Posts Tagged “Islay”

Adventures in Malt Blends Part 2 – Wemyss Peat Chimney

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Adventures in Malt Blends Part 2 – Wemyss Peat Chimney

We continue our peated blends sojourn, today with contestant number two. Wemyss are both independent bottlers (see my review of the outstanding Glen Scotia Single Cask “Merchant’s Mahogany Chest” bottling) and blenders, with a line of three blended malts representing a sweet Speyside Style (The Hive), a spicy Highland style (Spice King) and a peated…

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The Rise, Decline and “Boutiqeification” of Vatted Malts – Starting a Series Tasting Peated Malt Blends

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The Rise, Decline and “Boutiqeification” of Vatted Malts – Starting a Series Tasting Peated Malt Blends

Well, we’ve gotten to the 100th post on the blog, and this is a great opportunity to start a series on vatted malts. I’ve been fascinated by vatted malts for a long time, because of their potential. Vatted malts can, at their best, take the best in several malts and enhance them. The potential for disaster,…

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Organic Scottish Barley – Not Bruichladdich’s Finest Hour

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Organic Scottish Barley – Not Bruichladdich’s Finest Hour

In the last post, I touted the lovely Black Art from Bruichladdich, mentioning that for me, once you move away from the “regular Bruichladdich” and get into the special editions or the peated ones, the lactic notes disappear and they become palatable. This post, however, visits the dark side of the distillery, which is a shame,…

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Black Art, Ninja Whisky and an Islay That Isn’t

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Black Art, Ninja Whisky and an Islay That Isn’t

I admit that I have a problem with Bruichladdich. On the one hand, this is a very prolific distillery with a large fandom, even among my close whisky friends. On the other hand, I can’t stomach (or nose, actually) the lactic baby spit-up aroma so characteristic of their “regular” products. Yet, I always am willing…

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Staying with Bunnahabhain, an 18 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Finish

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Staying with Bunnahabhain, an 18 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Finish

I love the effect a good Pedro Ximénez cask has on whisky. I think its interplay with the spirit is beautiful, sometimes to the point of  usurping the whisky in favor of an almost syrupy sweetness (Not unlike the GlenDronach 21 reviewed here). The effect is lessened, of course, in non first fill barrels and in finishes,…

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