WTF 005: From Islay to Heaven

May your whisky never runs out my friend! Unless you are drinking Johnnie Walker, if you are please… let me pour something better on your glass…

This is not a proper What the F*** tasting session with blind samples, but I just got from my evil box stuff that I wanted to drink. Particularly there were two whiskies I have a huge interest in tasting: Yamazaki 10 years old… I still remember when I could buy bottles of this one at £17… and Octomore 10 years old. As you know I collect whisky and I had my chance of buying this Octomore for it RRP… but still £150 was quite high for such a whisky… Did I go wrong with it?

Time to drink!

Suntory Yamazaki 10 years old

My first dram is the only (affordable) Yamazaki I haven’t tried of their core range. I really love how Yamazaki whiskies taste and the big change that exists from Yamazaki 12 years old to Yamazaki 18 years old. A magnificent sherry monster but unfortunatelly its price has changed in a few years from barely £60 to more than £120. So, how good is Yamazaki 10 years old compared to its older brothers?

“Whoa! Fantastic whisky! Not a sherry monster like its big brother the Yamazaki 18 years old but still a delicious sherry treat”

91

An introductory malt from Yamazaki, Japan's oldest distillery (founded in 1923). This is mild-mannered, clean, sweet malt, charming and very accessible - Speyside fans looking to try a Japanese malt should start here.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, fruits, pineapple, wood, vanilla, citrus, pepper, cinnamon.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. honey, tobacco, wood, spices, citrus, vanilla, tobacco.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, vanilla, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Suntory Yamazaki 10 year with 91 points over 100.

Glenkinchie 20 years old 2010 Release

Diageo does annual limited releases of their most rare whiskies, I have tasted a few of them and they are as lovely as expensive. But I haven’t had the pleasure to delight myself with this Glenkinchie 20 years old so this was a perfect chance.

“Deliciously yummy floral whisky. A great whisky of Diageo Special Releases that usually goes under the radar”

90

70cl / 55.1% / Distillery Bottling - The second 20yo Glenkinchie bottled for Diageo's Special Releases is, like the first, a small batch from refill American oak casks. This is an equally enjoyable dram, in our opinion a bit better, although it definitely needs a drop of water to get going.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (86): more than average. honey, citrus, spices, floral, vanilla.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. honey, floral, citrus, vanilla, wood.

Finish (92): long. honey, floral, candies.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenkinchie 20 Year Old (2010 Release) with 90 points over 100.

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Port Charlotte The Peat Project

Enough chit-chat now we are into the serious stuff. I love peated whiskies, so if you don’t like them this is like a perfect moment to leave this blog and come back later then the smoke and the fire disperse…
I am in love with Port Charlotte since the first change I had of tasting it. I have been only disappointed with their Port Charlotte 10 years old and it was because it was too muddy and smoky… so another Port Charlotte to taste of their affordable range. Who could say no?

“Fantastic! I could mistake this Port Charlotte for a good Ardbeg anytime.”

90

A statement of intent from Bruichladdich master distiller Jim McEwan, showing his vivions for Port Charlotte spirit - peated to 44ppm and vatted from various vintages.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. peat, toffee, vanilla, earth, citrus.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. peat, honey, citrus, earth, vanilla, apples.

Finish (90): longer than average. peat, honey, earth.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Port Charlotte Peat Project with 90 points over 100.

Octomore 10 years old Limited Release

And finally, the world’s most peated single malt whisky reach 10 years old… and Bruichladdich doesn’t have any better way of commemorating it than releasing a cask strength bottling of it for £150… They really wanted us to remember this moment…
I have tasted every single Octomore from 01.1 and I have all of them but the Futures and the 01.1 but this time it was too much for me. Really, buying £150 10 years old whiskies send to brands and distilleries a signal that I can’t stand for…

Anyway, I got a sample of the whisky and it was a great chance of knowing if it was a rip off or if it was a great whisky and a rip off…

“If it wasn't for the stupid price tag it would be a good whisky bottle... but £150 for a bottle is no way”

90

Bruichladdich Octomore�10 Year Old Islay single malt Scotch whiskey. 2012 1st release of the world's most heavily peated Scotch (80.5PPM) limited release of 6,000 bottles. Matured in American oak casks.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. peat, honey, bacon, citrus, floral.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. peat, honey, vanilla, citrus, earth, coffee.

Finish (91): longer than average. peat, honey, coffee.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bruichladdich Octomore 10 Year Old with 90 points over 100.

Miguel says…

The Octomore 10yo is quite good whisky… but really no way for £150… I would go and get three Ardbeg Uigeadail instead… and by the way, do yourself a favour and get a bottle of Yamazaki

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