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“Helping you to find the best whisky with concise whisky reviews and recommendations”

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Amrut: the nectar of India

By Miguel in Featured , Amrut

Himalaya’s best keep secret is at last here: Amrut whisky, a real nectar of Gods

Amrut is as old as the history of independent India. Founded in 1948 by Shri Jaddale N. Radhakrisna under the name of Amrut Laboratories.

All started as a small liquor blending plant and a bottling unit. Amrut foray into market with a dark rum, Amrut XXX and Silver Cup Brandy and catering to Indian armed forces.

In 1970 the company began manufacturing grape brandy from famous Bangalore blue grape, “Bejois”.
And then with the experience in brandy and the help of scottish experts they began distilling whisky in 1980.

Actually Amrut has a redistillation plant to produce grain neutral spirit and two bottling plants in Karnataka and Kerala. Its portfolio includes dozens of products like:

  • Amrut Single Malt Whisky
  • Maq Scotch Whisky
  • Maqintosh Whisky
  • Prestige Blended Whisky
  • Club House Whisky
  • Bejois Napoleon Brandy

My collection of Amrut bottles



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Isle of Jura 10 years old Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Isle of Jura
87
Isle of Jura 10 year Origins
Off the west coast of Scotland lies a magical island of soft sea breezes, freshly caught lobster and a bank that comes once a week. As good as life used to be. One shop, one pub, one community. One fine malt whisky distillery. A gift from nature. Pure spring water, clean fresh air and generations of tradition quietly crafting a more delicate island malt. Visit the island, meet the people, drink the whisky.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (88): inexistent. sweet, honey, vanilla, citrus, a little floral. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (88): . sweet, smoke, wood, honey, citrus, a little floral. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (84): no finish. citrus, wood. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Isle of Jura 10 year Origins with 87 points over 100.

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Inchgower 14 years old Flora & Fauna Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Recommended , Inchgower

“ Stunning sweet, floral dram with lots of tones of sherry and spices. It is a pity that the Flora and Fauna range is discontinued.”

91
Inchgower 14 year
The Flora and Fauna series is a sadly discontinued range of whiskies, each with an illustration of an animal on the bottle.

This Inchgower is very rare. Bottled at 14 years by Diageo to show some of their stable hidden gems.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (88): inexistent. sweet, floral, honey, sherry, cinnamon, citrus, spices, wood, tobacco. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (92): . sweet, honey, floral, citrus, spices, vanilla, wood, smoke. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (92): no finish. smoke, wood, honey, citrus, grass. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Inchgower 14 year with 91 points over 100.

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Arran 10 years old Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Arran
88
Arran 10 Year Old + Nosing Glasses
A medium-bodied, citrussy dram that shows an elegance and deftness of touch that belies the distillery's youth. Tasting the complexity and assurance of this youngster it is difficult to believe that the distillery only opened in 1995. A great achievement.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (92): inexistent. sweet, peaches, pears, raisins, honey, wood, wine, cherry, cocoa. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (88): . sweet, hot, fruity, citrus, dry, wood, smoke. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (84): no finish. wood, floral, vanilla, smoke. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Arran 10 Year Old + Nosing Glasses with 88 points over 100.

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Muchacha en la Ventana by Salvador Dali

By Miguel in Laphroaig , Drink & Arts

Woman figure at window is one of the earliest works of the famous Spanish painter.

The Picture

Woman figure at window - Salvador Dali
The model was Ana Maria, Dali’s younger sister and only sibling. For a long time Dali and Ana Maria were extremely close, especially after their mother’s death, when Ana Maria took on the role of mother to the demanding Dali. Ana Maria was the only female model Dali used until Gala replaced her in 1929.

In 1949, Ana Maria wrote an autobiography that portrayed a very different view of Dali to the one he had carefully constructed in his autobiographies; this led to the collapse of their relationship. In revenge for Ana Maria’s disloyalty, Dali painted another version of this Figure at a Window in 1954 and called it Young Virgin Autosodomized by her Own Chastity.

As with Seated Girl Seen from the Rear, we can not see the face of the girl and so our focus is drawn to the view that she is looking at from her window. The view is the bay of Cadaques, a Spanish seaside town where the Dalis spent their summers. The predominant colors of light blues and lavenders give the painting a peaceful feel that is unusual in much of Dali’s work.

The dram: Laphroaig Quarter Cask

a bottle of Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Can you smell the seaweed? Don’t you see the waves dying against the rocks? Smell, Look. It’s smells of Laphroaig.
A vibrant young Laphroaig whose maturation has been speeded up by ageing in Quarter Casks. This shows soft sweetness and a velvety feel when first tasted, then the intense peatiness so unique to Laphroaig comes bursting through. A really terrific whisky and great value.

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Bin Laden Whiskey: One "shot" kills you

By Miguel in News , Bruichladdich

a bottle of Bruichladdich X4

Quadruple distilled Islay whisky: Usquebaugh-Baul

There was a whisky at Islay, distilled four centuries ago, that was quadruple distilled to 90% alc. vol.
It was said that more than two spoons of that whisky could kill a man.

Bruichladdich, according to the original recipe has recreated that whisky and responsibly has reduced it to 50% alcohol volume.

Bruichladdich X4 is the original spirit, unaged, that Bruichladdich released sometime ago.
After a time they have also released (surprise!) a new whisky that is called Bruichladdich X4+3

Osama, you would have done better asking it with water.

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Whisky Blogs Round up: Midleton single pot still whiskey

By Miguel in Blogs

Another week. Another whisky blog round-up. Here is the briefing of this first week of May which has been mainly about the event at Midleton distillery in Ireland.

a bottle of Kilchoman Spring 2011

Dramming writes about Dramming in Scotland, this episode in Glengoyne. And also points the over-regulation of UK safety guidelines (Mind the gap!).

Edinburgh Whisky Blog travelled to Midleton presentation of their new single pot still whiskies. Lucas wrote about all that happened at Midleton and writes about single pot still.

Nonjatta posts a tasting of Karuizawa Vintage 1985, Vintage 1982 and Vintage 1989.
Also Nonjatta is hosting May whisky round table, which asks about how confident you are in your whisky tasting skills and if it is possible to categorize a sip in words. Interesting replies that are worth of reading.

John Hansell of Malt Advocate writes this week also about the Midleton presentation of their new single pot still whiskeys.
He does a tasting of the Gordon and MacPhail Private Collection of Caol Ila: Madeira and Moscatel finishes, Kilchoman Spring 2011. He scores a whooping 96 to the Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 years old.
Finally writes an interesting review of Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection: “Rediscovered Barrels”.

Whisky for Everyone introduces the new Douglas of Drumlanrig, a new range of independently bottled single malt whiskies. They tasted Bowmore Tempest Batch 2.

a bottle of Mackmyra 1st Edition

Whiskyfun keeps traveling around the world with his 80 whiskies around the world.
He visit Spain and tastes four DYC: Blended, 8 years, Pure Malt and 50º Aniversario.
Then two Welsh whiskies: Aur Cymru Peated and Rich Madeira Limited Edition.
Then moving to Ireland and tasting the lower part of the shelves: Tullamore Dew, Kilbeggan, Jameson, Power’s Gold Label and Tyrconnel. Serge continues with a older irish whiskeys: Tullamore Dew 12 years, Jameson 12 years old, Power’s 12 years old, Connemara 12 years old and the two new single pot still whiskeys: Power’s 12 years old John’s Lane Release and Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy.
Still in Ireland, he now write about even older irish drams: Jameson 18 years old, Kilbeggan 18 years old, Greenore 18 years old Small Batch, Bushmills 21 years old and Connemara Single Cask.
Time to move to Sweden: now three Mackmyra: Brukswhisky, 1st Edition and Special 04. And finally three swiss whiskies: Santis Malt, Lakeland 3 years old and Castle One Edition Käser. Woo! Serge, check your liver!.

Whisky Israel tasted Kavalan Vinho, writes about twasting ( a twitter tasting ) of four Mackmyra and review Black Bull 40 years old.

Finally Ruben from WhiskyNotes tastes a Caperdonich 1972, Greenore 10 year old for Belgium, North British 1962, a Banff 1975 and two Longmorn 1975: Daily Dram Germany and Whisky Faessle

Enjoy reading.
Regards,
Miguel


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Highland Park 12 years old Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Highland Park
89
Highland Park 12 year
The first proprietary bottling of Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky was as a 12 year old in 1979.

It remains the core expression of the Highland Park range and is a smooth, balanced single malt, with a rich full flavour and a gentle smokey finish.

In fact this is the smokier bottling of all the range. If you like this Highland Park 12 years old, you should try the 18 years old.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (92): inexistent. sweet, peat, heather, honey, spices, a little tobacco. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (88): . sweet, peat, wood, spices, honey, floral, grass. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (88): no finish. peat, wood, spices, tobacco. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Highland Park 12 year with 89 points over 100.

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Redbreast 12 years old Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Jameson , Redbreast
89
Redbreast 12 year
Redbreast is a beautifully balanced pure pot still Irish Whiskey, with a warm, generous texture, rich, sweet flavours and a spicy kick. In the view of many connoisseurs, the finest Irish whiskey available.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (88): inexistent. sweet, grain, corn, floral, vanilla, barley. First nosing data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Palate (92): . sweet, corn, hot, honey, vanilla. Bouquet data is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

Finish (88): no finish. sweet, vanilla, wood. Finish length is innacurate as the previous tasting sheet lacked of this field.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Redbreast 12 year with 89 points over 100.

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Balblair 1997 Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Balblair
90
Balblair Vintage 1997
Long known to blenders as a category 'A' malt, Balblair is a terrific malt whisky worthy of far greater exposure than it has previously enjoyed. Newly relaunched as a series of vintage expressions, and repositioned as a premium product, hopefully this unsung hero will now finally get the attention and respect it deserves.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. sweet, honey, fruity, pineapple, wood, tobacco, spices, peaches.

Palate (90): smooth, powerful. sweet, fruity, wood, tobacco.

Finish (90): average. wood, tobacco, spices, pinepple.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Balblair Vintage 1997 with 90 points over 100.

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