We didn’t write a review for the Oban Distillers Edition until almost a year after buying the bottle because of a very simple reason: we drank the damn thing too fast. It was gone before we could put proverbial pen to paper! By common consensus, this was the first club’s favorite. Hence, we decided to treat ourselves to an early Christmas and revisited something we know we enjoy. The bonus is that it now enables us to put our glasses down long enough to write a review. Barely. This is a unique expression from an already storied distillery.
Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey
America has always had a certain fascination with whiskey and it has long been a source of curiosity to the right kind of craftsman. Rogue did not start life as a distillery but as a brewery and pub, producing beers of high quality since 1987. There was a focus on using local resources to craft their drinks and to put a high focus on community and a unique offering. Eventually, this love of producing beer branched out to spirits and Rogue now makes vodka, two kinds of rum, two kinds of gin, and a single malt whiskey. Clearly, they have an alcohol problem. Lucky cads. What Scotchology is exploring is a whiskey made using the same malts as their renowned Dead Guy Ale. Will this unholy melding of beer and whiskey turn monstrous or end up becoming something, like all good whiskeys, that is greater than a sum of its parts?
Edradour 12 Year “Caledonia”
This is a release made by Edradour from a cask specifically chosen by Scottish composer Douglas Maclean in 2009 from a selection first distilled in 1997. There’s even a video. His music may sound familiar to some, for his piece “The Gael” was adapted by Trevor Jones for the movie The Last of the Mohicans in 1992. His other famous piece is “Caledonia,” after which this spirit is named. Three cheers to a small distillery like Edradour that can take a highly unique step like this. It may not be around forever, but a bottling like this deserves enough attention to fill your glass. Now, more importantly, what special qualities did Dougie Maclean taste in this whisky?