campbeltown (Springbank, Mitchell’s Glengoyne, Cadenheads) tasting, and a ringer donated to me by a good friend that restored my faith.

Campbeltown Tasting – photo P Phipps

 Ben Nevis Cadenhead

Age: 11yo.
ABV: 46%
Colour: Light gold
Nose: Dirty washing water, or standing water that’s been standing too long.  Almost a maritime note, but not – little shellfish?  Slightly sour.
Palate: Hot edge. A short, sharp kick at the start.  Manufactured lollies.
Finish: Pepper, dying away to a sour end.
Comment: “Clean”, but the sour finish does not endear the dram.

 MacDuff Cadenhead

Age: 10yo
ABV: 46%
Colour: Gold.  The darkest whisky of the evening.
Casks: 50% bourbon, 50% Oloroso for 4 years.
Nose: Toffee (Beautiful!!).  A strong nose for a 45%.  Wood chips and a bit of nose prickle.  A slight charred note, and rich fruit cake.  Looking forward to the taste.
Palate: Hot tongue up front, matures to tasty fruit with Vegemite undertones.  Wide mouth and interesting. Reduction ups the heat, but does not improve the taste.  Spicy (cinnamon)
Finish: Sour, pepper.
Comment: Oily mouth residue. Slightly “fluffy” feeling, like I’ve licked a sample of felt carpet underlay.  Disappointing from the start offered by the Nose.

 Kilkerran 16 yo

ABV: 46%
Casks: 70% Bourbon, 20% Sherry, 10% rum.
Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: A nutty and medicinal note.  Reminiscent of a small rock pool.
Palate: Dirt note (from the rum?).  Floral (scented artificial flowers, not real ones), smooth and no edges.  Softer than the two Cadenheads.  An alcohol-driven, “manufactured” feel.
Finish: Chocolatey, but the sour of dark cocoa.
Comment:  10-12ppm pheno. Wouldn’t buy it.

 Kilkerran 8 yo Cask Strength, Bourbon Cask

ABV: 55.6%.  Bourbon cask
Colour: Light gold.
Nose: Vanilla and tinned fruit salad.
Palate: A sharp heat builds.  Salty, and again alcohol-driven.
Comment: Barley mainly from the NE of Scotland.  The best whisky so far tonight, but still not startling.

Springbank “Local Barley” 2024

Age: 13 yo
ABV: 54.1%
Colour: light gold.
Nose:  A sweet note.  Prickly toffee and ginger.
Palate: Gingery, buttery (like chardonnay).
Finish: Long ginger.
Comment: Good legs – a bit sad that is my best comment.

 Longrow 100 Proof

Age: nas
ABV: 57.1%
Nose:  Salty marine.
Palate: Rock pool at the top.  Thick mouth, but not wide.  Snails?
Comment:  More heavily peated, but still mundane.

And then, out of the blue, comes a donation! …

Cadenheads Warehouse Tasting Springbank Distillery

Distilled: Nov 2000, Bottled: May 2017
Age: 16 years
ABV: 51%
Cask: NZ Whisky Barrel – type not stipulated, but maybe a bourbon?
Nose: Very clean, with a faint maritime undertone.
Palate: Stronger peat than on the nose.  Alcoholically well-integrated, with no harsh alcohol thrust.
Finish: Warming!  The peat stays on at the end.
Comment:  Oh, that’s more like it!!!  Almost light-years better than anything in the Springbank tasting!

Slainté
John

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Opposite Ends Of The Spectrum

end one: Frog-kissing

To find a Prince, some frog-kissing is probably involved.  So it is with whisky – remember the sheep-poo germinated Floki from Iceland?.  A dram that was definitely over-frogged.

A few years back I bought a bottle of Manuka Honey Whisky, made by a self-described Organic Distillery north of Auckland.  I am not going to review the whisky it here, other than to say it was horrible and I’m trying to forget I ever tasted it.  The best thing I can say is that all but two tasting-sized drams of the bottle’s contents became a fairly dire ingredient in a chocolate birthday cake.

Sometimes you only know a mistake when you make it a second time – let me introduce you to:

Batch 10 Manuka Smoked Kentucky Whisky (sic)

ABV: 45%.
Eye: Nice amber gold colour
Nose: sweet smoke, with an strange vegetal note in the background (like a kawakawa plant-based ointment).  A bucolic, rural note of horse droppings and straw.
Palate: Strongly vegetal, sweet with heavy smoke.  Harsh and scrape-y on the tongue.  Honey at the back of throat goes quickly, then returns in the finish.
Finish: Sour, in a bad way – like poorly-dried laundry.
Comment: Reminiscent of Floki, with a large dollop of honey added.  And that Floki-ish after-taste continues way too long.

Batch 10 is another north Auckland distillery.  Their website waxes lyrical about this product, as I would expect it to.

Manuka Smoked Whisky

Premium Kentucky whisky, smoked with Manuka. Made in small batchs (sic) with our secret Manuka smoking process.

It has a strong smoked single malt Whisky front followed by a smooth finish. Something quite special and tricky to make.

Comment

Over the years, I have avoided making adverse comment in this blog; not casting doubt on others’ products – especially when I can’t do it better myself.  I prefer to show you my notes and let you make your own judgements.

However, once very so often, something comes up that I don’t feel I can let pass without remark.

I have a few problems with the information provided on Batch 10 and how it has been constructed.

The main rules of making Kentucky Whiskey are:

  • In Kentucky, whisky is spelt with an e.
  • Kentucky Whiskey is made in the US from a mash of 51% corn, aged in new charred oak barrels, and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume).

Bearing those in mind, I think that it is odd to described the Batch 10 product as a “premium Kentucky whisky” with a “single malt whisky front”.

Corn and malt are not the same.  While corn can be used to make a type of malt (corn malt), malt generally refers to germinated and dried barley – a different grain.

I am also puzzled by the inferred construction of the drink.

How can it be claimed to be “smoked with Manuka”?  Did someone take manuka to Kentucky to use in the germination process?

Another quote from the Batch 10 website does not make anything clearer: “Infusing began in earnest … in the backwoods of Puhoi.”   If the drink was made originally in Kentucky, does “infusing” hint that something has been added to it after it arrived in NZ?

I’d love an explanation, and there may be a perfectly good one.

I’m looking forward to hearing it.

The counterpoint of taste melodies go on forever!  And what glorious tube artwork!

 And At The Other End

On a far happier note, after Dramfest 2025, Whisky Galore’s website  mentioned a Dramfest 2025 Exclusive Pokeno ‘Solera La Ina Hogshead no. 121’ from Auckland’s Pokeno Whisky, available ex-store.

Solera La Ina Hogshead

Whisky Galore notes

“…The journey for this whisky began in 1923 when Hogshead No. 121 was manufactured at La Ina in Spain, then used to make fino sherry. The cask then made its way to Scotland, and was used to mature Scotch whisky for 30 years. In the 1950s, the cask, full of bulk whisky for blending, was sent to New Zealand, ending up in the Whisky Galore shop 50 years later as a display piece.

in 2023, Hogshead No. 121 was sent from Christchurch to Pokeno, where it was re-coopered and re-seasoned before being filled with mature Pokeno whisky that had previously matured in an a fresh PX sherry cask. The last influence on this dram was cask No. 121, with a final 6 months of maturation.”

My tasting notes:

Pokeno Solera La Ina Hogshead No. 121

ABV: 52.1%
Colour: Rich gold, edging dark.
Nose: Very attractive. Light sacking, nutty chocolate & golden syrup with oak sawdust.  A light vanilla note.  Very slight nose prickle (the cask-strength alcohol is well integrated and not in-your-face).  Brown sugar and sherry.
Palate: Sweet and “kicky”.  Hot tongue.  Nice tannic note, drying my tongue.  Beautifully integrated counterpoint of flavours, with sweet and sour simultaneously holding sway.
Finish:  Everything stays and mixes.
Comment:  Superb!!  The contrasting melodies of taste go on forever!  And, in true Pokeno style, what glorious tube artwork!

And here is your Prince!

Slainte
John

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By Royal Appointment, Statistics and Dramfest 2025

By Royal Appointment

No, not the website, but this ….

We spotted it on the wall of a very nice restaurant (Caroline’s Boatshed Bar and Eatery) at Aramoho, on the banks of the Whanganui River.

Please pardon my naivety.  Until I saw the sign, I had never heard of Justerini and Brooks Ltd.  Or of their appointments to their late majesties.

Research time!

Another Rabbit Hole

You know me and website rabbit holes.  Love ’em!

J&B is a rabbit hole of considerable proportions!  And complexity.  Containing some rabbits of very rare distinction.

I mislaid a couple of hours easily, wandering the myriad burrows of Justerini and Brooks Ltd’s website.

The firm was originally founded as Johnson and Justerini in 1749 by Giancomo Justerini and George Johnson.  J&B has been regally appointed to a succession of British rulers since George III (King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1760 – 1820).

The sign I photographed only cites monarchs until George VI (King of the United Kingdom and the Domains of British Commonwealth, from 1936 – 1952) (interesting change in the realm’s name!).  George VI was the late Queen’s father, and there is no reason to suppose that the royal patronage stopped with him.

I think it’s also a fair bet that I wouldn’t get to be the royal tipple suppliers by providing bottles of knocked-down $50 hooch.  I’d need to up my game a good bit!

What do you get for your Warrant?

Justerini & Brooks is known for its selection of fine wines from Burgundy, Barolo and Germany.  More imporatntly, from our point of view, they are also known for their J&B Rare Scotch whisky, a blend of forty-two malt and grain whiskies, including single malts Knockando, Auchroisk and Glen Spey.

The whisky range shows 33 distilleries as providers, from Ardbeg to Yamazaki.  Prices range from a paltry £130-odd to a 45yo Brora, Prima & Ultima Fourth Release £15,000.47 (including VAT!).

Sample Examples

Some simple examples of a few snips to be had (note: all prices include VAT, in case that is an issue for you):

Mortlach 30yo, Midnight Malt, £5,000.68
Glen Ord Singleton, 39 yo, £2,295.44
Royal Lochnagar, Selected Reserve, £204.70
Royal Lochnagar, Prima & Ultima 3rd Release, 40yo, £5,350.51

To be fair, they are prices fit for a royal ransom, but just a smidge over my tipping point for purchase.

An pleasant afternoon, though, spent chasing hyperlinks!

A Small, Self-composed Fanfare

In 2018, I was told that I wasn’t allowed to retire unless I had arranged something suitable to occupy my time. Apparently, some of my post-retirement ideas were not considered suitable.  At all.

After some fairly shallow thought, I came up with the idea of writing about whisky.

I researched (i.e. Googled) how to construct and operate a website.  I  completed an on-line Edinburgh Whisky Academy course on the basics of whisky.  I read some stuff on “How to Write” (yeah, that worked.  Not.), got a few bods to weigh in.  And then I started mouthing off on subjects I knew precious little about.

And, seven years later, here we are.

A site like rantandwhisky.com is probably the modern version of Vanity Press; a place where I can publish stuff that respectable publishers wouldn’t touch with a barge pole.

The site is an unsophisticated undertaking.  It is literally operated from a computer and a large screen, housed in a converted coat cupboard in sunny suburban Wellington.

Part of the website background mechanism provides me with reader statistics.  It doesn’t tell me what an individual person is reading (that’s a breach of privacy).  But it does identify what countries readers are coming from, how they got to the site, and what articles are being read.

From curiosity (and a love of spreadsheeting), I started tracking these statistics; an exercise very similar to tracking your ‘Likes’ on Facebook.

Some Statistics

I am going to share some of those statistics, more than anything to express my level of absolute astonishment at where this whole thing has gone in seven years.

Up until the end of December, 2024 we have published 60 articles.  Just over 9,000 site visitors have read some or all of these, which is both astonishing and gratifying.

But the most astounding statistic is where those visitors are coming from.

Google tells me there are 193 countries in the world – for the moment, at least.

Rantandwhisky.com has been read in 101 of them – from Argentina to Vietnam!  To be fair, some countries have only provided one visitor (Andorra, for example, Bosnia/Herzegovina, or Latvia).  But they’re still on the list, and they count!

The highest number of visitors are from New Zealand (4,600+) and USA (1,650).  The UK and Ireland, India and China are also up there with regular visitations.

A lot of my drinking friends subscribed to the site from the get-go in 2018 (and all still do – thank you all, so very much!).  Keep those statistics coming in.

Dramfest 2025

I won’t be at Dramfest 2025, and I’m quite sad about that.

To me, Dramfest has always been a major highlight of the New Zealand whisky scene.  It’s a “must go” event, a weekend mis-spent catching up with whisky people and products from all around the world.

It’s where I got to listen to and talk with the people who make whisky, people who write about whisky, and people who know a lot about whisky.  And, if you listen, you get to learn a lot.

To those who are going, enjoy the event and please have a dram or so for me.  I’ll be thinking of you!

Slainte

John

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Two Axes, five Glenallachies and a brace of Arrans

Seasons Greetings from Pat’s Land of Miniatures

Recently I was scouring my favourite shops on the internet looking for whisky minis.  Every year – at least, here in New Zealand – they seem to be getting harder and harder to find.

But finally two likely candidates, and off to the store on the recovery mission. The new acquisitions were two minis from The Gladstone Axe, a blender I had never heard of before.

The Gladstone Axe

A bit of background ….

According to the slightly sketchy information on its website, Gladstone Axe Whisky derives its name from William Ewart Gladstone, four times prime minister of Great Britain in the mid-late 1800s – renowned, apparently, for his “passion and pastime” of felling trees.  With his collection of axes, as one does.

He was also reputed to be responsible for the quotes “Justice delayed is justice denied” and “Failure is success if we learn from it”.

The Gladstone Axe minis

That aside, I purchased one “American Oak” miniature and the other “The Black Axe”, both  presented in rather attractive glass bottles.

Both whiskies were distilled and matured in Scotland, and bottled for Biggar & Leith by BPS Ltd.

 

 

So, with childish glee as I eagerly clasped one of the last two on the shelf

But Santa had more in store for me – and what a gem he left!

Paul John Christmas

As I was ferreting through the shelves for the Gladstone Axes, I came across a Paul John Christmas mini. For those unfamiliar with the Paul John name, it is a very good Indian Whisky from Goa, an city in the southern third of the country.  After having had many a drop of both Indian and Scotch whiskies over 30-odd years, I can say that Paul John drams stand up to the best Scotches.

So, with childish glee as I eagerly clasped one of the last two on the shelf, turned to my wife and said “I had no idea they made them!”.  The tube was marked Christmas Edition 2023 – which instantly sent my mind into overdrive with “so where are all the other years?”.

A decorated Christmas tree graces the tube, which states that this is the 6th edition (I’ll leave you to imagine what I said about that!), adding “For Export Overseas” –  which the mini bottle has as well.

It also states the whisky is ex-bourbon, unpeated and finished in single vintage Colheita Tawney Port Cask.  Non Chill Filtered, of course.

Australian miniature purchases

I recently travelled to Australia for a holiday.

Doing my research before left NZ, I found a Dan Murphy’s retailer near to where I was staying.

As I mentioned, whisky miniatures are hard to get in NZ.  When I get the opportunity to get overseas, I take the chance to buy what is available.

In this light, I was able to purchase a beautiful Smokehead whisky triple set, in a metal skull tin, and to also buy a Glengoyne time capsule triple set.

Another joy was being able to finally buy a new style Glenfiddich 12 year old mini to go with my many other ones.

Glenallachie tasting

presented by Ciara Hepburn (Glenallcahie’s International Sales Manager) & Michael Fraser Milne (Proprietor, Whisky Galore Ltd)

Glenallachie 12yo

ABV: 46%, Colour: Gold, Casks: ex-bourbon then oloroso & px, NC2
Nose: A plastic typewriter chassis, with an oil-skin coat.  A rather “low-yield” nose, producing few strong notes.
Palate: Soft and sweet, but with a slightly sour under-taste.  Heather honey (a classic Glenallachie profile), and a sting-y tongue note.
Finish: The sour note of oloroso sherry.
Comment: A nice dram, with some parts up to 26yo!

Glenallachie 15yo

ABV: 46%, Casks: ex-bourbon then px, NC2
Nose: Honey (but not manuka).
Palate: Sourer at the start.  An attention-getter that bites the back of the throat, then adds sweetness in the second sip.
Finish: Soft, and slightly clingy.
Comment: Lovely.  Sherry-driven.  Higher scorer.

Glenallachie 18yo

ABV: 46%, Casks: ex-bourbon, px and oloroso (some are virgin casks), NC2
Nose: That sugar sack note associated with oloroso sherry.  One match-head of sulphur oxide.
Palate: Hot again, but goes fast.  A sweet start then quickly sour.  Oily tongue, but a tannic mouth roof.
Finish: Quite a sour end.
Comment: A wee bit disappointing after the 8, 12 and 15yos.  Harsh, and I don’t like the aftertaste.

Glenallachie Cask Strength Batch 10

ABV: 58.6%. 10yo
Nose: Exercise socks, ripe bananas and shaving soap.  It smells wide.  Slight dried flowers floral.
Palate: Gorgeous, strong heather honey and wide in the mouth.  Smooooooth and oily tongue.  A small amount of water reduction is great, really adding to the experience!
Finish: Magnificent.
Comment: Bottled in batches.  More, MORE, MORE!

Glenallachie Batch 3

ABV: 48.9%.  30yo
Nose: Sweet, PX sherry, prunes and dried apricot.
Palate: Floral, piercingly short.  Heat and a sour note quite early on.  Honey again, but a bit disguised.  Reduction softens but doesn’t really improve the dram.
Finish: Sourish, tannic end.
Comment: Less favoured than the 10yo.  Sour honey

Two Arrans from Graeme

Machrie Moor Fingal’s Cut

Nose: Prickly, Iodine/maritime, a coastal whisky, sweet, Whelks and rock pools.  Slight peat with rich undertones
Palate: Peat and heat hit, hot tongue fades quickly.  The maritime notes sticks around and gives a “dirty” note – not unpleasant.
Finish: mouth dries, peat/iodine stays.

Explorer 3

Nose: maritime peaches/nectarines, a 1960s’ material shop, sweet stone fruit, and a slight “wet washing” note.   Cake fruit.
Palate: Not much like the nose would lead me to expect.  Quick heat and sour, a reduced cake fruit note, heat on the edge and front of tongue.
Finish: Sour stays, but not unpleasant.  Oily and sweet hangs on.  Warm.
Comment: Nice. Attractive and warming, pretty damned good.

Christmas Wishes

This is 2024’s final post for the year.

Pat & I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for following www.rantandwhisky.com. Both of us have thoroughly enjoyed writing and researching for you, and experiencing all manner of whisky-related activities.

We especially wish to publicly record our thanks to the people of the whisky industry who have selflessly given their time, knowledge and wisdom to our musings (and gracefully answered our sometimes damned-fool questions).   We could not have done the job without you.

Wishing a merry (and safe) Christmas to you all, and our hopes for a prosperous 2025.

Slàinte mhòr

John