This series of SnapShot posts derives from whisky exchanges people known as the Whiskyfabric, a term created by Canadian whisky writer Johanne McInnis, otherwise known as the Whisky Lassie, to encompass the online community of whisky writers, creators, reviewers and enthusiasts that exist on social media. And sometimes the connections made online can spill offline. Over the past couple of years, we here at Scotchology have exchanged whiskies via mail with a number of folks across the United States and Canada, and finally decided to sit down to taste the bounty in one fell swoop to review. Or several swoops, because there was really a lot of whisky! We’ve done a rough grouping and this post contains various non-Islay scotches: Speyside, Highland, Lowland and Campbeltown malts. We’ll review Islay scotches and other world whiskies in their own posts.
Auchentoshan Springwood Travel Exclusive |Link|- Apple and manzanilla bananas on the nose, which transitions to decided Play-Doh and a little greenwood on the palate with a nip of spice and a toasted oak finish. Light and inoffensive and sort of impermanent in the memory or on the taste buds. Just like we’ve come to expect from Auchentoshan. Glad we didn’t pick up a whole bottle for a complete review.
Auchentoshen Blood Oak Travel Exclusive |Link|- The nose is softly muddled, like dish water. Cheap myrrh or frankincense from statues at Christmas, the scratch and sniff variety. With water added, the palate is over-oaked but integrates the nose better even if the finish remains inconsequential. On the plus side, the nose is a definite step up from the Springwood. A pity it stumbles from there. When it comes to whisky, lumber is not a flavor we seek. A whisky perfect for the home. The Home Depot.
AnCnoc 18 yr. |Link|- Mandarin orange and apricot are fresh on the nose and palate. Under that is a fireweed honey, a honey that gives way to dark orange fruits. A very nice autumn whisky, for when the leaves are turning. Do not add water as it strips away the fruit and adds wood, like a lumbar yard. Pairs really well with super dark chocolate (90% cacao) and makes us feel good about our take on its younger sibling. We’re a sucker for the citrus. We like this.
Arran Port Finish |Link|- What you feel like after you’ve walked across that bed of glowing charcoal: you get the reward but you have to suffer first. Adding water, even a lot of water, does not remove the burn, it just shifts it around. We think there’s port drifting around in the ash somewhere? Curiously resistant to not tasting like firewater. This makes us feel like we’ve done something wrong in a previous life. There’s good whisky in there. Somewhere.
Arran Madeira Finish |Link|- Hot on the nose. Some heat on the palate too, but the Madeira influence is present in the background. Even with water added, the nose is still very rough. Bordering on irresponsible bottling. What exactly is the finish supposed to be hiding? Who exactly are they marketing this to?
Balvenie 17 yr. Doublewood |Link|- There’s that delicious Doublewood spice along with the sweetness from the sherry casks. A little more complexity, a little more character than the 12 yr. This scotch is surprisingly floral. There’s a sweetness and spice but there is more perfume than the younger iteration. This is mild, but it isn’t bland or boring. More complex, smoother. It is really nice, a refined sibling of the earlier offering and arguably Balvenie’s signature expression, evolved. The one thing that always impresses us with Balvenie is balance. Wish we could savor this for a full review. Maybe some day. It seems easy but it isn’t, it’s a carefully achieved balance. This is craftsmanship. Those extra 5 years add some depth to that core flavor and enrich the Oloroso sherry creaminess on the finish.
Benromach SAQ Exclusive Single Cask |Link|- Honey, vanilla and toast at first, but then suddenly that toast becomes theater smoke as the palate opens up into a finish that eventually fades away only gradually, with a sweetness to it like apple wood smoke. There is apple blossom and applewood. You have to let the nose open, because there’s a disconnect at first. With water, the nose is floral and has a little green peat. This is not a whisky you want to judge in the moment. A good example of the smoke being a component of the tasting experience without dominating. It’s an exploration of smoke. Everything from sweet BBQ applewood with fruit and vanilla. Now we’re talking. The prelude to a long night of fucking.
Glen Deveran 16 yr. |Link| – A little wood on the nose, followed by some pleasant honey. Not unpleasant but also not more interesting. Scotch to the point of generic. It has meat on its bones and isn’t flimsy but there is literally not a thing memorable about this, scotch qua scotch. There’s an oaky flavor that is reminiscent of younger whisky but it is not rough. Right at the end, there’s a pleasant honey. Really has a Total Wine or a Costco vibe to it. Maybe this whisky is for the people who normally drink blends, and would want a nice single malt introduction. For those of us who are used to scotch with character, however, this is unneeded.
Royal Brackla 12 yr. |Link| – The palate is even more interesting than the nose. Buttercup and heather and pear blossom, then clover sweetness on the palate, like sucking clover or clover honey and orange. You can hear the Grieg Peer Gynt playing in the background as you sip this malt. This is flora and fauna of the highest caliber. There’s a grassy, vegetal note here too, underneath all the things that are more interesting. A really lovely summer malt. Not a long finish but good warmth. If you like Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, you’ll love this. It is garden-lush. There is a little tannic drop off instead of a finish that a few more years in a cask might fix. Some great components that almost make up the sum of their parts. Put it back in the cask for three years and it might be orgasmic. May need to pick up a bottle from this line for an official review.
Springbank 18 yr. |Link| – If a celebratory dram is needed that isn’t rare enough to break the bank, this is it. Light smoke on the nose and palate. Honey and citrus on the nose. What’s the opposite of generic? This is. It’s elegant and expertly balanced. So well integrated. It’s a high level of scotch, especially if you’re not into Islays or flora and fauna. It’s like drinking time and Scotland’s history. Smooth and tasty, elegant and lovely and – damn. It’s amazing. Like drinking feelings, and they’re all profound. We really need to do a proper review of this for the site.
Conclusion: Many thanks to everyone who contributed these portions to us over the years. It was truly a great experience to take a tour through much of Scotland via these amazing whiskies that each had something unique to offer. Some we wish we had enough to do a full review, others not so much. We wish you could have been there sharing with us, but we suppose this is about as close as most of you will get, alas. The Single Malt Guy in Chicago, the Whisky Belles in Edmonton, Louis Dachis of Hopkins, and Geordie Moski out of Vancouver have all been as generous with their friendship as they have been with their whisky. May you be as similarly gifted with Whiskyfabric friends as we are.
