Single Malt Scotch Whisky 2010 Review

 

 Just in time for your New Year's Eve comparison shopping expedition: a look back at the single malt Scotch whiskys that ended up on my (mostly gardening) Twitter page during the latter half of 2010. The early 2010 reviews can be found here.

But before imbibing in 140-character alcoholic blatherings, a few notes about the year in single malt Scotch (in my cabinet, anyway):

All of these are of moderate cost. You won't find anything here that costs more than $80. Most are in the $30-$50 range. Three of them are around $20 (Lismore, Finlaggan, Ileach). The term "abv": alcohol by volume. 40% abv, for example, would be 80 proof.

Best Buy of the Year: the Lismore 3 pack, available at Trader Joe's (here in the West) for $29.95. These generous-sized samplers (200 ml) run the gamut from mild and tasty (Lismore 40% abv) to "whoosh" (Lismore 50% abv...that's 100 proof!). The standout of the three: the Lismore 21 year old (43% abv). If you can find Lismore 21 in a standard sized bottle, it would cost around $150. The sherry-honey-toffee aroma is excellent; the menthol-infused taste is smooth without being overpowering. It is warming all the way down.

Best Choices for Gift-Giving: the Lismore 40% abv, Bowmore Legend, Macallan 10 Fine Oak, and Glenfarclas 10. To call these middle-of-the-road is unfair. Their smoothness is not a weakness; their aroma and flavor are enjoyed by all. If in doubt, give the Macallan 10 Fine Oak (about $32).

Single Malt Scotch with Balls: The Big 5 of "Peaty, Smoky" include Lagavulin 16, Ardbeg Uigeadail, Laphroaig 10, Caol Ila 12, Talisker 10. This is heady stuff. The aroma alone (especially the Lagavulin) will have folks at the next table wondering what you're drinking. If you are not familiar with the term "Laphroaig headache"...well, you've been warned. 

 

Two inexpensive smoky, peaty selections: Finlaggan and Ileach, which I would swear are the same. Even their labels resemble each other.

Don't be afraid of adding water. But no ice. Adding a few drops of water, after sampling a single malt Scotch at full strength, brings out different aromas and flavors. Also, water can help cut the sting when the abv (alcohol by volume) is 43% or greater. Ice will actually bury the aromas and flavors. Add as much water as you like to make it enjoyable, but start off with a few drops. The aroma of a good single malt Scotch can be enjoyed for an hour before the liquid disappears down your throat. OK, a half hour. Well, 15 minutes, anyway.

The right glass can enhance the experience. According to Kevin Erskine in his excellent introductory book, "The Instant Expert's Guide to Single Malt Scotch", the aromas associated with single malt Scotch number more than 60. Or, maybe he didn't say that. It sure seems like it is that many. The typical tumbler or "rocks glass" does not enhance the aroma; it can actually detract from the many savorings your nose might pick up. A good glass for sampling single malt Scotch is tulip-shaped: wide at the bottom, narrowing at the neck, and then flairing open at the top. This serves to concentrate the aromas before releasing them. I prefer a wide opening at the top...better to stick my nose in. And if you want to talk knowledgeably about single malts, get Kevin's book. It covers the entire subject very concisely, making you sound like you know what you're talking about, even when you're on glass #4.

 And now, from my Twitter page that deals primarily with gardening, here are the sporadic, barley-infused Twitter postings for the latter half of 2010, the "Single Malt Scotch of the Night" series:

 

Lagavulin 16 (43% abv). Perfect blend of smoke/peat for pondering the mysteries of life on a dark night.
12 Jul

 

 

Best treatment for a sore back: a hot tub and a generous pour of 10 yr old Glenmorangie.
31 Aug  

   

 

    

Your Wednesday is my Sunday. Mmmm, Laphroaig 10 and the hot tub at 8 a.m. Back to work, you slackers!
8 Sep

Where does the time go? It's already 8:0' Talisker!
17 Sep
 

 

Balvenie 12 Doublewood. They advertise in the Wall Street Journal everyday. But that's no quality indicator. Listerine goes down easier.
30 Sep 

 

Lismore 21 (43% abv). Best of the Lismore 3 pack on sale ($30) at Trader Joes. Lismore 21 retails for $150.
3 Oct

Progress at making more room in Single Malt Scotch cabinet hits a snag. Must buy more Tamdhu 10. A back of the cabinet gem!
20 Oct
 

Stormy, cold weekend ahead. Add compost to garden beds; get frost blankets; stock up on Macallan 10 Fine Oak Scotch.
17 Nov


Hey @BevMo : Elk Grove store has no idea what Kolsch style beer is. Never heard of Black Grouse Scotch, either. Trader Joe's does!
18 Nov
Lismore = Glenfarclas.  9 Dec
 

 

Glenfarclas 10: Breakfast of Champions...Among those who have declared victory and gone home.
29 Dec

Happy New Year!

Single Malt Scotch on a Budget

Single Malt Scotch connoisseur and author of  The Whisky Dungeon blog, Paul Potts, has a great entry: "A Beginner's Cabinet". Paul chooses five varieties that would serve as a worthy and inexpensive entry into the vast world that is the aroma, taste and finish of whiskys, and not just single malt Scotch. And they are good choices that represent a blend of quality and value that he finds pleasing to his senses. His five (with approximate pricing):

Glenfiddich 15 ($35)

The Tyrconnell, an Irish single malt ($35)

Laphroaig Quarter Cask ($50)

Abelour 12 Double Cask Matured ($35)

Jim Beam Black, an American bourbon ($20)

"What to choose for someone who has never imbibed in the tantalizing world of whisky, especially single malt Scotch?"

This is a question posed frequently to those of us who enjoy a good single malt whisky. No, we are not experts, just frequent imbibers who like to explore the complex aromas (perhaps upwards of 20-30) and flavors (five) of single malts, along with many subdivisions of flavor. This is why there are so many opinions as to personal favorites. A good primer on enjoying single malt Scotch can be found at the maltmadness website.

Since a bottle of single malt Scotch stocked at typical liquor stores can range in price from about $20 to $200 (or more), I tend to suggest the lower priced but aromatic and tasty selections for those looking to try a bottle or two.

Two of my favorites are both priced at about $20 and are available here in the Western U.S. at Trader Joe's: Lismore and Finlaggan.

Lismore, from the Speyside region of Scotland, has been compared to a young Cragganmore or Glenfiddich, and reviewed as having "a pleasant nose, full of fruit and honey, with good smoke in the middle."  I find it a bit lighter than that description with a good combination of savory aroma and drinkability (it doesn't burn going down). Yes, the hard core, cigar smoking, single malt male may refer to it as "pussy Scotch". I say, "here, kitty, kitty." 

Lismore can be found at many liquor stores, usually on the bottom shelf, covered in dust. Don't let the low price fool you. In many unofficial tasting parties held here, Lismore has been rated higher than Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Dalmore, Aberfeldy and Cragganmore. And most of those sell for twice the price of Lismore.

Finlaggan may be harder to find. It seems Trader Joe's has a lock on it out here in California. But if you are looking into the gateway drug of "peaty, smoky, Islay single malts", Finlaggan holds its own against its higher priced brothers, including Laphroaig, Caol Ila, Ardbeg and Laguvalin (the "Murderer's Row" of single malt Scotch). Yes, the experienced palate will note more of a caramel flavor and slightly astringent aroma with Finlaggan; but for an introduction into the peat and smoke world, you can't beat Finlaggan. And when I see my bottle of Lagavulin 16 nearing empty, I'll set it aside for a special occasion and pick up the Finlaggan. Which brings me to:

 

My Desert Island Single Malts

If I could only have two bottles of single malt Scotch to enjoy, whiling away the day waiting for a rescue vessel, it would be these:

Macallan 10 Fine Oak ($30-35)  and Laguvalin 16 ($60-70).

These two represent, according to my nose, tongue and throat, the left and right wing of the Single Malt Party.

Macallan 10 Fine Oak is a "Full-Bodied, Medium-Sweet, Pronounced Sherry with Fruity, Spicy, Malty Notes and Nutty, Smoky Hints" according to David Wishart at the Whisky Classified website.

Laguvalin 16: "Full-Bodied, Dry, Pungent, Peaty and Medicinal, with Spicy, Feinty Notes".

Macallan 10 Fine Oak is the underappreciated Macallan with mediocre reviews (I'm lookin' at you, Jim Murray). I have the floor manager of a Beverages and More store in Sacramento to thank for introducing me to the Macallan 10. This happened when I just started developing a taste for single malt Scotch, and was buying bottles to sample based on two criteria: How much is it? How pretty is the bottle? 

I was on my way to a family Christmas Eve gathering and stopped in to purchase a bottle of a single malt Scotch. Apparently, I was staring at the shelves beyond the alloted time, because the manager came up and asked if he could be of assistance. I threw myself at his mercy. 

"If you were going to a family party and wanted the adults there to enjoy one single malt, which would it be?" I asked. 

If he was an out-and-out capitalist, he could've pulled out his gold key and unlocked the nearby magical Scotch cabinet and proffered up a bottle of Bowmore 25 ($240) or Highland Park 25 ($280). Instead, he reached onto an open shelf for the Macallan 10 Fine Oak, saying, "I have never heard anybody complain about this one."

Years later, Macallan 10 Fine Oak is still my favorite everyday single malt Scotch. Not that I drink it everyday...but I could.

"The pale golden yellow color of Macallan 10 Fine Oak is pure and clean, the initial aroma reveal supple, buttery, and piney aromas. The palate entry is honey sweet and silky." I didn't say that. Some marketing guy did. But he's right. Or she. Yes, this is one that is equally popular in my household...which is why I tend to run out so quickly. Macallan 10 Fine Oak is just the right balance of enticing aromas (mmmm...butterscotch!), smooth on the tongue and easy on the throat. I said that.

Lagavulin is the consistent hitter in the Murderer's Row of Islay single malts, all of which are noted for their peaty aroma and smoky flavor. Order a Laguvalin 16 in a restaurant, and everyone at your table will want to take a whiff, it's that powerful yet enjoyable. It is the perfect single malt to follow a steak dinner. The beauty of the Laguvalin 16: you'll spend so much time savoring the aroma, one drink will last you an hour or more. 

To me, Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Caol Ila can be wildly inconsistent, sometimes with throat burn, sometimes not. And there is a reason the phrase, "Laphroaig headache" is part of the vernacular. You will pay the price for all that fun. The Laguvalin 16 can be enjoyed by all, even those just sniffing.

The 140 Character Single Malt Scotch Review

It must be nice to be Jim Murray. In his annual series of  Whisky Bible books, Mr. Murray can wax poetic, on and on, about the aroma, taste and finish of single malt Scotch. I have discovered that I have a tough time translating all those sensory perceptions into flowery prose, especially if several different bottles are in, shall we say, "test mode" for the evening.

     For example, Mr. Murray says this about the Abelour 12 in his Whisky Bible:
"...just the right degree of spiciness. Silky, decisive olorosa again showing an uncanny excellence in spice; not a single off note."

My review? "Taste of farm tractor diesel."

Regarding Glenlivet 12, Mr. Murray expounds: "A surfeit of apples on nose and body. The malt is quite rich at first but thins out for the vanilla and thick toffee at the death."

Fred the future alcoholic sez: "Bland, dull, boring. On second try: no aroma, no taste, no finish. Pussy whisky."

And I keep it simple when I like a particularly delectable single malt:

"Some say La-Goo-va-lin; others say La-ga-VOO-lin. I say: Good!"

Obviously, I will never be asked to write a book-long critique of single malt Scotch. Hell, I don't even know what olorosa is!

But, my skills are perfect for that 140 character paragon of digital communication, Twitter. 

Here, then, are some of my single malt reviews from 2009. The good news: since they were on Twitter, it won't take long to read. "ABV" refers to "Alcohol By Volume". It's one-half of what we also know as "Proof". So, "40% abv" = 80 Proof.

 

JANUARY
Aberfeldy 12 (40% abv). Honeyed aroma, toffee finish. So-so. Short, stout bottle makes a good flower vase.

Caol Ila 18. It’s so warming it might save my citrus trees on a frosty night.

It's 10 a.m. and foggy in Sacramento; which means it's 6 p.m. & (probably) foggy in Scotland...time for a Trader Joe's Tomatin 11 !

FEBRUARY
Old Pulteney 12 (43%). I gave a nearly full bottle to a friend on his 60th birthday. Pretty bottle, though.

Cragganmore 12 (40% abv). Aroma of medicinal fruit (banana-flavored iodine?) with an afterburn.

Combination of a fine chocolate with a smoky single malt Scotch is a fine winter repast. Perhaps a Green & Black's with a Laguvalin.

MARCH 
Rain on the way, probably. Hold off garden irrigation. Containers beneath patio covers may like a drink, though. Make mine a Tobermory 10!

Bowmore 18 (43% abv). New to me. Ho-Hum. Faint aroma. Bowmore Legend is better. And much cheaper.

APRIL  


The aroma of Macallan 10 Fine Oak is reminiscent of a female natural beauty (such as my wife)...no perfume or makeup needed.

Cragganmore 12 yr (40% abv). Subtle, yet satisfying. Helped me sleep thru my wife's favorite TV show, "So You Think You Can Dance".

Tonight: Bowmore Legend? Macallan 10? Laguvalin 16? How about all three!

MAY
Glenrothes 1992 (43% abv.). Eh. Nothing special. Serve it to unwanted guests.

Some say La-Goo-va-lin; some say la-ga-VOO-lin. I say: good.

The aroma of the Bunnahabhain 12 is the perfect complement to a Saturday night in the hot tub, admiring the new landscape.

JUNE
Tues Nite Scotch-Off: Cragganmore 12 vs. Isle of Jura 10. Cragganmore: upscale pussy scotch. Jura: Turns me into Jackie Gleason. 

Nothin' sez highland lovin' like a dram of Glenmorangie 10 (40%)...and it's a bargain at Costco!

The most aromatic, best-tasting bargains in single malt Scotch: Lismore and Finlaggan. Both under $20 at Trader Joe's.

JULY
Laguvalin 16 (43% abv). Peaty aroma, smoky taste. Very good after a well-marbled, ribeye steak.

Single Malt Scotch, desert island edition: As long as I have Macallan 10 Fine Oak (40% abv), life is good, no matter the location.

Single Malt Whiskey of the Night: St. George Lot 2 (43% abv). Made in California. My wife put it best: Not a pleasant experience.

AUGUST
Laphroaig 10 Years Old (55.7% abv) Original Cask Strength. Now, this IS peaty and smoky! Whiff of oak, too.

Bruichladdich 10 (46% abv). Get the one packaged with the free glass. My favorite drinking vessel!

Speyburn 10 (40% abv). Look for it on the bottom shelf at the store. A good citrus/toffee tasting bargain!

SEPTEMBER
Abelour 12 (43% abv). Hint of zinfindel aroma of Lodi vineyards. Taste of farm tractor diesel.
 
Tamdhu 10 (40% abv). Aroma of flowering daphne, slight menthol flavor with a throat burn finish.

Ardmore Peated Quarter Cask (46% abv.), one more try: nondescript aroma, acid reflux finish.

OCTOBER
Glenlivet 12 (40% abv). Bland, dull, boring. On second try: no aroma, no taste, no finish. Pussy whisky.

The return of Laguvalin 16. Peaty, smoky and enjoyable while watching a Dodgers playoff victory.

Fri. Nite Scotch-Off: Caol Ila 12 vs. Macallan 10 vs. Yamazaki 10 (single malt whisky from Japan). Winner by a nose: Macallan 10. Wonderful toffee! 

NOVEMBER
Glenfiddich 12 (40% abv). Aroma (subtle pear) is better than the taste or the finish. Nice bottle, though.

 Mortlach 16 yrs (43% abv). Mild yet pleasurable spicy aroma with a smooth finish. And the ladies like it!

(Not a Single Malt) Scotch of the Night: Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Yrs (40%) abv. Devoid of aroma, bitter finish. Why bother?

DECEMBER
Raising a glass of Macallan 10 Fine Oak for Tom Cable, coach of the Oakland Raiders, who apparently still has a job. Somehow.

Glenfiddich 18 (43% abv). The most complex of aromas I have ever sampled. Excellent. Best of all, a Christmas gift!

Top 3 Single Malt Scotch Whiskys of 2009: Macallan 10, Bunnahabhain 12, Finlaggan, Laguvalin 16. (hard to count after all that).