# Whisky Israel > Whisky Reviews, Tasting Notes, Whisky News ## Posts - [Quick Dram : Hakushu 12 – a peppery delight](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/12/quick-dram-hakushu-12-a-peppery-delight/): The more I sample Japanese malts, the more i seem to like them. Too bad getting Japanese malt is trickier than getting the odd scotch dram. After sipping a few Yamazaki’s and loving them (12 vs. 18 post, and soon to follow a post about the amazing Sherry Cask – thanks Yossi!) I decided I am ready to move on to another Suntory distillery: Hakushu. I did have expectations, after having gotten some recommendations  from Jason of the (Guid Scotch Whisky Blog), and after having read his Japanese whisky session. The Hakushu distillery was built in 1973 in the Southern Japanese alps (yes, they […] - [Quick Dram : BenRiach 'Heredotus Fumosus' 12 yo - a journey in Peated Speyside](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/10/quick-dram-benriach-heredotus-fumosus-12-yo-a-journey-in-peated-speyside/): The Benriach distillery is located in the heart of Speyside, 3 miles from the city of Elgin. Founded in 1892 by the Grant family next to the Longmorn distillery. In 1900 it was mothballed with a lot of other distilleries and remained closed until the year of 1965 when it was re-opened by the Glenlivet distillers company.  It changed a few hands until in 2001 it was bought by Pernod Richard and operated only a few months a year. The change came in 2004 when it was bought by and independent consortium  called “the BenRiach distillery company” which was founded by […] - ['Blind draming' tasting Session #1 with @jewmalt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/06/blind-tasting-exercise-our-little-mystery-dram/): Swapping samples is a great way to get to know malts before you buy, reduce the expenses (yes, we’re addicted and it’s very hard to say no to a new shiny malt on your shelf) and share your tasting notes with fellow whisky aficionados. I do try to get and ship samples from time to time, and I’ve tasted some amazing malts as a result of those swaps. It’s amazing how many new discoveries you can make that way. and then there is always the question: do i like this malt better because i know it’s an Ardbeg, or a Glenfarclas? […] - [Quick Dram : Dalwhinnie 15 – Highland malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/04/quick-dram-dalwhinnie-15-highland-malt/):   The Dalwhinnie is one Scotland highest distilleries (in terms of altitude) and stands on a wind battered mountain where the average annual temperature is 6c . (you heard me right, 6 degrees Celsius!). Until recently it was the highest of all and only after the opening of Braeval it turned to be #2. In spite all this the distillery was not well known to the public until 1987 when it joined the Diageo “classic malts” team and gained a wider recognition. In spite the fact that it’s the 15 biggest in terms of production , most of the distilled malt […] - [Tasting 3 CAOL ILA – 12,18,CS (CAOL ILA sample pack)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/04/30/tasting-3-coal-ila-1218cs-caol-ila-sample-pack/): I’ve recently reviews Coal Ila Unpeated, and liked it a lot. It’s a decent dram, very complex and ultra strong when it comes to ABV. But, the bread and butter of Coal Ila distillery are the peated medicinal versions we all know and like. The 12 is a masterpiece, and I’ve sampled it before many times and loved it, But the other expressions (18 , CS) are rather hard to come by and , and I’ve been meaning to sample them for a long time now. Enters the Caol Ila sampler pack. for around 33 Pounds (UK) you can get 3 […] - [Travel Retail only…](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/04/29/travel-retail-only/): You know the feeling: A new exciting expression is released by your favorite distillery, you read raving reviews, and tasting notes, press released etc.. then you look in the small print, and it say : “Travel Retail Only”. More and more distilleries are releasing “special” expressions to be sold only at duty free shops which is very annoying. Most of us spend most of our times at home, we don’t travel to often, and we pay higher prices than those who do fly at duty free shops. Ok, we’re fine with that. But hey, i also want to be able to […] - [Quick Dram : The Glenrothes 1994](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/04/24/quick-dram-the-glenrothes-1994/): Apparently Glenrothes is one of the biggest distilleries in the Speyside whisky region. Big as it is, it is also one of the less known brands, as most of its produce used to go into blends (‘Cutty Sark’, and the best selling ‘Famous Grouse’). Only in recent years they have started selling more single Malt under their own brand. The Glenrothes core line consists mostly of “vintage” bottling, described by the year of distillation (I.e the 1991, 1994 etc) and the ‘Select Reserve’ which is essentially a NAS bottling which is their entry level malt. You can say anything about the […] - [Highland Park 12 Single Cask (bottled for Maxxium Netherlands)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/04/20/highland-park-12-single-cask-bottled-for-maxxium-netherlands/): There is a saying that says ‘all good things come in small packages’. This is indeed true for the malt I am about to review today. A single Cask Highland Park, aged for 12 years, and bottled at CS in 350ml bottles. A small bottle, but what a killer malt inside. Now before we dive into the notes of this baby, some info about HP (in case you don’t know this awesome distillery yet) Highland Park (HP) distillery needs no introductions. It’s one of the most highly acclaimed distilleries, producing excellent whisky at the highest standards of quality and stability of […] - [Israel turns 62 - Mazel Tov!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/04/19/israel-turns-62/): Good morning all, As an Israeli whiskey blog, we’d like to celebrate Israel’s 62nd  year of independence. Yes, the state of Israel is indeed a young one, even a few aged whiskies are older. So, Mazal tov, and many more years of fine whisky (and less tax, hopefully). Join me in raising a big dram! Happy independence day! Gal & Kfir @ WhiskyIsrael - [Bourbon session #1 : Bulleit Bourbon](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/04/11/bourbon-session-1-bulleit-bourbon/): Two facts for you: 1. I am not much of a Bourbon drinker. I’ve Tried a few Bourbons and American whiskies in my life, but I can’t say I was overwhelmed (One can claim I didn’t sample the best of Bourbons, that’s true, But I’ve tried a few before). They always seem to me less complex, sweeter. 2. Bourbon is not big in israel: We get a few of them at our local shops (which are always kind of expensive due to tax), The Israeli duty free does feature a few others, but in comparison to the USA, we have only […] - [Quick Dram : Port Charlotte PC7](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/04/06/quick-dram-port-charlotte-pc7/): Port Charlotte distillery was founded in 1829 by Collin Campbell and was called “Lochindaal distillery” originally, and was finally closed in 1926 but it’s buildings still stand in place of the original location, some are used as a youth hostel, a garage , and its warehouses are used by the Bruichladdich distillery. On March 2007, Bruichladdich distillery has announced its plans to “revive” and open this old distillery, which most of its equipment have been brought from the defunct and to be demolished “Interleven” distillery (2003). Since then the Economic cries has shed a great shadow on the whisky industry and […] - [WhiskyIsrael Exclusive :: First Israeli Single malt whisky to be released in 2013!!!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/04/01/whiskyisrael-exclusive-first-israeli-single-malt-whisky-to-be-released-in-2013/): We’re very excited here at WhiskyIsrael : The first Israeli, and Jewish distillery is to open its gates a few weeks from now! We’ve been hearing rumors about this for quite some time now, but since it was unconfirmed, we didn’t want to release this information. In short : A consortium of Israeli wines, Beers and other beverages (whose name we can not reveal at this stage) is in the process of building the first ever whisky distillery to be found in the Holy Land. According to our source, The distillery will be built in the Upper Galilee, not far from […] - [Quick Dram : Coal Ila “Unpeated Style” 2009](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/25/quick-dram-coal-ila-unpeated-style-2009/): So, an Unpeated Caol Ila? Really? Isn’t it an Oxymoron? Well, it is not, apparently. This is the sort of question many people have been asking me in the last couple of days. Caol Ila is well known for its Peated malts, and as an Islay based distillery it’s no surprise. But it’s a less known fact that this distillery also produces small batches of Unpeated malts and releases them as “special” releases. Coal Ila is one of the smaller Islay distilleries (when it comes to Single malt production for its own bottling), and in my opinion lies in the shadow of […] - [American Whisky, Bourbon & Rye on W.Israel – soon!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/23/american-whisky-bourbon-rye-on-w-israel-soon/): It’s right , I don’t taste and review many Bourbons myself. I’ve been thinking of adding some Bourbon,Rye and American whisky notes, to keep compnay to all the scotch i’ve been sampling and writing about recently. SO…. In the next coming weeks, i will try to review a few of those. With the help of my good friend and founder of the Jewish Single Malt Society Josh (Yossi) Hatton, i’ve been able to get hold of 3 interesting (to me at least) spirits. so, watch this space for a little American style drams. first on the list will be: Bulleit Bourbon […] - [Whisky Israel Wins a new honor :)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/19/whisky-israel-wins-a-new-honor/): I am very excited to announce that WhiskyIsrael was chosen by Connosr’s members as one of the leading whisky blogs and sites on the net in its Top Whisky Blog Awards. WhiskyIsrael has been online for just more than half a year now, and we’re excited and will continue to post about what really matters to us and make us tick : WHISKY. It’s truely amazing that a blog from such a small country with no real whisky culture and BRUTAL taxes on whisky (over 200% mind you!!) has gathered so many followers and friends. The Connosr award has been awarded […] - [Bruichladdich 3D3 – a tribute to Norrie Campbell](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/18/bruichladdich-3d3-a-tribute-to-norrie-campbell/): Today’s post is dedicated to Norrie Campbell (or as some know him : Kimbel). For those who are not familiar with Norrie and Peat, here’s a brief account of both: Peat is defined as the accumulation of partially decayed vegetarian matter. The Peat forms in bogs, swamps and moors and since it’s a very good source for energy it’s used worldwide as a fuel. In Scotland and other countries where trees are scarce, peat is used as a heating / cooking material. The whisky industry is historically a major consumer of peat, which was used for heating and drying the malted […] - [Quick Dram : GlenDronach 15 ‘Revival’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/16/quick-dram-glendronach-15-revival/): The Glendronach distillery is located at the South east corner of the Speyside whisky producing region, in the little town of Huntley (see map). The distillery has an interesting story behind it. It was founded on 1826 James Allardice to produce the “Guid GlenDronach” single malt. The distillery kept on working managed by people such as Walter Scott (1847) , and nd Captain Charles Grant in 1920. In the 1960s it was bought by the William Teacher & Sons, and most of its produce went into the well known Teacher’s blend. In 1996 the distillery was mothballed (distilling came to a […] - ['Whisky live' 2010 – London - Kfir's POV](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/11/whisky-live-2010-london-kfirs-pov/): I want to share with you my great experience of visiting the whisky live event in London. My decision to attend this event was taken long ago, so I luckily got full day tickets for the 26th of Feb, the tickets include 8 whisky samples, sandwich for lunch and a shiny Glencairn glass with the WhiskyLive logo. In fact i am in London at least twice a year, i have relatives that live up north-west of London in Edgeware. The event took  place at   the Hurlingham club near Putney Bridge tube station, so my journey started at 10 AM from […] - [Quick End of week Dram : Talisker 57’ North](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/11/talisker-57-north/): Today’s Malt comes from a distillery I like very much : Talisker. Talisker distillery is located on the isle of Skye which is the 2nd biggest island in the Scottish isles. The Isle of Skye is much bigger in population size (around 9000 inhabitants) ,and houses only one distillery only – Talisker. Talisker’s malts are known as strong, quite peaty (for non Islay malts), and most of all peppery. The intense pepper and peat is the so called ‘trademark’ of the Talisker malt. The pepper and peat flavors are attributed mainly to the pearty barley used in the production process (around […] - [Quick Dram : Jura Superstition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/09/quick-dram-jura-superstition/): The Island of Jura, is one of Scotland’s last wilderness. For those how are not familiar with it, Jura can be found North east of  the more famous Isle of Islay. The famous “sound of Islay” or Coal Ila , separates those two islands. Despite the fact that it’s pretty much the same size as Islay, Jura’s population is only 200, and greatly outnumbered by the number of deer who live on the island (5,500). No wonder it’s name is based on the Norse “Island of the Deer”. There is only one distillery operating on the island, which is called (not […] - [Quick Dram : The Macallan 18 Sherry Oak](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/03/quick-dram-the-macallan-18-sherry-oak/):   Today’s quick dram is peat free. we’re visiting another Speyside distillery bottling. Not just a Speyside, but one of the Iconic Speyside distilleries : The Macallan. The Macallan needs no introduction as it’s one of the most famous and best selling single malt whisky in the world (among the three biggest single malt selling distilleries) . The distillery is located near the village of Craigellachie , in the heart of the Speyside whisky area near the river Spey. The distillery was founded at 1824, under a different name (The Elchies distillery) and its name was changed on 1892 to The […] - [Quick Dram: Benromach 10 – peated Speysider](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/03/02/quick-dram-benromach-10-peated-speysider/): As you know Speyside is not my favorite whisky region. I do have some Malts from that region, which i like (Cragganmore which is spicy and bold , Glenfarclas which i adore for example) , But usually i associate Speyside with lighter un-peated malts, more flowery flavors and delicate aromas. The Benromach 10 was my first dram from this lovely distillery who maintains a very active twitter account (@Benromach ).  I first heard very good feedbacks about this malt from my good friend Josh Hatton, Who raved about this one time and time again. Most of the times, we have a […] - [Octomore : Not just about PEAT ?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/02/22/octomore-not-just-about-peat/): I’ve been meaning to write this post for a few months now, ever since I got me a bottle of this nectar (Octomore 2.1) yet with no success. A few weeks ago I was able to get a wee sample of the new version of the octomore (2.2) one I was looking fwd to getting a long time. Now that I have tasted them both , It’s a good opportunity as any to be posting this long due review and now comparison. So, let’s go! Yes, I am a peat addict. I love peaty whiskies, and you all know it by […] - [The Roller Coaster is broken…](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/02/15/the-roller-coaster-is-broken/): So, the 15th of Feb. has come. it’s 08:59 Israel time, and i am logging into the Ardbeg site. the countdown is almost finished, 9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1..0 and?! Nothing! the countdown is broken. Someone has not thought about other time zones other than GMT that would log in? A twitter friend from SA asked me about this as well. I thought to myself, minor glitch. let’s wait until 11 am my time and log into the store, that will surely work. Five minutes to 11:00, i try browsing the Ardbeg site. Guess what? yup. the site is down. nothing shows up, no progress, […] - [Hop on the Ardbeg Rollercoaster!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/02/08/hop-on-the-ardbeg-rollercoaster/):   So, Ardbeg is issuing another “committee” release dubbed as “Rollercoaster” . The Ardbeg Marketing guys are doing excellent work (as usual) , and every once in a while they pop up a new teaser and make us, drooling Ardbeg fans, count the hours until their next release. As in the Corryvreckan release , they have stared spreading the rumors on various blogs / twitter and other social media venues, with a link to their Countdown page on the Ardbeg site. As more and more details are released, we’ve learned that this (very weird named) malt will be a vatting of […] - [A new addition to WhiskyIsrael :: Carmel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/01/26/a-new-addition-to-whiskyisrael-carmel/): After an easy delivery a new member has joined the Dramming club. here is our little Carmel. From birth has a tendancy towards peated malts, especially from Islay 🙂 we’re going to be a little BZ but when we settle down, some nice new reviews are coming your way. 🙂 The Granovs. - [Land of the rising sun :: tasting two Yamazaki (12,18)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/01/18/tasting-two-yamazaki/): I have been longing to try the Yamazaki single malts for some time now. Luckily i was able to get hold of a 18 yo sample, just recently when exchanging samples with a local whisky enthusiast (Igal T).  A good friend was generous enough as to send me the 12 yo as a holiday present for Hanukah (many many thanks again Y.) Yamazaki whiskies are hard to get here in Israel. while the 12 year old costs a modest 40$ in retail USA shops, here it’s price after taxes and retailer’s cut is around 200$. Let alone the 18 which i […] - [Johnnie Walker Double Black](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/01/17/johnnie-walker-double-black/): I am not a huge fan of the Johnny walker line. The Red label is not that good, Black label is ok (many people think it’s awesome, including Jim Murray in his Bible). The Blue Label is too expensive in my book, although it’s a well balanced old blend, I’d rather buy two single malts which outperform it in any aspect. The JW Double Black is a new blend which is based on the best selling Black Label, with the addition of more Islay smoky malts and peatiness (which is good). The new blend is still in “testing” mode, and can […] - [Visiting Islay Part 2 - Guest Post by Igal Tabachnik](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/01/14/visiting-islay-part-2-guest-post-by-igal-tabachnik/): Note: this is part 2. Read part 1 of the trip here. Early Saturday morning on Islay, and we are set to go on another adventure! After eating a delicious breakfast that our lovely host prepared for us, we were set to try and explore some more distilleries. Unfortunately there were no tours at Lagavulin and Ardbeg on a Saturday, so we decided to drive to the place where one of my most favorite pictures was taken – the Carraig Fhada Lighthouse. It was a relatively short drive, the road eventually becomes almost undrivable. We parked our car outside the gates […] - [Visiting Islay - Guest Post by Igal Tabachnik](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/01/12/visiting-islay-part1/): Every whisky lover gets, at some point, to experience whisky from the island of Islay in Scotland. This experience will be remembered throughout his life – it can be either love at first taste, or loathing for eternity. Not everybody can handle the intensity and the powerful peaty flavor of (most) Islay whiskies, some may even stop drinking whisky altogether. Others, like myself, fall in love with the flavor and rarely able to drink anything else. The magic that is Islay begins to show its beauty even on the way to the island. Either by a flight from Glasgow to the […] - [Penderyn Madeira finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/01/11/penderyn-madeira-finish/): Well well, my first Welsh single malt. (not very surprising, since there is currently only one Welsh single malt distillery, you guessed right. it’s Penderyn. Penderyn Distillery is the only distillery in Wales and one of the smallest distilleries in the world. It is one of the few remaining independent distilleries, and takes its name from the old Welsh village in which it is located and nestles in the foothills of the ancient Brecon Beacons mountain range. Only one cask of Penderyn is distilled each day, most of it goes into casks for aging, and a small amount goes into other […] - [Kilchoman Autumn 2009 Release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/01/07/kilchoman-autumn-2009-release/): I’ve written about Kilchoman in my Hebrew blog before, but until this moment have been unable to taste their nectar. The first batch of their 3-year-old whisky (the first malt which was legally a “whisky”) got snatched so fast from stores. one blink of the eye, and all were gone. Luckily i was able to secure a bottle of their “Autumn” release, which was released only a few weeks ago, and two days ago it arrived. As it seems it came just in time, to compensate for the loss of my Laphraoig triple wood to the Israeli customs ( i’ve written […] - [The tough life of an Israeli Whiskey lover](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2009/12/19/the-tough-life-of-an-israeli-whiskey-lover/): It has been a long time since my last post. I know. I have been sick, and my nosing abilities were off, for quite a long time. But today, i would like to share my difficulties of being an Israeli whisky lover, in a country that discourages the consumption of the nectar. A few weeks ago, i got an email from Laphraoig distillery manager (which you have probably received too, if you are a FOL) , in which we were all told about some 700 bottles of the Triple Wood, which was formerly only available on duty-free shops. Of course i […] - [WhiskyFest @ NYC](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2009/11/19/whiskyfest-nyc/): Well, this post has been a long-ish time coming. WhiskyFest NYC was only 8 days ago but it feels like it was a month ago. Before I go further, I must extend my thanks and gratitude to Gal & Kfir for not only allowing me to use Whisky Israel as an outlet for my ramblings but…they actually asked me to write. Very thoughtful of them. Thank you both! I’ve been anticipating WhiskyFest NYC for almost 10 months – a long time to wait indeed. The attendees were myself, and three friends who were whisky-newbies – never really touched the stuff. I […] - [Ardbeg Corryvreckan vs. Airigh Nam Beist](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2009/11/08/ardbeg-corryvreckan-vs-airigh-nam-beist/): The last two weeks or so i have been feeling rather bad: a cold and a throat infection made me stay home, take antibiotics and hence, i was Alcohol free for almost a fortnight: pretty annoying. I was longing for a wee dram, and was so happy that last Wednesday while my wife was out celebrating a friend’s birthday, i had Kfir popup and share some drams with me. Kfir and i have discussed comparing the two Ardbegs for some time now. We both adore that amazing distillery , and we are both peat lovers. We put off the meeting time […] - [Lamb & Whisky – Shared Post With The Scotch Hobbyist](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2009/11/01/lamb-whisky-shared-post-with-the-scotch-hobbyist/): Introduction Gal Granov and I have been following each other on Twitter and talking about whisky for a while. When the idea of guest blogging came up, doing a whisky/food pairing article seemed like a natural fit, given my Scotch Hobbyist blog, and Gals involvement with the Food ‘n Wine blog. We decided that he would provide a couple of recipes that I could pick from, and I would attempt to make one of them and choose a good whisky to go with it. I’m not writing this as a whisky and food expert, or even a whisky expert for that […] - [Ardbeg Corryvreckan – Tasting Notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2009/10/29/ardbeg-corryvreckan-tasting-notes/):   I am a big Ardbeg fan, that is no secret, i am quite the Peat-Head and as such every new expression from Islay’s best distillery (ok, Head to head with Laphraoig which i also adore) is great news. The 10-year-old is indeed a cornerstone of any whisky lover’s home bar. my current Ardbeg favorite is the Uigeadail, which is my favorite dram right now (that changes with the season and mood), which is hard to beat. sherry and peat are a match made in heaven. When i first read about the release of the Corryvreckan , i just knew i […] - [Our First Post / Hello (Whisky) World!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2009/10/29/our-first-post-hello-whisky-world/): For some time now, we’ve been blogging about whisky (and food,wine,beer) in our main Blog Foodnwine.co.il which is a Hebrew blog. we’ve written posts about whisky, tasting, reviews, but all were in Hebrew, which is a beautiful language , yet complete gibberish to most of you out there. Reading a lot of other Whisky blogs ,and getting good feedback on English posts that we managed to translate from our main blog, led us to the conclusion that indeed , there is a place for a dedicated English only Israeli whisky blog. so here goes. we start here and now. many many […] - [Tasting Kavalan ‘Concert Master’ Port Cask Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/09/tasting-kavalan-%e2%80%98concert-master%e2%80%99-port-cask-finish/): After tasting the ‘vanilla’ it’s time to continue with a cask finished version of the same spirit. This expression was finished in Portuguese ruby, tawny and vintage Port wine casks and then reduced to 40%. It will be interesting to see how the port finish affects this already, very fruity and exotic profile. The packaging is a bit weird, with a green bottle, more reminiscent to a gin bottle than a whisky, but let’s see what’s under the hood. For the next three days, Josh of  the JSMWS and I will be sharing our thoughts on the Kavalan range.  While I’m […] - [Tasting Kavalan Single Malt on Whisky Israel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/08/tasting-kavalan-single-malt-on-whisky-israel/): As you well know, I am always on the hunt for new whisky sampling. Especially when it’s not a well known whisky distillery from Scotland and many are starting to pop all over the world. World whisky is fun. It’s always a bit different than your ordinary “scotch”. Japanese whisky is excellent we all know that, Indian Amrut is also yummy and won quite a few awards (stay tuned for more Amrut tasting next week). This time we’re going even more exotic: Taiwanese whisky. Yes, you heard me right. Whisky Israel, and the Jewish single malt society will post four whisky […] - [KAVALAN Week – starting tomorrow!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/07/kavalan-week-starting-tomorrow/): Kavalan is the new kid on the block when it comes to world whiskies. Based in Taiwan, it’s producing some delicious young single malt. I will be reviewing 4 expressions from Kavalan, starting tomorrow, in cooperation with my good friend Josh of the JSMWS: Kavalan 40% Kavalan Port finish  40% Kavalan ‘Solist’ Ex-Boutbon Cask Strength Kavalan ‘Solist’ Ex-Sherry Cask Strength   So, brush up on your Chinese as it’s going to be an interesting week over here at Whisky Israel. In the meantime enjoy a video about this very interesting distillery. Slainte! - [Mystery drams With the Danish Whisky Blog](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/07/mystery-drams-with-the-danish-whisky-blog/): My good whisky friend Steffen who runs the Danish Whisky Blog has a habit of sending out blind samples to fellow bloggers (well, we all have this habit… as you remember i did swap samples with Josh of the Jewish Single Malt blog as well a few months ago).   Steffen has a friend named Jorn, a very nice man and a big whisky and golf lover, who visited Israel last month. Seizing the opportunity, Steffen sent me a few samples (blind) to try and in return i did send a couple of samples for both Steffen and Jorn to try […] - [Book Review : Malt Whisky Yearbook 2011](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/07/book-review-malt-whisky-yearbook-2011/): Yes,  I know a lot of bloggers reviewed this book recently, but I feel I need to give you my 2 cents worth of opinion about that one too… Let me just say that : If you are going to only buy one whisky related book this year, get this one. really. It is the first time I am buying this book, and it’s worth every cent. Why? First of all it’s nicely sized and is colorful which is always good. But the contents are so rich and there is so much information in it, it’s hard to believe it. The […] - [Whisky Round Table November edition : chez Glasgow’s Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/05/whisky-round-table-november-edition-chez-glasgow%e2%80%99s-whisky/): It’s that time of the month again, and the Whisky Knights are sitting at the round table debating yet another whisky issues. This month the Glashow’s Whisky (and ale) blog is hosting all of us, courtesy of Mark Connelly,  A great guy and the organizer of this the first Glashow whisky festival (an awesome event as it seems, which makes me sad for not living in Scotland). Mark asked a question about whisky festivals : “Since I’m organising my first whisky festival this month I really want to ask about this sort of event. Which whisky festivals do you attend? What […] - [Tasting wine finished drams part III : Bowmore Bordeaux finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/04/tasting-wine-finished-drams-part-iii-bowmore-bordeaux-finish/): The last post this week in the Wine finishes series deals with a Bowmore. Yes, I’ve not really been a fan od Bowmore . So i liked the ‘Tempest’ 10 year old, but most of their OB line-up is not really exciting. But this finish did interest me and i decided to give it a try, see what’s it all about. This dram is aged for six years in bourbon casks, then aged an additional ten years in Bordeaux wine casks which should give it an interesting edge. Ok, enough said, let’s carry on. Bowmore 1992 , 16 Bordeaux finish ,53.5% […] - [Whisky 4 Movember!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/02/whisky-4-movember/): Each November is Movember time. Each Movember we challenge men to change their appearance and the face of men’s health by growing a moustache. The moustache is our ribbon, the means by which we raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer. Much like the commitment to run or walk for charity, our commitment is to grow a moustache for 30 days. Funds raised benefit The Prostate Cancer Charity. A lot of us whisky folk (bloggers,whisky fans, etc.) are teaming up and are growing a Mo (moustache) especially this month. So, how can you help and join the Movember movement? Visit the […] - [Tasting Wine finished drams part II : Bruichladdich Infinity 3.1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/02/tasting-wine-finished-drams-part-ii-bruichladdich-infinity-3-1/): After the wonderful Barolo finished  (Nebbiolo grapes) Longrow, we’re staying in peat-land but this time we are moving from Campbletown to Islay – home of the Bruichladdich distillery. A lot has been said about Bruichladdich, for good and for worse, but the fact is that in recent years they have been experimenting with all sorts of casks, finishes , up to the extent that they have even tried finishing spirit in Kosher Carmel wine casks originating in Israel, yes Israel. My good friend Josh has reviewed this expression in a post a few months ago, and was not really impressed. On […] - [Tasting Wine finished drams Part I : Longrow Gaja Barolo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/01/tasting-wine-finished-drams-part-i-longrow-gaja-barolo/): The first out of 3 of drams finished in wine casks i am about to review this week is the Longrow finished in Gaja Barolo casks. A little about Gaja if you are not a wine drinker : Gaja is a famous Italian wine producer form the Piemonte regions in northern Italy which produces mostly Barolo and Barbaersco wines. The Barolo wine is made from Nebbiolo grapes (named after ‘fog’ since the grapes are harvested in October.) The Nebbiolo grape is also considered a ‘noble’ grape. ‘Longrow’ is the heavily peated line of whiskies made in the Springbank distillery (the other […] - [Wine Finishes Week on WhiskyIsrael](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/31/wine-finishes-week-on-whiskyisrael/): As some of you know, a part from editing and managing Whisky Israel, i am the Co-founder of a leading Israeli Culinary site, specializing in food, wine and the other things that matter  – foodnwine.co.il. At food an wine we focus on fine food, wines and restaurant reviews. Needless to say i am a big fan of wine, and feature quite a few of those (Mainly Israeli, but not only – though Israeli wines are spectacular). I’ve always liked wine finishes, especially on peated drams which do not get overshadows by the wine, and some of the finishes I’ve tasted recently […] - [Whisky Pod - A brilliant idea!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/31/whisky-pod-a-brilliant-idea/): It’s Sunday again. Most of you guys are at home, enjoying a quiet weekend with friends, family and probably a few drams. In case you were not visiting London this weekend (I know i was not, and i am very sorry for that), catch a wee glimpse of the stuff that was going on there. Connosr teamed with Whisky Show 2010, and created a very cool thing called : “The WhiskyPod”. Eseentially it’s a wee booth with a video cam, where you can come and share your experience from the show. as Connosr put it: 1) taste some drams at the […] - [Bar Review : The Albanach , Edinburgh](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/29/bar-review-the-albanach-edinburgh/): It all started in a very short trip to the place that every whisky lover needs to visit – Scotland. Two of my friends went to Scotland for a special track -  the west highland way. This trip includes walking 25 KM per day, starting at somewhere near Glasgow and ending in a place called Fort William (If you live in the UK you know this place for sure). This kind of trip is not my cup of tea, so i decided to join them at the end for a long weekend in Edinburgh. I had a free flight to Manchester […] - [New Logo for Whisky Israel !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/28/new-logo-for-whisky-israel/): Thanks to all those who voted in our logo poll. Option B won big time (85 votes vs. 4) , so we decided to go with it. Our logo has been fully implemented in the blog as in our Face Book and Twitter accounts. Many thanks to the amazing Effie who helped us all along the way designing it. Enjoy! Gal & Kfir - [Tasting two Glenfarclas](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/27/tasting-two-glenfarclas/): Glenfarclas is one of my favourite when it comes to good sherry maturation. Their selection of fine casks and the fact they only do  what they excel in  : sherry, and do not play with any bizarre and exotic finishes, adds a few points in my book. The 15 year old has been a favourite of mine, and I’ve previously reviewed also the 12 year old which is quite different from those two, but very enjoyable. After getting a wee sample of the 17 I’ve not tasted previously, i though of putting those two head to head to see how they […] - [Whisky Israel Sherry (mostly) Summit #2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/25/whisky-israel-sherry-mostly-summit-2/): A few good months passed since the Whisky Israel Peat (and others) Summit #1 we held at the end of July, and we were all very keen on having another summit, and the sooner, the better. Just like with the previous gathering, plenty of emails, phone calls, tweets and dates moving around were involved until we all were content with the date and time, and I was more than happy with the location chosen as it meant the farthest I had to drive after the whiskies was down the corridor into my bed. Yes, it was my turn to play host. […] - [I get Interviewed by Dramming.com](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/24/i-get-interviewed-by-dramming-com/):   Good morning whisky friends, I am very happy and flattered to be included in a series of interviews by Oliver Klimek of Dramming.com, a leading whisky blog (selected by the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2011 as one of the worthwhile blogs to read). It’s a big honour to be included in such a list of great whisky friends and experts such as , Ralfy Mitchell , Keith Wood , my good friend Josh Hatton , Ingvar Ronde (Publisher of the malt whisky yearbook)  and some more. Please take a moment to check out the interview Here and of course, Dramming.com which […] - [40 Whiskies of the last 40 years](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/23/40-whiskies-of-the-last-40-years/): Who doesn’t know Richard Paterson? (A.K.A : The Nose) ??? Richard is one of the better known and colourful characters in the whisky world. Master Blender at Whyte & Mackay for over than 40 years and a real “Whisky” idol, (if there are any) is celebrating his 40th years with W&M by speaking about 40 whiskies from the last 40 years he’s appreciated.  This is in conjunction with the new W&M blog (https://www.whyteandmackay.co.uk) , and all is real fun, for us whisky geeks. Richard is jus the funniest, most knowledgeable whisky Gentleman around, and i am one of his biggest fans. […] - [‘Distilled Beer forum’–whiskies of the world session](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/20/distilled-beer-forumwhiskies-of-the-world-session/): It has been a very long time since the ‘Distilled Beer’ forum met. Last time i think was before this horrible Israeli summer began, and i missed a meeting or two when wee Carmel was born. Now it was time to meet again with the forum and this time the them was Whiskies of the world, anything but Scotch and American (almost, as you will see). We met at Oren’s apartment in R’aanana which was nice as it’s 6 minutes drive from home, a very important issue after sipping some 7 drams.  The Line up of whiskies consisted of 4 Japanese,1 […] - [Quick Dram: The Balvenie Peated Cask 17 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/18/quick-dram-the-balvenie-peated-cask-17-year-old/): I’ve mentioned before that i have a special corner in my heart for the Balvenie, as it was the first single malt i fell in love with a few years ago. Since then I’ve taken a liking to peated malts, but i not only , as you might know by now. Imagine how thrilled I was upon hearing of this new 17 year old Peated Cask expression. Balvenie, with peat. Can it get any better? Before tasting this one I’ve read quite a few opinions and tasting notes by other bloggers and whisky ‘experts’, and not all were partial to this […] - [Lion’s Pride Organic Whiskey launches November 6: The first (legal) whiskey distilled in Chicago since Prohibition.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/17/lions-pride-organic-whiskey-launches-november-6-the-first-legal-whiskey-distilled-in-chicago-since-prohibition/): A very interesting PR article that i got. Apparently they are making Kosher whiskies as well… : Lion’s Pride is made by Koval Distillery, Chicago’s first boutique distillery. Koval makes a number of unique spirits from scratch in their Ravenswood distillery, many which have already won numerous medals in the US and Europe – including two gold medals for the Rye Chicago white whiskey. Lion’s Pride Organic Whiskey is a single grain, unfiltered whiskey handcrafted in Chicago and named after the distiller’s son, Lion. This whiskey uses only the pure ‘heart’ cut of the distillate and ages each batch in new […] - [Whisky Bible 2011 winners – The survey - results](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/15/whisky-bible-the-survey-results/): Earlier this week I posted about the new Bible and its winners here, but I was very curious as to what my readers were thinking. my first response was “WTF?!”, and I wanted to see if it was just me… So, I put this little survey online and…. A few days have passed since I’ve put the survey online, to try and see what you think of this year’s whisky bible awards given by the (in)famous Jim Murray. My initial question was : ‘So, Ballantine’s 17 is #1 whisky what do you think?’ The results were not very surprising. Not even […] - [Save a few $$’s and GBP’s with Whisky Israel and Master of Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/14/save-a-few-s-and-s-with-whisky-israel-and-master-of-malt/):   Hi there whisky friends. We always complain that the cost of whisky is getting higher and higher. Right? We at Whisky Israel are doing our best to help. In cooperation with Master of Malt we’ll let you have 5% discount on every order on the Master of Malt site. Cool, right? All you need to do is mention this promotion code when finalizing your order on the MoM site (in the Delivery instructions box when placing there order)   “W.Israel01”   Easy as 1-2-3. Now, Happy shopping.   Your friends over at Whisky Israel.   Disclosure: Just to make it […] - [The Glenrothes Tasting event - TLV](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/13/the-glenrothes-tasting-event-tlv/): A few weeks ago I was reading my brochure from Wine Route (one of Israel’s biggest chain of wine and liquor stores), and i noticed there was  a big Glenrothes event going to take place. As it seemed the distillery representative Mike Harrison is was to visit , and host quite a tasting featuring 9 different expressions, some are rare and quite old. I was thrilled, and made sure i was able to attend this event (there are not many whisky events taking place in Israel, due to the market size). Previously i have tasted the 1994 vintage and the ‘Select […] - [Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2011 is out!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/11/jim-murrays-whisky-bible-2011-is-out/): The time has come for another Whisky Bible. Who will Jim Murray choose as the “Best Whisky” of them all? I was almost sure he would name the “Supernova 2010” as best, since he loves Ardbeg so much, and i am glad he didn’t since i really don’t think it deserves #1. But, a very big surprise – the world’s ‘best’ whisky is a BLENDED whisky. You heard me right a Blend! and is: Ballantine’s 17 Years Old! (with a score of 97.5!!!) With all of us “whisky snobs” mostly interested in Single malts, we tend to forget there are some […] - [Quick Dram : BenRiach Arumaticus Fumosus 12 yo (Rum Finish)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/11/quick-dram-benriach-arumaticus-fumosus-12-yo-rum-finish/): Peated Speysiders can be be lovely, and I was really happy to be able to taste this expression after tasting some tasty peated BenRiachs and BenRomachs. Again, the lads at BenRiach are trying to break our teeth with those Latin naming conventions, but after surviving the Heredetus, i think i am quite capable of handling the Arumaticus. In the case of ‘Arumaticus Fumosus’, the whisky has been finished in Jamaican Dark Rum Barrels, and the name, which is Latin, literally translates to ‘smoky rum’, don’t tell me you didn’t get it yourselves … This maintains the tradition of giving our peated […] - [Tasting 3 Glengoyne](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/07/tasting-3-glengoyne/): The Glengoyne distillery is located in the ‘Highlands’ whisky region at Dumgoyne, north of Glasgow. Founded in 1833 and still operating, it distils whisky without the use of peat as means to dry the barley. Instead, Hot air is used. The Glengoyne is currently owned by Ian McLeod, and uses a slower  distillation process which is  one-third of the normal rate. This creates a more subtle, complex whisky in which all of the delicate flavours are freely allowed to express themselves. The current core line consists of a 10, 12 , 12 Cask Strength ,17 and 21 year old. I received […] - [Former ‘Laddie’ Sales Mgr. MacLellan to join Glendronach](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/05/former-laddie-sales-mgr-maclellan-to-join-glendronach/): Usually i don’t really focus on whisky industry news, but this time i think it’s worth a mention. so a little update , if you will allow me. As a twitter / FB  ‘animal’ twitting 24/7 I’ve met quite a few nice people working in the whisky industry, blogging, tweeting. You could not have missed Donald MacLellan , who was the voice behind  @bruich_sales , one of the most active twitter sales accounts to be found. Donald served as a Regional Sales Manager at Bruichladdich Distillery, letting us know about interesting new expressions from the laddie , and boy did they […] - [Quick Dram : Master Of Malt Lowlands 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/05/quick-dram-master-of-malt-lowlands-12-yo/): A few months ago i got this sample together with a bottle i ordered from MoM. Didn’t have get to tasting it until now. I have to admit i am not a huge fan of the lowlands , but i am willing to give anything a try. Maybe it will be a cracking dram? I tried looking up some information on this bottling, but couldn’t find much on the web, neither on the MoM site. apart from a short tasting notes by JM (in his 2009 bible, which he scored as 83). So, let’s get on with the dramming.   Master […] - [Tasting Compass Box – The Spice Tree](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/04/tasting-compass-box-the-spice-tree/): The third (and not last) Compass Box whisky I am going to review it the Spice Tree. Many of you have heard about it since it caused quite a stir in the whisky puddle a while ago, when the SWA (Scotch Whisky Association) forced Compass Box to discontinue the production of this product. The Entire story and explanation about why, how and when can be found HERE . But for the ones that do not have a lot of time, the essence is this  : In order to enrich the flavours of the whisky in the aging process , CB used […] - [Whisky Round Table #5 – Chez ‘Whisky Emporium’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/10/01/whisky-knights-round-table-5chez-schlo-emporium/): This month our noble host is Keith Of Whisky Emporium, an English Gentleman in exile in Bavaria, and a very knowledgeable whisky buff. He posed a thought provoking question : “I know that officially the ageing or maturation of whisky is defined as the time spent in oak casks, but apart from that, do you believe in any form of ‘bottle ageing’ being accountable for changes in the flavour of whisky over a period of years whilst still in the bottle?” All knights accepted this challenging question, and you can find their answers on the Whisky Emporium page HERE. Interesting…. and […] - [Help Whisky*Israel Select a new Logo!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/30/help-whiskyisrael-select-a-new-logo/): We’ve been hard at work designing a new logo for Whisky Israel. We’ve narrowed our options to 2 final sketches. So, now we need YOUR help to decide which one to go with. So…. are you ready? Please Vote NOW! [polldaddy poll=3842849] Option A Option B - [Quick Dram : Chichibu Newborn Double Matured](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/28/quick-dram-chichibu-newborn-double-matured/):   Chichibu is a new distillery operating since 2008, and built by Ichiro Akuto, whose grandfather built and operated the Hanyu distillery in 1946 and ceased operation in the year of 2000. Ichiro also owns much of Hanyu’s aging malt, and bottles it under the “Ichiro malt” label. Built in 2007, the distillery uses equipment brought form Scotland, and some mash tuns made in Japan and bought from a Japanese brewery. The Chichibu spirit is still to young to be called whisky, and the distillery releases young spirit from time to time (peated, and non-peated). This dram was distilled April – […] - [Interview with the ‘Laphroaig Collector’ – Marcel Van Gils](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/23/interview-with-the-%e2%80%98laphroaig-collector%e2%80%99-%e2%80%93-marcel-van-gils/): In my Internet ramblings I’ve encountered Marcel’s site (https://www.laphroaigcollector.com/)  by mistake. I was looking for some Laphroaig information (can’t even remember what it was now), and clicked on the link and Wow!  I was very impressed with his collection. Just plain amazing. Marcel has an amazing collection (over 360 different Laphroaig bottles) and a really interesting story, and is an enormous source for knowledge about any official Laph. bottling. He kindly agreed to be interviewed, and share his passion with us. In his journey he even acquired the Prince Charles empty cask, which he later send back to the distillery to […] - [Tasting The Glenlivet Nadurra 16 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/21/tasting-the-glenlivet-nadurra-16-yo/): The Glenlivet distillery is located Ballindalloch , Moray and is the oldest legal distillery in the parish of Glenlivet. Founded in 1824 , it has been producing whisky for almost the entire time, including the great depression, and was only closed during WW II. While being one of the biggest single malt producers, it’s the Number one selling single malt in the USA market, which means – a lot of whisky. In addition it’s Number 2 worldwide in terms of Single malt sales. A very big player in the game. One anecdote is that Tony Soprano (of the excellent Sopranos drama) […] - [Tasting Maker’s Mark & Maker’s 46](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/20/tasting-makers-mark-makers-46/): A few weeks ago i was reading my twitter feed, when i saw Jeff’s (better known as the scotch hobbyist) tweet about him liking the new Maker 46. I really felt ashamed as i previously never tasted Maker’s mark (one of the most popular bourbons), and i felt i needed to rectify that and also see what all the fuss about the Maker’s 46 really was. So, let’s start with a wee Background regarding MM. Apparently it’s one of the biggest distilleries (with a 8 Million Litre capacity per annum) , Located in the south of Kentucky in the city of […] - [Celebrating our 100th post (And Birthday)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/16/celebrating-our-100th-post-and-birthday/): It all began last October (9th) with this wee post: (do you remember?) And one year afterwards I’m celebrating my 100th post and first birthday. A double celebration! It was indeed an amazing year. I’ve sampled many dozens of expressions (well over 100) , from many places of the world, met some amazing whisky people from all over (Israel, Europe,USA, even Australia and Africa!) , Exchanged dozens of samples with so many good people and had a really good time. I’ve also seen traffic on the blog grow immensely, from a few readers in the first months to hundreds a day […] - [Compass Box Cocktails Take 2 : Oak Cross – Glaser’s Gorse Punch](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/16/compass-box-cocktails-take-2-oak-cross-glasers-gorse-punch/):   Quite a lot of visitors from all over the world  on last week’s Peat Monster Daiquiri. Ready for another? This time a punch! Glaser’s Gorse Punch (cocktail recipe by : Nick Strangeway)   Ingredients: 60 ml Compass Box Oak Cross 70 ml Cold golden tip pure tea 20 ml Blood orange sherbet 45 ml Rhubarb syrup 10 ml Lemon juice 20 ml Ginger Beer Preparation: Stir over rock ice and garnish with seasonal fruit (if possible garnish with gorse flowers). Simple enough!   Slainte! - [Tasting the Compass Box Oak Cross](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/14/tasting-the-compass-box-oak-cross/): The second instalment in the series of Compass Box whiskies is the Oak Cross. The name of this dram comes from the unusual kind of wooden casks used for maturing the spirit here. Essentially the Oak Cross is a vatting of whisky aged in  both American and French Oak casks. In addition Compass Box works with a small mill in France who produces some of the highest cooperage work in the world. Their work with this mill led to experiences of secondary maturation of malt whiskies in casks fitted with new French oak heads, and is unique since no other whisky […] - [Upside down – Slovakia](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/13/upside-down-slovakia/): I just returned from a week vacation in Slovakia. My wife and I spent 1500KM driving around the mountainous, rivers filled, rainy east European country to which we arrived with just about no information in advance and except for hotels booking, and some specific sites recommendations had no idea what we are going to do (this is very no like us when going abroad). Few weeks back while we were still planning the trip, I sent my good friend Mark Gillespie of WhiskyCast.com an email asking if he had any information or contacts with regards to whisky and Slovakia. Mark didn’t […] - [Tasting the Glenmorangie core line At ‘Reviva & Celia’ Cafe-Rest](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/09/tasting-the-glenmorangie-core-line-at-%e2%80%98reviva-celia%e2%80%99-cafe-rest/): There is no need in presenting Glenmorangie, one of the better known Single malts brands world-wide and one of the top selling Single malts. I am not a Glenmorangie devotee, I love their Nectar d’Or Sauternes finish whisky, and did taste some of their expressions previously. My friend Yossi (Josh) form the JSMWS is a big Glenmo fan, he’s always raving about Glenmo, and this was a good chance of sampling more expressions and getting to know the brand better. Before we delve into the drams, a little background: Glenmorangie is one of the 3 biggest distilleries in terms of volume […] - [Shana Tova (Happy new Jewish year) !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/08/shana-tova-happy-new-jewish-year/): Well, time flies and we’re near the end of the jewish year and a start of a new one. Later this evening we’ll be celebrating the arrival of the new year. I would like to send our best wishes to our many readers and whisky friends worldwide regardless of their religion.May we have a great next year.   A year of happiness A year of self-fulfilment A year of peace A year of great whisky! Shana Tova ,All!     Slainte! Gal - [Quick Dram : The Dalmore 21](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/07/quick-dram-the-dalmore-21/): I love the Dalmore. the 15 year old is a work of art (combining 3 types of sherry casks in marriage) , The Mackenzie i tasted recently was very good, and spicy. So i have good memories of the Dalmore.  i had very high expectations for the 21 yo expression. An older, classic Dalmore. it must be brilliant i thought. Well,let’s see if it kept the promise: Here we go: The Dalmore 21 year old , 43% ABV Nose: Is this the Dalmore 21 ? A bit weak and watery. Very different from what i thought. some sherry notes on the […] - [Compass Box Peat Monster Daiquiri](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/06/compass-box-peat-monster-daiquiri/): Well, that’s a first on the blog. Cocktails that is. 😉 Why? you ask? I usually do not mix my whisky in cocktails. But: First, It’s summer time, and sometimes it’s hard sipping a good whisky when it’s so hot outside. Second, As you know i am (and will be) reviewing some Compass Box expression in recent and coming weeks. The Compass box site offers some very interesting Cocktails mixing with their core range, so i will make a habit and post a cocktail using last week’s expression, so you can try it out. Cool, right? The first cocktail i chose […] - [Whisky Round table #4 – Independent Bottlers](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/03/whisky-round-table-3-independent-bottlers/): Good morning! It’s September and time for this month’s Round table. This month Ruben of WhiskyNotes is hosting the knights of the round table and he picked the following question: “Most beginners seem reluctant to buy independent bottlings, as distillery releases are said to have more credibility and a constant quality. What are your experiences with independent bottlers when it comes to quality, pricing, availability, creativity…? Also, please pick one of your favourite bottlers (or ranges) and tell us why you recommend them. “ You can find the answers of all 12 knights in his Post. (inckuding yours humble servant’s)   […] - [Quick Dram : Mortlach 1991/2008 C&S Dram Collection](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/02/quick-dram-mortlach-19912008-cs-dram-collection/): Mortlach is a distillery found in the heart of ‘Speyside’ whisky region, and located in the city of Dufftown (where 6 other well known distilleries are located). Founded at 1823 it is owned by Diageo, and most of its 6 Million litres of spirit (produced yearly) go into Diageo blends (mainly JW). Due to this it’s not easy finding a single malt by Mortlach. Mortlach whiskies are known for their Rich and ‘Beefy’ body and flavours, and use of high quality sherry casks. I got this wee sample in a sample trade some months back, and didn’t get to try it […] - [Tasting Compass Box : The Peat Monster](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/09/01/compass-box-the-peat-monster/): My friend @Olivier_amar is a real peat-head, and was always raving about the Peat monster by compass Box. He told me i had to taste this one. As a peat head myself, i knew i will be sampling this one at some point, and was really happy to have had the opportunity to taste it eventually a few weeks ago. The peat monster is a vatting of Islay single malts from the village of Port Askaig (Laphroaig, and Coal Ila) and some Ardmore, all aged 10-16 years old. All coming from First fill, and Refill American oak.  Will it prove to […] - [Reviewing Compass Box on Whisky*Israel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/31/reviewing-compass-box-on-whiskyisrael/): Compass box is a leading ‘Artisanal’ whisky company, or ‘Independent bottler’ as we call them. It is in existence only 10 years, but it is far from obscure, and has generated quite some noise (mostly positive) in the very traditional whisky pond. As an Artisan whisky company, its products are generally are a vatting or blending of single malts, and even grain (the Hedonism, for example which is a vatting of 100% grain whiskies), drawing it’s sources from high quality casks it sources out from various distilleries. It has also created a quite a stir when in 2006 the SWA made […] - [Tasting the Glenfarclas 40 years old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/30/tasting-the-glenfarclas-40-years-old/): Many distilleries pack their older 40 year old whiskies in Grand wooden boxes that cost a fortune, price their older whiskies so high that only collectors (or evil counterparts who drive the prices up and up and up) can afford, and treat them as some sort of museum exhibit. Happily Glenfarclas thinks that whiskies are to be drunk, and enjoyed by us, whisky lovers and aficionados, that drink, rather than collect. The other reason (Ruben from WN explains) is that GF have a large stock of old whisky which is losing strength, and they needed to get those out, hence good […] - [Quick Dram : Lagavulin ‘Distillery Only’ 2010 CS](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/25/quick-dram-lagavulin-%e2%80%98distillery-only%e2%80%99-2010-cs/): Lagavulin. One of my favourite Islay distilleries, has only a few expressions available (12CS , 16 , 16 DE to name the most common), and every new expression released is a reason to celebrate. I love the 16 year old and think of it as one of the cornerstones of every whisky lover’s bar. The 16 year old DE is even more complex and a lot of people i know cherish it as one of their top Islay official bottling. This year, as part of the Diageo ‘Distillery Only’ line of malts that can only be bought at the distillery (and […] - [The Glenrothes tasting event in Tel-Aviv (Israel)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/24/the-glenrothes-tasting-event-in-tel-aviv-israel/): I am used to posting tasting events taking place in other places : UK, USA , Europe… But this time i am very happy to announce a tasting event that actually is going to be happening in Israel. The Glenrothes Importer to Israel is hosting a very interesting an professional tasting event with Mike Harrison who will be representing the distillery (He’s currently a sales development director at BBR). The event will be held in English and the following Glenrothes expressions will be presented for tasting: The Glenrothes Select Reserve The Glenrothes  Alba Reserve (Kosher) The Glenrothes Vintage 1998 The Glenrothes […] - [Quick Dram : Laphroaig Triple Wood](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/23/quick-dram-laphroaig-triple-wood/): The Laphraoig Triple Wood was the whisky equivalent of the Moby Dick for me and a good whisky friend of mine (Igal). A few months ago all FOL received an email from Laphraoig’s John Campbell announcing that the triple wood will be sold to FOL’s over the internet in limited quantities. What could be better? A 1 litre bottle previously only available at travel retail, and a reasonable cost, and 10 quid shipping? In addition i had 5 quid off form last year’s Cairdeas 2009 incident (very slow shipping and 5 quid discount given to all those who got their bottles […] - [Tasting the Dalmore Mackenzie](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/18/tasting-the-dalmore-mackenzie/): The Mackenzie is a special release by the Dalmore, Limited to 3,000 bottles, available mostly in Europe and other markets (Not available in the US market, don’t ask me why!) , further 600 are (or were) available at travel retail shops. Each limited edition bottle is individually numbered and adorned with the Clan and the brand’s iconic Royal stag formed in molten metal According to Whyte & Mackay (Owners of the Dalmore)  the launch of this expression “marks a new era in the distillery’s long affiliation with The Mackenzie Clan”. The Dalmore Mackenzie launch was inspired by the act of courage […] - [Tasting Ardbeg Supernova 2010 Release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/16/tasting-ardbeg-supernova-2010-release/): It’s week #3 of August and It’s Ardbeg Month. Time for tasting the Supernova 2010 Release, I’ve been waiting a long time to sample. The Peat wars continue, and this time with Ardbeg’s peated beast – 2010 version. Peated to over 100 ppm (a bit lower than the Octomore 2.2 released this year ) It’s Ardbeg’s most violent, and peaty of malts. Not for the faint of hearted, or those intimidated by tons of peat, smoke and tar. I’ve tasted last year’s 2009 release and quite liked it back then, but sadly i have no tasting notes left from that whisky […] - [Vacation time!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/14/vacation-time/): After a long time  without a proper vacation, we’re going on a wee vacation with the kids up north. Of course, I’ve already scheduled some very interesting tasting notes for the coming week : Ardbeg Supernova 2010 – a real peat monster. The Dalmore Mackenzie– lovely Port finished Dalmore. So , watch this space while i enjoy my time with the family. i will have very little to non existing internet connection, so my tweets will be scarce. Drop me an email if you need anything, and i promise to handle them all when i am back, Next Sunday. Gal, Whisky*Israel - [An interview with Gal @ Chwisgi.com](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/13/an-interview-with-me-chwisgi-com/): Good morning, Chwisgi is a very good whisky site, edited by Jens of Sweden. I am a regular visitor and recommend it with all my heart. Great resource. Jens has asked me to be interviewed for a series of Blog Posts he’s doing with whisky Bloggers and aficionados, and i accepted of course. So, here is the interview, hope you find it interesting. Have a great weekend! Gal. - [Lifting a dram for MediaMind !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/12/lifting-a-dram-for-mediamind/): Most of you know me as a whisky freak, Peat head and sherry fanatic, but in order to support this addiction to amazingly good whiskies, one needs to keep a day job. When not drinking / sampling / writing tasting notes / dreaming whisky i happen to work for Mediamind as  a software development team lead. I’ve been there for almost 8 years now and today is indeed a happy day for the company, and me. IPO day. Yes, finally Mediamind (formerly known as eyeblaster) is listed on the NASDAQ. yes, baby! You are probably thinking that i am filthy rich […] - [Tasting American Whiskies – Tuthilltown distillery](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/11/tasting-american-whiskies-tuthilltown-distillery/): A bit of a change. Most of the year we’re speaking scotch whiskies, single malts etc. Today i would like to focus on a very interesting American whisky and spirits makes – Tuthilltown. I first heard about them from my friend Josh of the JSMWS who told me about those guys a few days before going on a field trip and visiting the distillery. You can read all about it in a very good post here. As it happens before the prohibition time in the US there were more than 1,000 farm distilleries in NY who made spirit out of grain […] - [And The Winner IS …….](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/10/and-the-winner-is/): If you remember on July 10th, i posted a question to my readers , asking for help deciding on my weekend dram. Initially i wanted to announce the winners by the following Sunday, but as the Beatles said “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”… So, are you ready for the winner? The lucky winner is Jeff H, better known as the ‘Scotch Hobbyist’. A sample  (of the new released Arran Jerusalem matured whisky) will be sent to Jeff by end of this week. Congratulations Jeff, and many thanks to the other participants! Happy dramming. Gal. - [Tasting Ardbeg Young Uigeadail (Oogling) & Uigeadail Standard](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/08/tasting-ardbeg-young-uigeadail-and-uigeadail-standard-ed/): The Ardbeg Uigeadail is on of my top 5 drams period. The excellent combination of peat and sherry is wonderfully implemented in this one giving it  multi-dimensional qualities beyond phenols and the peat.  Today however, we arrive at tasting a very unique sort of Uigeadail : Young Uigeadail (YU), or OOgling as it is sometimes referred to. The YU expression was released by Ardbeg as a committee release in 2006. It was made by vatting together 4 casks : 3 Ex-Bourbon Hogsheads  which are described as ‘very young’ and one Sherry butt. This combination (like in the ‘regular’ Uigeadail) gives it […] - [15 Pounds Worth Scotch Whisky Blend Archaeology](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/05/15-worth-scotch-whisky-blend-archaeology/): Last Friday eve my wife and I were invited to a dinner party with friends, well more like “adopting” family, at their house. This is not something uncommon and we visit them quite often, usually I visit them on my own as the husband (a young fellow of 75 years) and I share passion for cigars and fine spirits. Actually share passion for cigars is quite an understatement; before I met him I used to smoke a cigar every few months and now it’s about 1-2 cigars per week, many of them given to me by him. Anyway back to the […] - [Whisky Knights of the Round Table Meet-up #3](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/05/whisky-knights-of-the-round-table-meet-up-3/): It’s this time of the month again. And the mighty noble knights of the whisky round table have had their third meet up. Wonderful time again, sharing the table with so many whisky lovers, who eat,breath and drink whisky. This time the question was raised by Peter of ‘The Casks’ Blog. and was related to advertising, marketing and PR. “We’re all prone to being influenced by advertising whether we like it or not , so let’s be honest here, how susceptible do you find yourself to the devious charms of marketing? How much does the design of the packaging, labelling, distillery […] - [Ardbeg Month Part I : Tasting Ardbeg 1974/1998 by Signatory](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/04/ardbeg-month-part-i-tasting-ardbeg-19741998-by-signatory/): 1974 was an interesting year. It saw the beginning of of IRA bombing in mainland UK, Richard Nixon forced to resign after the Watergate scandal , Worldwide inflation and economic crisis, Paris CDG airport opening, and Germany (then called ‘West Germany’ winning the world cup. Indeed a very interesting year. In this same year, on a little Island on the South-West of Scotland, a distillery called Ardbeg was making extraordinary whisky. Despite that fact, a few years later it will be closed, and reopened only in 1997 by Glenmorangie. But again, you pretty much know the Ardbeg story, and if not, […] - [Ardbeg Month at Whisky*Israel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/04/ardbeg-month-at-whiskyisrael/): Good day whisky lovers, Islay fans, and Ardbeg worshipers 🙂 Ardbeg is one of the most famous and hyped of Islay distilleries, and is also one of my favorites. Since it’s Re-opening in 1997 it has been releasing some of the most interesting expressions around, all with high quality and amazing demand, fueled by the remarkable Marketing/PR teams at LVMH (Glenmorangie) , it has become a cult distillery, with great demand for every new expressions that is released. While searching the blog, i found it weird that only one post features an Ardbeg , so i am officially calling August ‘Ardbeg […] - [Quick Dram : Isle Of Jura Boutique barrel 1999 XU heavy peat](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/08/01/quick-dram-isle-of-jura-boutique-barrel-1999-xu-heavy-peat/): Last week’s Peat Summit #1 which was a huge success , but as you know it’s hard to taste so many malts at one session, and review them all. So, i did pour myself a few wee samples to be later tasted at the comfort of my own home, when the wife and kids are all sound asleep and i can focus and give each dram the respect and time it derserves (also be able to let them breath in the glass for longer times than a whisky society meeting will allow). So do expect more tasting notes on those lovely […] - [Whisky Israel Peat (and others) summit #1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/29/whisky-israel-peat-summit/): After several days of preparations and discussions via emails and phones, the date and time was set for the first WhiskyIsrael Peat Summit. Kfir Bloch, Gal Granov, Igal Tabachnik and I met at Kfir’s place in the hot and humid town of Ramat Gan, located in the Israeli coastal area. July in Israel is not a very whisky welcoming time and good thing Kfir had the A/C on full power long before we arrived. We each had to bring few bottles from our collections according to the excellent tasting list and plan crafted by Gal. The original list and tasting order […] - [Quick Dram : Glenugie 31 yo 1977 Signatory](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/27/quick-dram-glenugie-31-yo-1977-signatory/): Glenugie malt is not very common nowadays, and this is not surprising due to the fact that the Distillery has not been operational since 1983. The distillery was founded in 1831, and until it’s closure changed a few owners, and went through a silent period during WWI. In 1937 it reopened and operated until 1983, a tough year in which quite a few distilleries were closed due to harsh economic conditions in the whisky industry. This bottling by Signatory was distilled in 1997 then was aged for 25 years in a hogshead barrel then ‘finished’ for 84 months in a Sherry […] - [Tasting Port Askaig CS (and Caol Ila CS too)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/21/port-askaig-cask-strength/): Port Askaig is a town (and a port)  on the island of Islay (on the north-west), and is also the name of yet another ‘Mystery Dram’ bottled by the Whisky Exchange. The range of Port Askaig bottling consists of a 17 yo , 25 yo, 30 yo and a Cask strength NAS. If you take a look at the Islay map, you will easily spot Caol Ila distillery very near Port Askaig, which leaves very little to guess where this malt is distilled. Also, this time the saying “If you can’t point your finger on a mystery malt, It’s probably a […] - [Tasting Two Arrans (The Icons of Arran Limited Edition)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/18/tasting-two-arrans-the-icons-of-arran-limited-edition/): Both bottles i am about to review belong to the ‘The Icons of Arran Limited Edition’ series of bottling from Arran distillery (which now consists only of those two expressions).  I am kind of new to the Arran distillery malts, and reviewed a very limited and special independent bottling of its whisky (The IWS Arran distilled, Jerusalem aged whisky) . Arran is one of the youngest distilleries in Scotland, opened only in 1995  on the Isle of Arran, and currently offering a few expressions and quite a few wine finishes. The Icons of Arran is a limited edition of bottling from […] - [Quick Dram: The Balvenie Golden Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/16/quick-dram-the-balvenie-golden-cask/): I will always have a warm corner in my heart for The Balvenie. A few years ago, i didn’t really like whisky. The truth is that i did like whisky, but i didn’t know it… Until then i tasted only bad blends and no wonder i didn’t find them very thrilling. Until one day i visited my good friend Kfir. Kfir had a few malts back then in his cabinet, and he suggested we try the Balvenie double wood. i sipped it, and fell in love immediately. A few weeks later i got my first whisky and guess what it was. […] - [Tasting Scapa 14yr & 16yr](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/15/tasting-scapa-14yr-16yr/): Scapa is the little known ‘Other’ Orkney distillery. Shadowed by the more famous and world renowned ‘Highland Park’ distillery located not far away from it, it produces relatively sweet and unpeated single malts as opposed to many other ‘Island’ drams which are smoky,briny and more coastal. SCAPA distillery takes it names from the nearby ‘Scapa Flow’ which  is one of Britain’s most historic stretches of water – located within the Orkney Islands, off the northeast coast of Scotland. It’s sheltered waters have been used by ships since prehistory and it has played an important role in travel, trade and conflict throughout […] - [Laphroaig Quarter Cask Flapjacks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/14/laphroaig-quarter-cask-flapjacks/): I spotted this wee recipe on the Laphraoig Facebook page. The recipe was hiding there and not very easy to find. I love the QC Laphroaig , it’s one of the better Islay drams you can get at a very reasonable price. It’s young kicking, and just as it should be. Super.   I think i am going to try this recipe this weekend. so i will be posting pics and my personal notes on it in a few day’s time. Ingredients: 50 gram. Butter 175 gram. Syrup 175 gram. Sugar 600 gram. Porridge Oats 75 ml Quarter Cask Laphroaig   […] - [Quick Dram : The Macallan Select Oak](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/13/quick-dram-the-macallan-select-oak/): The Macallan 1824 is a series of whiskies aimed at the travel retail section (duty free shops), and consists of four expressions : Select Oak, Whisky Maker’s Edition, Estate Reserve and 1824 Limited Release. Those whiskies do not carry an age statement and are supposed to be crafted by the now retired John Ramsey (who was the Master whisky maker of the Edrington group, the owner of The Macallan). The Select Oak is a vatting of a few types of cask hand picked by the Master of Wood at The Macallan, George Espie. This Expression was matured in three cask types […] - [Open invite to Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador story telling evening](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/12/open-invite-to-glenfiddich-brand-ambassador-story-telling-evening/): I live in Israel as you know, so i will not be able to attend this event, but for our many UK readers i think this event will be of interest. So, what am i talking about? Each month a story telling event called Campfire is held  in a studio in north London, called the Lighthouse. So far this year it played host to a number of different people, from Dr Barry Gibb, originally a molecular biologist and neuroscientist before becoming Science Multimedia Editor at The Welcome Trust, through to Agents of Change a group of renegade artists who’s art is […] - [Tasting 3 Ships Bourbon Finish - South African whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/11/tasting-3-ships-bourbon-finish-south-african-whisky/): South Africa is currently hosting the 2010 world cup football competition, which frankly is rather boring for me. I am not a big football fan, and most games are not that thrilling. Except one or two matches which were brilliant, the rest are just OK at best, or quite boring otherwise. But, South Africa is a great nation and has a lot to offer besides football. They have some great vineyards and wines, food, culture. and apparently : whisky. Who would have thought? As it happens, South Africa is one world’s  biggest whisky markets and it’s not very surprising they also […] - [Help me choose my Weekend Dram](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/09/help-me-choose-my-weekend-dram/): Well, i am feeling like an old Speysider this weekend.  And i have 3 samples of such whiskeys i have not previously reviewed or tasted. GlenFarclas 40 year old – only recently released. Master of Malt 30 year old Speyside. Master of Malt 50 years old Speyside.   So,Which should i drink tonight for my Shabbat dram? help me out guys! To make things more interesting i will send a dram of the new released Arran Jerusalem matured whisky to one of those who comment and suggest what i should have. Poll winners to be announced Sunday. Lechaim! Gal. - [Quick Dram : Master Of Malt Orkney 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/08/quick-dram-master-of-malt-orkney-12-yo/): Orkney is a fine Island which we often associate with Highland Park, which is one of my favorite distilleries, but as we all know, a second distillery also exist on that windy island: Scapa. While those two distilleries share the same “island” , they do differ greatly in the malt which is produced in each one. While HP is well known for it’s smoky sherried profile (heathery peat best describe it), Scapa malt is usually sweet and heather-honeyed and not peaty or smoky at all. How about blending malt from those two distinct Orkney distilleries to produce a unique malt that […] - [Ardbeg Lord Robertson Single Cask – SOLD OUT](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/07/ardbeg-lord-robertson-single-cask-sold-out/): Well, an Ardbeg single Cask, Sold out? not very surprising if i might add. i found out about this a bit late, after the entire stock of 220 bottles were sold out on the Ardbeg site. I don’t quite know how long it took them to get all sold, probably a few minutes. Very collectible, Single cask and very expensive also (220 GBP) for the bottle… i wouldnt have invested that sum anyways, but if you are willing to put that amount of money on a 10 year old single cask malt, well…. too late buddies. a bit of background (from […] - [Quick Dram : Highland Park 10 yo for WhiskyLive 2010 London](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/07/quick-dram-highland-park-10-yo-for-whiskylive-2010-london/): My friend and Blog partner Kfir has a big family located in Edgware, London. He does visit this wonderful city quite a few times a year, mainly for whisky and poker and some family time. When i told him about Whisky Live London, he jumped the occasion and immediately ordered tickets. I swore him to bring back some interesting whiskies, and to pre-order this special HP release and so he did. Kfir had a lovely time there, and documented his visit with a post a few months ago, but i didn’t have the chance to sample some of the whiskies he […] - [Quick Dram : Longrow 14](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/05/quick-dram-longrow-14/): Up until recently I was not very impressed by Springbank whisky. Although i have not tried many expressions , those i did try did not leave a great impression on me. Some of my fellow bloggers and friends (Yossi , Jason) are keen Springbank followers and i really tried to give SB a chance and to like it. Springbank does have a cult  following , similar to that of Ardbeg and other Iconic distilleries and those who seem to like it , Love pretty  much everything that comes out of Campbeltown. Essentially SpringBank produces 3 lines of single malts : Springbank […] - [Happy 4th of July !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/04/happy-4th-of-july/): Good morning! A lot of our readers and best friends are Located in the land of the brave (The USA). Wishing you all a happy 4th of July. May you drink a lot of great Rye, Bourbon and American Whisky. Will be lifting  dram of some fine Bourbon later this evening, in your honor. God Bless America! Cheers! - [Whisky Round table round #2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/03/whisky-round-table-round-2/):   After last month’s great success of the Round Table blogging forum, it was time for this month’s round. This time hosted by Yossi (Josh) of the JSMWS blog. It’s a great honor and very exciting for me to also participate this time. To remind you, the Round table ‘whisky knights’ are: Chris – Nonjatta Keith – Whisky Emporium Karen & Matt – Whisky For Everyone Ruben – Whisky Notes Mark – Glasgow’s Whisky (And Ale) Neil & Joel – Caskstrength.net Lucas & Chris – Edinburgh Whisky Blog Jason – Guid Scotch Drink Gal (your humble servant) – Whisky Israel Mike […] - [New Address for Whisky*israel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/07/01/new-address-for-whiskyisrael/): Good morning! I am very happy to inform you all about our new domain and web address Shorter Shorter Easier to find Intuitive So please update your bookmarks / Blog rolls . (the old domain is still usable…) Tada!  https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il of course we’ll continue to post your favorite whisky content as before. see you soon, The ‘Whisky * Israel’  team. - [Quick Dram : ‘Master of Malt’ 40 year old Speyside](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/30/quick-dram-master-of-malt-40-year-old-speyside/): Drinking old aged malt is always thrilling, when you think of all the time that spirit rested in those oak barrels in a far away warehouse, aging slowly year after year. How about drinking whisky that was distilled way before you were ever born? Even more cool, right? Well, as you age it becomes harder and harder to get hold of whiskies which are older than yourself. I am 35 years old and it’s getting a bit harder to get drams older than me which are also relatively affordable. I know there are 50, 60 and 70 yo malts, but at […] - [Tasting the IWS Israeli matured Arran whisky (AR.JR)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/28/tasting-jerusalem-aged-arran-iws-iws/): Recap (for those who don’t read the blog regularly) : We’re talking about Scotch made whisky, which has been shipped to Israel for maturation. To make a long story short, The Israeli Whisky Society (IWS) acquired a few casks from the Arran distillery in Scotland in an attempt to create a unique whisky, matured in Israel’s climate and then to be bottled in single casks bottling at Cask strength, No filtering, No color added just natural plain old whisky. Last week i had the pleasure if meeting Mr J.Ishai who is the chairman of the IWS, and the ‘mind’ behind the […] - [Feis Ile 2010 – Personal Notes from a Whisky Vacation (Part II of II)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/27/feis-ile-2010-part-2/): We woke up to a rainy Thursday morning, the first actual Scottish weathered day, and headed up to Kilchoman for their open day with intentions to tour the area of the distillery, if and when the day’s weather would clear up, and with known intentions to pass on the Isle of Jura open day that was held on that day (and on Wednesday) as well. We got to Kilchoman to discover that they had everyone parked on an empty for sale field that was a good few minutes’ walk in rain from the distillery itself, on a wet dirt/stone road. Tucking […] - [Feis Ile 2010 – Personal Notes from a Whisky Vacation (Part I of II)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/22/feis-ile-2010-part1/): Shai Gilboa, June 2010 When it comes to the world of whisky I consider myself a newbie. I was introduced to the water of life few years back when a good friend took me to a smoked whisky introduction night that was held by the Israeli Whisky Society. The friend had some problems (and still does), to get his nose and palate adjusted to the peat, smoke, iodine and sheer power of the Islay whiskies we were introduced to; for me on the other hand, it was love from first dram. As the years passed by, I found myself collecting and […] - [Tasting HP ‘Earl Magnus’ 15 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/16/tasting-hp-earl-magnus-15-yo/): A few months ago HP issued a very exciting press release about a new expression to be called “Earl Magnus”. As a HP devotee (I love their 12,18,Hjarta and recently reviewed and amazing Single Cask bottling for Maxxium, NL) i was thrilled and ordered my bottle the same day LFW stocked it. As it happens, i was not the only one waiting eagerly for this special release and the entire LFW stock was finished the same day (lucky for me to have not waited like i usually do, debating whether to get or not get this bottle). For those of you […] - [Quick Dram : G&M Glenburgie 10 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/16/quick-dram-glenburgie-10/): Today i am going to review a dram from a distillery which is not very well-known i believe (Not to me anyways) : Glenburgie.  The Glenburgie distillery is located at Alves, Near Forres, Morayshire (Speyside district). The distillery was founded in 1829 under a different name (Kilnflat) and currently is owned by Pernod Richard. Glenburgie boasts 6 stills (3 wash and 3 spirit) and did also produce malt under the name of ‘GlenCraig’   by using two ‘Lomond’ stills which were installed there in 1958. In 1981 the Lomond stills were removed to make room for two additional ‘regular’ stills, and […] - [Quick Dram : Glenfarclas 105](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/13/quick-dram-glenfarclas-105/): Today i’m going to review one of my favorite drams : The Glenfarclas 105. I think this ‘Farclas was one of my first ever Glenfarclas expressions. When i first tried it i was overwhelmed by its sheer power and strength as i was not accustomed to Cask Strength Expressions. But after adding some water, and giving it a second shot, i came to love it. I have not tasted it in some time now, and it was a great experience to re-taste it after all those sherry drams that i came across recently. It’s an ace, to me anyways.  In addition […] - [‘Farclas session #2 : Glenfarclas 12](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/10/farclas-session-2-glenfarclas-12/): It’s the end of the week here (Thursday – we do not work on Fridays, thank goodness) and before we enter the weekend , another superb Glenfarclas, this time a younger expression aged 12 years. It was perfect for last night’s weather, not cold and not hot, with a lovely breeze blowing in my tasting room/playground/office.   Glenfarclas 12, 43% ABV   Color: Amber gold. Nose: sweet sherried fruit, some sappy oak (which is good, but doesn’t sound that sexy) notes but no bitter cocoa/espresso notes here. Milk chocolate (Milka) a wee bit of lemon splashes in the background. This malt […] - [Quick Dram : Glenfarclas 1989 vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/08/quick-dram-glenfarclas-1989-vintage/): Glenfarclas is a well known distillery which is located in the Speyside whisky region near the town of Ballindalloch. Glenfarclas (meaning : Valley of the green grass) is family owned by the  J&G Grant family, and as such is the 2nd oldest family owned distillery in scotland (owned by then since 1865, and second only to SpringBank in terms of ownership). Glenfarclas has the biggest set of stills (8 of them) in the Speyside district, and is renowned for their excellent sherry casks which are used for maturing the spirit. Glenfarclas offers a wide core range : starting with the 10,12,15 year old […] - [Tasting an Indian : Amrut Fusion, NAS](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/07/amrut-fusion-tasting-notes/): So, India does single malt scotch? Yes, it does apparently. Is it good, you ask? Well, to be honest, it’s very good indeed. Surprised? I guess not. This Amrut got a lot of hype and buzz since Jim Murray’s bible for 2010 was released a few months ago. Not very surprising since Murray named it “World’s Third Best Whisky” and gave it a whopping 97 mark. As you know,  I do value Murrays bible as a good resource for whisky hunting and dramming, yet, some of the scores in the bible are a bit weird in my opinion. Murray however does […] - [Whisky Round Table – a new notion – Round #1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/06/03/whisky-round-table-a-new-notion-round-1/): Jason of the Guid scotch drink blog (formerly known from the WHISKYhost blog) came up with a brilliant idea : Why not set up a ‘Round Table’ forum of international leading whisky blogs and bloggers, to discuss once a month a different topic.  Each month one of us will post an issue/ question to the group and each blogger will respond to that same questions. Then, every month a different blog/site will host the discussion and posting. The table consists of 12 leading blogs which deal with whisky (i am sure you are familiar with all, if not most) : Chris […] - [Tasting SmokeHead 18 ‘Extra Black’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/26/smokehead-18-extra-black/): One of my first Islay malts was the “regular” Smokehead. I remember me sitting in a bar (The excellent Tel-Aviv based ‘Norma Jean’ which boasts one of the best whisky collections available here), asking the bartender for a dram of something peaty and reasonable priced. He suggested the Smokehead, and I never regretted this choice. For those of you who never heard of it, Smokehead is a single malt bottled by the Ian McLeod company, which origins are unknown (an Islay distillery for sure), and is a well kept secret. Why keep it secret you ask? Marketing, Marketing and then some […] - [Tasting the Single Malt Scotch Bars – Yumm!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/24/tasting-the-single-malt-scotch-bars-yumm/): We all know that Chocolate and Whisky is a match made in heaven. I especially like sipping dark chocolate (70%, and of good quality) side by side with some drams. My favorites that go very well with chocolates are HP 18, and Talisker 10, Talisker being the #1 “enhanced” whisky by such a combination. Now, My friend J.H has been telling me a long time about this fabulous chocolate & whisky bar he’s been buying online and is amazing. The minute I heard about it, I knew I had to taste it, and on top of that, knowing it contains Talisker, […] - [Israeli matured whisky cask #2 (AR.JR) is bottled!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/20/the-israeli-matured-whisky-rel-2-is-coming-june/): This is not an April fools day hoax, it’s very real. (just to be sure) So, An Israeli whisky? well, sort of.  Actually we’re talking about Scotch made whisky, which has been shipped to Israel for maturation. To make a long story short, The Israeli Whisky Society (IWS) acquired a few casks from the Arran distillery in scotland in an attempt to create a unique whisky, matured in Israel’s climate and then to be bottled in single casks bottling. Why you ask? well, as you well know, there is no Israeli distillery operating currently, so getting Israeli new spirit and maturing […] - [Quick dram : Laphroaig 18](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/18/quick-dram-laphraoig-18/): Laphraoaig is well known for its biting drams (at least when speaking of the younger versions), full of medicinal, iodine, tarry, briny peaty malts, and for a very good reason. Their 10 year old is quite rough, very powerful in terms of sheer phenol power and peat muscle, yet very popular. Yesterday after sipping the 18 year old expression, it occurred to me that despite the fact that Laphraoaig is one of my favorite Islay distilleries (and distilleries in general, for that matter) I’ve yet to post any Laphraoaig notes whatsoever… weird you say right? (Well, Lagavulin is also missing – […] - [Quick Sunday Dram : The Yamazaki Sherry Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/15/quick-sunday-dram-the-yamazaki-sherry-cask/): Damn it! I’ve been sitting here writing this awesome Quick dram post, i was almost half way through when this devil of PC i have decided to restart itself all of a sudden! needless to say i had not saved my document, and now i have to write all of this post again. Now i need a double dram to calm down and start all over again. Don’t you hate it when this happens? Blasted Windows 7. Oh well… So, today i am going to review the Yamazaki Sherry Cask. I dig Japanese whiskeys, you all know it from my past […] - [Big Bang #2 : Ardbeg Supernova 2010 is coming !!!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/05/13/big-bang-2-ardbeg-supernova-2010-is-coming/): So, you’ve probably heard about it. Every whisky blog is going to write about it, so why not us? 😉 Very exciting news indeed. Ardbeg is going to roll out the 2010 version of it’s Mega/Super/Ultra/Omni/Wow most peated expression, the Supernova. The Good news, are that i really liked the old Supernova It was way better than just a peat monster. i want that bottle badly on my bar. The Bad news: The Ardbeg site is going to crash again on May 31st, when the Supernova is officially available through the shop. The Ardbeg marketing are geniuses, they know how to […] - [The Tweeddale Blend](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/10/the-tweeddale-blend/): I love whisky, and i love whiskies with interesting story and history behind them even more! The Tweeddale blend is such a one. So before diving into the nose,palate it’s just appropriate to tell it’s story. I’ve heard great things about the whisky,but only after sampling it and doing some research i heard about the extraordinary story behind it… It all begins with Alasdair’s Grandfather Richard day (Alasdair is the guy behind this blend). Richard Day was born in 1880 at the Lees Stables in Coldstream, where his father James Day was the Stud Groom. He left school at the age […] - [Whisky Newsflash, April 10th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/09/whisky-newsflash-april-10th/): Whyte & Mackay has successfully recreated the century-old whisky buried under the Antarctic ice by famous explorer Ernest Shackleton. The company’s master blender Richard Paterson spent a painstaking eight weeks marrying and blending a range of malts to get an exact replica of the 100-year-old Mackinlay’s liquid. And according to one independent expert, he has got the copy exactly right.Renowned whisky writer Dave Broom is the only other person in the world to taste both the original whisky and Whyte & Mackay’s new liquid.He said: “The Shackleton whisky is not what I expected at all, and not what anyone would have […] - [Visit to The Whisky Exchange, Vinopolis Store, London](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/07/visit-to-the-whisky-exchange-vinopolis-store-london/): After I told you in length about my visit to Whisky Live London, I want to tell you about the whisky visit that closed my London whisky activities. Although it has been a month since it happen, I still find it relevant to share my visit to The Whisky Exchange with you, just to give a ‘real’ feel to the shop most of us know only as an online store. Oh, and I’ll try to keep it short this time. On the Saturday morning, after the visit to Whisky Live, my wife and I, to my request, made a quick stop […] - [Tasting Johnnie Walker Double Black (finally…)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/06/tasting-johnnie-walker-double-black-finally/): My first JW tasting notes on the blog. I was really looking for this one, not because i am a JW man, or that this one got amazing reviews. Nope. The reason for that is that JW double black was, and is the most searched term on the blog, and my previous post about its introduction into the market is the most viewed post EVER on Whisky Israel. Surprising? Not really. Diageo have a very good marketing department, and the JW brand is well known. Every new product will cause a stir in the Google pond. We hear you at WI, […] - [Whisky Round Table #11 – April 2011 – @ Holy Land](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/05/whisky-round-table-11-april-2011/): This month’s Round Table arrives finally to Israel, and we’re pleased to have all the fellow knights aboard.  April is my Birth month, so i am delighted to be the host on this special month ;). The single cask issues is really something that interests me, and this is why i chose this as the topic. All the knights were asked the same question: The Single Cask. A distinct point in time, A unique combination, of a cask, maturation climate, location, and magic. the whisky world’s version of a “singularity”. No two casks are ever the same, and once finished, only […] - [Tasting Six Isles Pomerol finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/04/six-isles-pomerol-finish/): It’s blend time again. This time a finished blends which i find very interesting. Originally Six Isles is a blended scotch from Ian McLeod distillers consisting of  whiskies from each of Scotland’s whisky producing islands of Islay, Jura, Skye, Mull, Orkney and Arran. This wee dram was further matured (finished) in Pomerol casks (from the Pomerol wine Appellation) Six Isles Pomerol finish, 40% ABV , 3,266 btl. , RRP £44 (@ Whisky Shop) Nose : It’s just like entering a sweets shop. Wine gums, gummy bears, marmalade and some wine tannins swimming in that sweet nose of a dram. Palate : […] - [Breaking News: Israeli Whisky Taxes to be reformed soon!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/01/breaking-news-israeli-whisky-taxes-to-be-reformed-soon/): Happy April fools day! Breaking news! It’s not been communicated yet, but my sources are telling me that the end of the Israeli Draconic taxes is near. In a recent meeting of the taxes committee of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), Prime minister Netanyahu asked for an immediate reduction of Taxes on Single Malt Whisky (which is now around 200%!) , to about 30%,which in turn will result in a huge reduction of Whisky prices in Israeli liquor shops. This measure is meant to uplift Netanyahu’s image and popularity among the Israeli public (which has reached rock bottom in previous months). The […] - [Tasting Old Pulteney by – G&M Reserve Selected by Van Wees / DH17](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/29/old-pulteney-gm-reserve-selected-by-van-wees-dh17/): After the OP ‘twasting’ a few months ago, I was very much interested in trying other OP’s. While chatting via twitter with a Dutch whisky aficionado , we agreed on a sample swap. A few days later this shiny wee bottle arrived all the way here, and i was really excited to try it. Will it be similar to the WK 209 (having both shared a sherry maturation process), what would an older sherried OP would taste like? This whisky was Distilled: 10/16/1991 , Bottled: 17-06-2009, by DH17 and is 17 year of age, aged in a Refill Sherry Butt #3643. […] - [Tasting SpringBank ‘Jazz Edition’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/27/tasting-springbank-jazz-edition/): Now it’s official. Springbank is coming to Israel.(it was available in the duty free shops,but now will be widely available). While i am sure the pricing will still be crazy (tax, tax and more tax), it’s nice to know you can buy Springbank,Longrow and Hazelburn in your local whisky shop. I will be dedicating a post to the Springbank lineup shortly, but to celebrate the occasion, notes on a limited edition which is a bit different : the Jazz edition. I’ve Been a big jazz fan long before i even started liking whisky, and I’ve kept the passion for good Jazz. […] - [Visit to Whisky Live London 2011, Part 4](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/27/visit-to-whisky-live-london-2011-part-4/): After sharing my Whisky Live exhibition experience in parts one, two and three of this series of posts, it is time to shortly describe the masterclasses (as promised) and conclude the visit. However, before I continue I want to say to you, who had the patience and found the time to read these posts, how much I value the fact you did so. I know the previous parts (and probably this one as well), were quite long, but as I usually do, I wanted to take you, the reader, and place you at the venue as you were there beside me. […] - [Tasting the new Caol Ila ‘Moch’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/25/caol-ila-moch-tasting-notes/): It was only a question of time until  Diageo’s turn to hop on the NAS bandwagon, and release an expression with a nice Gaelic sound to it, wasn’t it? So, it’s here, the new Caol Ila ‘Moch’ (meaning: dawn in Gaelic). It’s not everyday that Caol Ila releases a new OB and this one got good reviews from bloggers and whisky sites who tasted it recently. I was quite keen on trying this one out… So what is so different about this expression? First, as i noted, it’s a NAS bottling which means it’s probably younger than the entry level 12 […] - [Tasting the Dalmore ‘Rivers Collection’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/23/tasting-the-dalmore-rivers-collection/): The Dalmore river collection consists of 4 different expressions created by W&M (and The Dalmore) Master Blender Richard Paterson, with each expression reflecting the the individual character of the 4 greatest salmon rivers in Scotland : Tay,Spey,Dee and Tweed. Each expression within the Dalmore Rivers collection has been individually matured in a combination of bourbon American White Oak and the finest Oloroso “Matuselem” sherry wood from world-renowned bodega Gonzalez Byass, Spain. The differences are then based on the time each whisky spent in each of those cask types and the amount of each cask used in the final vatting. All four […] - [Visit to Whisky Live London 2011, Part 3](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/22/visit-to-whisky-live-london-2011-part-3/): I finished part 2 by mentioning that Richard and I continued on to the Glendronach and BenRiach stand. There we met Jim who has been working with both distilleries for the past seven years, and is responsible for all of the logistical side which includes amongst other duties the bottling lines, shipping and exporting. We asked Jim to his favourite whisky and were answered – the BenRiach 16YO. As Jim said, it is an affordable “…nice drink to have at any time, whether it’s a ‘through the week’ drink or a special occasion drink”. Jim did mention that he does also […] - [Quick Dram : Master of Malt Caol Ila 30 yo single cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/21/quick-dram-master-of-malt-caol-ila-30-single-cask/): Master of malt recently bottled two interesting single casks, this 30 year old CI, and another lovely Highland park 13 year old. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek (by means of a little sample) . I am a fan of Caol Ila and think their malt is often underrated. How would a 30 year old single cask fare? let’s start this work week (mind you, I’ve been working yesterday as well.Yeah, living in Israel sucks!) with this wee  Coal Ila. Caol Ila 30  master of malt single cask , 57.4% ABV , £99 (Master of Malt) Nose : a very […] - [Happy Purim!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/20/happy-purim/): Purim is a lovely Jewish holiday, in which people wear costumes,read the “Megilah” and celebrate our deliverance from the Evil  Haman. In addition it’s considered a “mitzah” to drink quite a bit, until you can not tell the difference between the Good “Moerdachai” and the Evil “Haman”. This means, dramming. and lot’s of it. A really cool holiday. So, we wish all our readers whether Jewish, or just relaxing on a Sunday off , a really cool day, with a lot of whisky,wine and whatever makes you feel happy! Happy Purim! פורים שמח! Gal. - [Tequila time : Jose Cuervo Black Medallion](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/18/tequila-time-jose-cuervo-black-medallion/): A Tequila on a whisky blog? well, yes! Those of you who read the blog regularly know that i am a whisky kind of guy, but sometimes i stray and visit other aged spirits such as Rum and Tequila. I was fortunate enough to be given a bottle of this lovely nectar to try and evaluate by the Israeli importer. At first, i didn’t think I’d enjoy that one as much, but it was really surprisingly good, so i decided to write a short tasting note. This Tequila is an “Anejo” Tequila, meaning it was aged for a minimum of one […] - [Visit to Whisky Live London 2011, Part 2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/17/visit-to-whisky-live-london-2011-part-2-3/): As I wrote at the end of part 1, in this part, and the one after, I will share my experience of Whisky Live as a whisky exhibition, and I think I’ll have another part about the masterclasses attended (the one Richard and I attended, and another Raviv and Ben did). Short disclaimer that also can be found in a way in the previous part – though there are video bits in this post, I do not try to be or imitate Ralfy Mitchell. Originally these were taken as an easy way to store answers to questions, but due to amount […] - [Happy St. Patrick’s Day!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/17/happy-st-patricks-day/): Time flies so fast, and it’s the 17th of March. and you all know what that means… Happy St. Patrick’s day to all of you, whether Irish,Scotch, Israeli, or from a totally different place altogether. Lifting a dram in your honour! Slainte! - [Didn’t win the GlenDronach 15 on Whisky Israel? You have another chance of winning a Glendronach / BenRiach](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/16/didn%e2%80%99t-win-the-glendronach-15-on-whisky-israel-you-have-another-chance-of-winning-a-glendronach-benriach/): Ok, this time i am not sending the bottles… But Glendronach themselves have declared a new competition in which you can win, a 12 year old Glendronach / 12 year old BenRiach. here is the deal: Simply take a creative photo showing a bottle of BenRiach or GlenDronach whisky, upload it to your facebook or twitter page and tag us in. What we’re looking for: – Bizarre locations around the world – Random places where our whisky is enjoyed – The more creative the better! The closing date is April 15th and winners will be announced in our next BenRiach/GlenDronach e-newsletter. […] - [GlenDronach Time : Conclusion and Tasting the 31 year old ‘Grandeur’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/15/tasting-glendronach-grandeur/): So, we come to the end of our Glendronach time, and saving the best for last, so to speak. This one was specially selected by Master Distiller Billy Walker from some of the oldest and most unique Oloroso casks at GlenDronach. Only 1013 bottles were made, and bottled at Cask strength. I was really looking forward to trying that, and measure how it compares to the younger expressions reviewed so far. So, let’s find out how this one compares to them, Shall we? GlenDronach  ‘Grandeur’ , 31 yo , 45.8% ABV (Cask strength) ,1013 bottles , £347 ( TWE) Colour: Dark […] - [Make it 2 Bushmills !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/15/make-it-2-bushmills/): Saint Paddy is just around the corner, and we’re off to another whisky competition. This time you and a friend can win an ultra coo prize. Colum Egan, Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery, is set to launch a global competition – ‘Make it 2 Bushmills’ – that will see him take the world-famous distillery on tour. Colum is offering two friends the chance to work alongside him for two weeks, to learn the skills of whiskey-making that have existed in the Bushmills area for over 400 years, GBP5,000 spending money to share and the chance to stay in luxury […] - [Visit to Whisky Live London 2011, Part 1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/14/visit-to-whisky-live-london-2001-part-1/): A few days ago I received an email from Whisky Magazine’s Adele Blake, on behalf of Whisky Magazine’s Editor Rob Allanson which was titled “SELL OUT SHOW” and said: “More than 1,000 whisky enthusiasts flocked to the world’s premier whisky tasting show in London this weekend. Whisky Live came to London for the 11th time and sales boomed, in fact Saturday was sold out completely. Held for the first time in a new exceptional and astonishing city venue, The Honourable Artillery Company, visitors were eager to learn about the secrets of the water of life at the only whisky show of […] - [GlenDronach Time : Session #5–Tasting the 20 yo ‘Tawny Port’ Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/10/glendronach-20-yo-tawny-port-finish/): Well, it’s nearly the end of the GlenDronach time period at Whisky Israel, and to sum up the finishes section I’ve saved the best for last (finish wise). I bring you the 20 year old Tawny Port finish, of a 20 year old GD whisky. After a good Sauternes, and even better Moscatel, it was hard to top those two, but i think this one is even a bit better. This dram  was initially matured in European oak and thereafter finished its maturation in a very small batch of Tawny Port barrels, which do the trick and add an even sweeter […] - [Visit to Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), London](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/09/visit-to-scotch-malt-whisky-society-london/): I just came back from a long, busy, fun and tiring weekend at London which main purpose was a visit to the Whisky Live London exhibition that took place on March 4th & 5th (I went on the first day, and post(s) about that are soon to come). We (Meital my wife came as well) arrived at London a day before the exhibition and already had planned ahead at Israel that we will spend that evening with Whisky Israel Society friends Richard, Raviv & Ben, who also came for Whisky Live. Richard, who travels occasionally to the UK on business (including […] - [‘GlenDronach Time’ Session #4 : Dessert Wine finishes–Sauternes & Moscatel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/09/glendronach-dessert-wine-finishes%e2%80%93sauternes-moscatel/): We’re continuing the GlenDronach time sessions with yet another wine finish session. Not only one type of wine cask finish, but two different types of casks. The first is Sauternes, and the second Moscatel (or Muscatel). I’ve tasted a few Sauternes finishes in the past year, and one of my favourites is of course the Glenmorangie ‘Nectar D’or’ Sauternes finished, a lovely dram that in my opinion is the best in the Glenmorangie finishes range. As for Moscatel, I’ve yet to sample a whisky finished in that type of cask, and i was really intrigued to find out how it would […] - [Win an Irish Whiskey Getaway for Two](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/08/win-an-irish-whiskey-getaway-for-two/): I always liked St Patrick’s Day. I am not very Irish as you know, but it’s a very happy day, with lots of good Irish beers and Whisky. There is no better way to celebrate it than a lovely option to win a prize , and Master of Malt has announced jus that. Master of Malt have teamed up with Cooley distillery to offer the ultimate whiskey prize this St Patrick’s Day. The prize includes flights out to Dublin, stay at the Bridge House Hotel and Spa, a personal distillery tour & tasting and more. To win, entrants simply have to […] - [And the winner in the GlenDronach Competition is…](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/08/and-the-winner-in-the-glendronach-competition-is%e2%80%a6/): A lot of blog readers submitted their answers (most were right, nice going!), the answers cam from all over : EU, USA,UK, Australia, Mexico , and of course Israel. And the winnner of a brand new Glendronach 15 ‘Revival’ (what a dram!) is ……  Gert-Jan de Ruiter ! Thanks your everyone (and Gert) for participating in the competition. I had a lot of fun, and i do sure hope you had fun too. Looking forward to future competitions. Keep on visiting us for all that is whisky. Slainte! - [The Whisky Round Table – March 2011 @ EWB](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/04/the-whisky-round-table-march-2011-ewb/): Is it March already? wow, time flies. This month the whisky knights are the guest of the Edinburgh whisky blog by the lovely fellows : Lukasz and Chris. They did come up with a very provoking question an issue we all are very involved in: Whisky packaging. here it goes: This month we would like to ask you about something which is not often discussed by geeks like us – packaging! We all know how important it is for whisky brands to have that extra pull factor on the shelf. But are you personally suckers for a pretty bottle or could […] - [The Macallan Master of Photography Cocktail time…](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/04/the-macallan-master-of-photography-cocktail-time%e2%80%a6/): The Macallan are running the masters of phorography campaign for a couple of years now. if you like cocktails, on top of straight whisky dramming,  then you may have heard of Cheri Loughlin , known as @intoxicologist on Twitter. Cheri has created an exclusive cocktail called ‘The Journey’ to celebrate The Macallan’s Masters of Photography competition. This cocktail embodies the theme of the competition: ‘Great Journeys’. The top pictures will be judged by the master himself, Albert Watson, and the prizes are the ultimate journey around Scotland, which will include a visit to The Macallan distillery, and Nikon camera equipment. To […] - [Book Review: Goodness Nose](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/03/book-review-goodness-nose/): During May 2010 I visited the Isle of Jura as part of my visit with my father to the Fies Ile festival (as I posted about before – here and here). While visiting the distillery, my father decided to get me a gift from the shop, and had purchased me a book by one Richard Paterson named ‘Goodness Nose’. He also added a personal dedication in it without knowing that five minutes after, we are to meet in person the author of the book himself, who also added his own dedication and signature in the book. As I returned home to […] - [‘GlenDronach Time’ , Session #3 : The 14 yo,’Virgin Oak’ Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/03/01/glendronach-14-yo-virgin-oak/): After a short detour in Dalmore land, we’re back to GlenDronach country, and we’re beginning to explore some wood finishes . The first of which is the ‘Virgin Oak’ finish. While some may argue that a finish masks imperfections in a medium quality malt, others would argue that a good finish adds complexity, without overshadowing the underlying malt. I tend to like finishes when they compliment the spirit and not try to change it, and this one is just the case. After spending time in Spanish oak barrels, it was transferred into a very small batch of Virgin Oak. Let’s try […] - [Tasting the new kid on the block : Dalmore ‘Castle Loed’ vintage 1995](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/28/dalmore-castle-loed-vintage-1995/): A little detour today, from all the lovely GlenDronachs I sampled and about to continue sampling tomorrow. Off to some Dalmore. If you’ve read last week’s Newsflash, you pretty much know about this new release from The Dalmore. Basically it’s a limited edition created by Richard Paterson consisting of 5,000 bottles worldwide. The whisky was distilled in 1995 then aged in a combination of Spanish and American barrels, after which they were placed in wine barriques imported from one of the most famous Bordeaux houses ( not indicated, but it’s one of the 1st cru  classse ). I’m quite fond of big wine […] - [‘GlenDronach Time’ , Session #2 : The 12 year old ‘Original’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/28/%e2%80%98glendronach-time%e2%80%99-session-2-the-12-year-old-%e2%80%98original%e2%80%99/): We continue our journey in GlenDronach land, with the lovely 12 year old which is i’ve learned to know is a favourite of many GlenDronach fans. Matured in a combination of PX (Pedro Ximenez) and Oloroso Sherry Casks, this whisky is the entry level GlenDronach (if we don’t take into account the younger Octarine reviewed last year). This expression is a veteran and has been around even before the BenRiach group took over the GlenDronach distillery (2008) . It’s well priced at around £30, and offers a great value, IMHO. Glendronach 12 ‘original’ , 43% ABV , £31 (Buy here) Nose: […] - [Tasting anCnoc vintage 1996](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/24/tasting-ancnoc-vinatge-1996/): I’ve written tasting notes about the anCnoc 12, and the older 16 year old a few month ago. I also own a bottle of the 12 year old which i prefer, but i have yet to try any of their vintages, until tonight that is. Courtesy of Lukas of Allembic Comms, who run the Social Media business for anCnoc distillery , i received a lovely sample of this dram to try LIVE along with 15 more bloggers / twitter users from the blogosphere from around the world (England, Scotland, USA, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, France, Hungary, Russia, Israel, South Africa, […] - [‘Glendronach Time’ , Session #1 : The Octarine 8 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/24/glendronach-time-session-1-the-octarine-8-yo/): The first tasting note in the ‘GlenDronach Time’ sessions will be of course the youngest offering from GD , the ‘Octarine”. This one comes from a mix of Bourbon/Sherry casks , and is matured for 8 years. Available mostly in the French market, as it was originally supposed to be sold only in the French “Carrefour” supermarket chain, but it’s now also distributed in other parts of Europe (Germany,Benelux) and some online shops as well. An interesting young Glendronach, to start the week with, right? Let’s dramm!   GlenDronach ‘Octarine’, 8 yo, 46% ABV , EUR 30 Nose : Starting fruity […] - [GlenDronach time on WI – a chance to win a bottle of whisky – details inside !!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/22/glendronach-time-on-wi-a-chance-to-win-a-bottle-of-whisky/): GlenDronach time is coming to whisky israel, and  in order to celebrate that, friends of whisky Israel have a chance of winning one of their loveliest expressions : The Glendronach 15 ‘Revival’ . Glendronach distillery has been making whisky since 1826, and was bought in 2008 by the BenRiach company, which signifed it’s revival and renaissance. During the coming weeks, we’ll be featuring quite a few tasting notes by that excellent distillery. We’ll start our journey with the young 8 year old Octarine, and go through the entire core range from the affordable 12, the wonderful 15 year old, the 4 […] - [Tasting Coal Ila 1995 bottled by A.D Rattray](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/22/coal-ila-1995-ad-rattray/): Caol Ila is the biggest distillery on the isle of Islay, home of all things good and peaty. It’s one of the less hyped distilleries, although it is quite capable of creating great malts. I’ve tried their core range a few months ago (12,18,Natural Cask Strength) as well as the ‘Unpeated’ version. i am quite fond of the 12 year old as a daily dram when a little peat is due. It’s no secret that i am finding myself less and less allured by pear, and most of the whiskies i am now tasting are not peated (or not heavily peated), […] - [Fancy Winning a bottle of GlenDronach 15yo “Revival”!?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/20/fancy-a-full-size-bottle-of-glendronach-15yo-%e2%80%9crevival%e2%80%9d/): Fancy a bottle of this nectar? (Score : 93/100 at WDJK , $95 value!) ? Watch this space next week for an exciting opportunity to win just that! (more details coming Soon!…) Gal. - [Whisky Newsflash , Feb 19th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/19/whisky-newsflash-feb-19th/): Quite a bit of whisky news for this weekend so let’s start: The Dalmore Releases Castle Leod Whisky The Dalmore has released a limited edition whisky called Castle Leod, named after the spiritual home of the Mackenzie clan, to raise much needed funds to help return the Scottish castle to its former glory. The move follows the successful launch last year of the brand’s Mackenzie expression, which saw 3,000 bottles sell out in less than nine months across the world, raising more than £20,000 towards castle restoration and other clan projects. This time there will be 5,000 bottles of Dalmore Castle […] - [Blended Scotch Whisky Archaeology – Conclusion, Appendix](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/18/blended-scotch-whisky-archaeology-%e2%80%93-conclusion-appendix/): On part 2 of the conclusion of my Cream of the Barley archaeology set of post, I mentioned that I have also sent samples of both new and old blends to the one and only Mr Richard Paterson, Whyte&Mackay’s master blender, and that due to a very busy backlog, he was not able to send us his take on the whiskies. It so happens, that Richard decided to give a very happy starting to my weekend and sent me view twitter a link to a video he recorded where he compares both Cream of the Barleys. Many thanks to Richard for […] - [Tasting Kavalan “King Car”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/17/tasting-kavalan-king-car/): Tasting four Kavalan expressions in the past months (Kavalan,Concert Master, Single Cask ‘Solist’ Ex-bourbon, and Single Cask ‘Solist’ Ex-sherry ) left me wanting more. i was utterly impressed with the sheer quality, and innovative spirit of Kavalan and their head distiller Ian Chang. I was hoping more new expressions will be released, and having heard some rumours about two new expressions in the making, i eagerly waited for an opportunity to sample those. And time has come, two new expressions were introduced, the first “King Car” named after the company who owns the "Kavalan” distillery, and the second named “Vinho”, which […] - [Tasting Highland Park ‘St. Magnus’ 12 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/15/tasting-highland-park-st-magnus-12-year-old/): Last year when the ‘Earl Magnus’ 15 year old whisky was released by HP, i was very keen on getting it, and fortunately got hold of a bottle (sans the wooden box, which made the package lighter to send over the pond). The entire EM stock was sold out in less than a day on LFW, and as much as i like the 15 year old, it’s not a classic HP at all, and i find myself visiting it rarely (we did sample it again a month or so back on our HP summit). When St. Magnus was released, i debated […] - [Tasting Glenfarclas Quarter Casks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/15/tasting-glenfarclas-quarter-casks/): I like the Glenfarclas distillery, they do ONLY what they do well.Sherry maturation. From the 105 to the 12,15,15,21,30 to the amazing 40 year old  which I’ve tried every single dram was great. At Glenfarclas they do not play with wood finishes, tricks or gimmicks, No sir. They keep on producing excellent sherry matured whiskey. year after year. This one is no different, well made, and fitting for the Glenfarclas name. What’s unique in this expression is the maturation in smaller “Quarter Casks”. Maturation in smaller casks means more surface to whisky ratio, faster maturation, and more flavours penetration from the […] - [Tasting Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Tamnavulin 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/14/tasting-duncan-taylor-rare-auld-tamnavulin-21-yo/): This is the last Rare Auld i will be reviewing in this series. I saved the best for last, as this was by far the best of the bunch. I am fond of sherry, that is well known, but this wee dram, is a true gem. No less. I do think it’s the first Tamnavulin i am reviewing officially, and it’s not the last if i have anything to do with it … So without further ado, let’s get on with the dramming! Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Tamnavulin 21 yo, Sherry Cask 3368, 52.7% ABV, £79 Nose: Sweet, honey dollops, some […] - [Blind sample swap with @Macdeffe (Steffen Bräuner)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/10/blind-sample-swap-with-macdeffe-steffen-brauner/): Steffen Bräuner A.K.A @macdeffe ,  The man behind the ‘Danish whisky Blog’ is known for his love of blind sample swaps. He’s always willing to send fellow whisky enthusiasts samples for them to try blind and see if they can spot what’s in the wee bottle. I’ve read Steffen’s and Keith’s post, a few months ago, and asked Steffen if he’d like to do the same. He immediately accepted. Luckily, Steffen’s friend Jorn (who is also a Dane, and a very nice man) was to visit Israel (His daughter happens to live here, small world! eh?). So we agreed to wait […] - [Tasting Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Auchroisk 1988](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/09/tasting-duncan-taylor-rare-auld-auchroisk-1988/): Auchroisk (pronounced : “OH-thrusk”) [translated from Gaelic : Ford of the red stream] Lies on the road between Keith and Craigellachie in the whisky region of Speyside. It’s quite a young distillery established only in 1974. Currently owned by whisky giant Diageo, its malt is mostly used in blends, and also available in OB of the “Flora & Fauna” series, as well as by few independent bottlers.There are not many new bottlings of this malt, so i was really excited to try this older expression from DC. Duncan Taylor Auchroisk, 22 yo, 1988,bottled 2010, Cask # 30450 , 51.6% , £67 […] - [Tasting Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/08/tasting-glenfiddich-snow-phoenix/): There is a saying that goes “If life hands you lemons, Make Lemonade”. this sums up really good what Glenfiddich just did! First the story: The winter of 2009 was really hard, and a lot of snow fell down. On Thursday Jan 7th , in the most remote part of the snow covered distillery, some of  the warehouse roofs collapsed, ripped open by the sheer weight of snow, leaving maturing oak casks of Glenfiddich exposed to the winter sky. After some work done by the distillery men, the casks were all moved to a shelter. The distillery manager however,selected some casks […] - [Tasting Connemara Turf Mór](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/07/tasting-connemara-turf-mr/): Connemara is the Cooley brand for the only irish peated whisky. Normally Connemara is available in a lighter peated expression, a cask strength , and a Sherry finished version. While the Connemara is peated to around 20 ppm, the new “Turf Mór” (meaning : Big Turf, or Big peat) is peated to a whopping 58 ppm.  (For comparison, this is a very high ppm, which peaty Ardbegs are peated to, and higher than most Islay peated malts!). As it seems, Cooley had a rough time getting lightly peated malts from Scotland, so they chose to simply mix peated and none peated […] - [The Glenlivet 12 Year Old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/04/the-glenlivet-12-year-old/): Believe it or not, as much as a whisky person as I came to be, and in spite of the fact that I like Highland whiskies, I never got a chance to taste any expression of The Glenlivet. Heard about it and read about it quite often, saw it on store shelves (on and off line) but never had the chance to try it. It happened that this piece of information was revealed by chance to my fellow Whisky Israel Society member, Richard (well he asked me for my opinion, I said I’ve none due to…), so while on a recent […] - [Beer Review : Ola Dubh 12](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/03/beer-review-ola-dubh-12/): So, a beer review on a whisky blog? yes! Why not? I’ve seen some reviews on other whisky sites, and whisky and beer are close, right? This Beer however is even closer to whisky than most beers are. Why you ask? Well, it’s aged in casks which held Highland Park 12 whisky… How cool is that? You all know that HP is one of my favourite distilleries, and the HP is a fine dram (well, not their best, but a good entry point into the world of HP). I’ve previously reviewed the HP 12, and now it’s time to review the […] - [Passing through CDG airport (Paris) soon? Check this out!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/03/grants-cdg-paris-february-2011/): If you are passing through CDG airport in Paris,France soon? You are? lucky devils! Besides some very interesting Travel retail only editions you can find there, William Grant & Sons (Maker’s of Grant’s blended whisky) have set up an exclusive brand store, at the CDG, Terminal 2 , only this February. The shop was placed there because “William Grant & Sons has a very strong relationship with Aelia; the same outlet was chosen for the global premiere of Glenfiddich 50 Year Old in 2009 with great success and in September 2010 we took the same space for activity highlighting Glenfiddich, The […] - [Tasting Duncan Taylor Rare Auld : Balblair 1991 Cask 1612](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/02/tasting-duncan-taylor-rare-auld-balblair-1991-cask-1612/): As promised We continue our journey in Duncan Taylor land, this time with a dram coming from a Highlands distillery : Balblair. I’ve recently tasted  the Balblair OB 1989 (in addition to the younger 2000 vintage), and it’s interesting to compare how the profiles differ from the OB. Ok, Let’s start dramming… Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Balblair, 1991,21 yo , cask 1612, 53% ABV ,£58 Nose: On the nose we start with a delicious Lemon pie, vanilla (crème anglaise?) , then off to some wood,and candied papaya. Palate: The lemon is all gone, while the vanilla is still here. Fruit,sweet malty […] - [The Whisky Round Table - February 2011](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/01/the-whisky-round-table-february-2011/): February has arrived and it’s again time for the whisky round table knights to convene and discuss some important whisky matters! This month our noble hosts are Matt & Karen from the well known ‘Whisky for everyone” site, and blog. they have chosen a rather interesting question for us to think about and answer: “What is your whisky ‘dirty little secret’? That’s the whisky that you always enjoy but would never let your ‘whisky connoisseur’ friends know that you do (apart from us!). It is the big brand/well known name that you may drink when out or the one that always […] - [Burns Supper with IWS and Johnnie Walker](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/02/01/burns-supper-with-iws-and-johnnie-walker/): January 25th is known to be a date of celebration in the Scottish world, as it is the birthday of non-other but the beloved national Scottish poet and hero Robert (Rabbie) Burns. All around the world feasts (AKA Burns Suppers) are held on that day (and also during the first weekend of January) to commemorate Burns and his passions – Writing poems, Haggis, Whisky,  and maybe the greatest of all – Women. He used his first passion to write quite a bit about the others, and thanks to him whisky and haggis became well known outside of Scotland (women were supposedly […] - [Quick Dram : Compass Box Asyla](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/31/tasting-compass-box-asyla/): Another Compass box,I’ve reviewed a long time , and forgot to rate, and post. This one is a blended whisky (yes, not a single malt, or vatted malt or whatever, ‘just’ a blend), but it’s a very good one in my opinion. First of all, it contains 50% Malt, and 50% Grain, quite a high ratio (same as the Black Bull 12, if you remember). In addition the whiskies selected are supposed to be of good quality, and only first fill casks. Compass Box Asyla, 40% ABV , £25 (Buy here) Nose: lemon , apple on a pillow of malt and grain. […] - [Tasting Duncan Taylor Rare Auld : Cragganmore X 2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/27/tasting-duncan-taylor-rare-auld-cragganmore-x-2/): As promised, i will be tasting a few Duncan Taylor bottlings from the Rare Auld line. All the Rare Auld expressions are at least 18 years of age, Single Cask, Cask Strength, Non Chill filtered … I’ve tasted only the basic 12 year old Cragganmore before, on a few occasions, and i really liked it, but I never had the pleasure of tasting the older versions, let alone at cask-strength. You can only imagine how happy i was to try those two expressions. The two are quite similar, besides being aged in two separate casks, for 18 years. It’s interesting to […] - [Tasting Duncan Taylor Rare Auld](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/27/tasting-duncan-taylor-rare-auld/): Duncan Taylor is a well known Independent bottler , producing more than 500,000 bottles of whisky anuualy. Founded in 1938,and based in Huntly. DC has ownership of one of the largest privately held collections of whisky & rare whisky casks. Duncan Taylor bottles whisky under a few brands , some of which are: Peerless – The luxury range of very old whiskies Rare Auld – Older casks, over 18 years of age, and most over 30,bottled at cask strength, from a single cask aged at the DC warehouses. Lonach – vatting of two casks or more , usually when older whiskies […] - [Tasting Compass Box Orangerie (whisky / infusion?!)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/27/tasting-compass-box-orangerie-whisky-infusion/): In addition to their great whiskies we like at Whisky Israel, Compass box also produces and expression that is not exactly whisky, but is based on whisky – The Orangerie. Orangerie is an infusion made from scotch whisky, hand zested orange peel from Navalino Oranges and some spices (Indonesian cassia bark, and Sri Lankan Cloves). The whisky used in this “infusion” is of Scotch Highland origins, mixed with Single Grain from Fife. As before, Compass box does use very good ingredients, to create a lovely new drink. Whisky or not whisky, let’s get on with the notes, shall we? Compass Box […] - [Tasting Cooley Greenore 18 yo Single Grain](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/26/tasting-cooley-greenore-18-yo-single-grain/): The Irish whisky market is controlled by two whisky giants. One of them is Cooley which produces quite a few whisky brands (Tyrconell, Connemara , Kilbeggan, and Greenore). Greenore is Cooley’s Grain whisky brand, and it’s core line-up consists of a 6,8,15 and a new 18 year old which is about to be released in the near future. The 18 year old expression is bottled in small batches and is limited to 4000 bottles worldwide. Single grain is made from corn/maize as opposed to Single malts which is made from Barley. Most Grain whiskies are used for by the whisky industry […] - [Tasting Old Pulteney 17 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/25/tasting-old-pulteney-17-year-old/): This is the third post containing tasting notes from the Old Pulteney Online twasting (twitter tasting) event that took place Thursday 20th, celebrating the new WK209 which will be released in a couple of months for travel retail only. I liked the 12 year old, which is a good entry level, but i was in for a treat with this one. Made up of 90% Refill American Bourbon casks, and a small percentage of Refill sherry casks (PX/Oloroso). Old Pulteney 17yo, 46% ABV,2010 , £46 (buy here) Nose: Starting sweet, with a few citrusy notes. Further nosing reveals a very sweet, […] - [Tasting Old Pulteney 12 yo at the WK209 twitter tasting](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/24/tasting-old-pulteney-12-yo-at-the-wk209-twitter-tasting/): I tasted the 12 year old version of OP a few times before, and two weeks ago at a friend’s. I never was overwhelmed by it, but it’s a good dram. I had the pleasure of re-tasting it as well as its older brother the 17 year old last Thursday at the twitter tasting online with OP’s Malcolm Waring.   One thing did intrigue me about the color of the 12 and the 17. The 17 year old was paler in color (middle of picture below). Usually the older drams are darker in color (when no coloring was added). I did post […] - [Tasting Old Pulteney WK209](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/20/tasting-old-pulteney-wk209/): This is a new expression to be released to the Duty Free market (in 1 liter bottles) in about two months time. It is replacing the very successful WK499 ‘Isabella Fortuna’. Bottled at 46%, Unchill-filtered, natural colour, the spirit has been matured entirely in European sherry casks. Limited to about 9000 bottles, only. It’s name is after a steam Herring Drifter WK209 ‘Good Hope’ built in Wick in 1948, first boat in Wick to use echo sounder. I tasted this one at an online tasting event this evening, with a bunch of other whisky bloggers/twitter users. The image is only a […] - [Tasting Fettercairn ‘Fior’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/20/tasting-fettercairn-%e2%80%98fior%e2%80%99/): I have to admit, this is my first Fettercairn ever. So i came to review it without any prejudice. But, Not long ago, the Fettercairn entry level bottlings were lacking style and from the reviews i read, they were also not too thrilling. This was changed last year when Whyte & Mackay who owns the distillery, decided to do a face lift for the entire line . new bottles were designed and the entire brand is now looking much better, with Sexy bottles, Stylish labels and a much better line-up consisting of the Fior , 24.30 and 40 year olds bottlings. […] - [Blended Scotch Whisky Archaeology – Conclusion, Part 2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/19/blended-scotch-whisky-archaeology-conclusion-part-2/): Welcome back to my archaeology dig of one scotch whisky blend history. I hope you enjoyed part 1 of this conclusion. As I promised in it, in this post I will share the different opinions about the two versions of the blend as I got them from my whisky friends around the world, and also include my own 2 cents about them. Just a reminder, out of the three bottles featured in part 1, only two were opened and tasted (and of which samples were sent) – the current 2010 version and the 1970’s bottle that I purchased from The Whisky […] - [Quick Dram – BenRiach Curiositas](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/18/quick-dram-benriach-curiositas/): I’ve reviewed a couple of Peated Benriachs before (The Arumticus Fumosus & Heredotus Fumosus) and quite liked those back then. Both were finished heavily peated expressions, and it’s interesting to try a non-finished young peated BenRiach. That’s what the Curiositas is, exactly! Benriach Curiositas , 10 yo , 40% ABV, £27 (buy here) Nose: Peat, sort of dusty  peat, underneath sits some wood and ,also some fruity notes (cherubs). Palate: Sweetness of the barley, and fruit  is well integrated with the massive peat and some spices (cinnamon,pepper). The palate is really nice, and much sweeter than the nose suggests. Lovely Mix. […] - [Online Old Pulteney Tasting this week (Thursday, 20th)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/17/online-old-pulteney-tasting-this-week-thursday-20th/): Tasting the Balblair online a few months ago was real fun. Fortunately this week we’re having another online tasting of Old Pulteney. What’s more exciting is that in addition to tasting the 12 and 17 year old expressions , we’ll be also tasting a brand new dram for the first time : wk209. Currently all that i know about this new expression is that it’s NAS, 46%, and contains malt only matured in sherry casks. Lovely isn’t it? and OP and sherry…. Update: I’ve received a few additional details about the WK209: Old Pulteney WK209 ‘Good Hope’ Follows WK499 ‘Isabella Fortuna’ […] - [Tasting Black Bull 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/16/tasting-black-bull-12-yo/): So, A whisky snub like me,tasting a blended malt? Yes, I am. Surprising i know, but i think it’s high time we started reviewing some interesting good blends as well as our ‘Bread and butter’ Single Malts. This is not the first blend tasted by me on the blog, but indeed it’s the first published. (I tasted some Compass Box Asyla a while back, and didn’t get to post my notes yet…) . Now, this blend is quite special in terms of it’s components and ABV. First of all it’s made from a relatively high ratio of malts to grain (50%,50% […] - [An interview with Geert Bero “The Ardbeg” Collector](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/13/an-interview-with-geert-bero-the-ardbeg-collector/): I am a big fan of Ardbeg, but it doesnt even come close to Geert’s passion for all things Ardbeg. This week I’ve asked Geert to share his love for this Islay distillery, and he kindly accepted. And what an awesome collections this guy has. One can only be envious. Tell me a bit about yourself, what do you do in life? I am the hotel manager/owner of a hotel Golden Tulip Bero in Oostende Belgium,our bar stocks about 90 whiskies.It’s the only place in Belgium where you can try the bottles of the SMWS.I am born in 1973 in Oostende […] - [Tasting ‘Classic of Islay’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/10/tasting-classic-of-islay/): After tasting the Lagavulin 21, which is aged in Sherry casks, I really felt lucky to try another sherried Lagavulin (this time a younger one). My whisky friend and Society member Yariv, found this little gem of a whisky in a whisky shop in Germany, and fell in love immediately. I share his passion to whisky, and i was sure i was going to like this one, based on his notes. I’ve been trying to get hold of one at Ebay.de, but with no luck (shipping issues), and was really happy when Yariv brought a wee sample with him to our […] - [Blended Scotch Whisky Archaeology – Conclusion, Part 1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/07/blended-scotch-whisky-archaeology-part1/): Few months ago I wrote a post about a blend from the 1970s, by the name of ‘Stewarts Cream of the Barley’, that I have found at a friend’s house. In that post I tried to find that blend’s origins and learn more about it (see original post). If you have read that post you might recall that I managed to discover that this blend is still in production today, though probably with different components, and that I finished the post by saying that I will try to get the new version of the blend to try out. The 1970s Stewarts […] - [Whisky Israel Society Summit #3 – Highland Park](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/06/whisky-israel-summit-3-highland-park/): Two months passed since the Whisky Israel Society summit #2 (which was all about Sherry aged whiskies), and it was time (long overdue) for summit #3. The idea for this summit’s theme was actually raised at the end of its previous as we had one Highland Park (1994), which was not all that impressive, and as some of the lads are very fond of HP and wanted to correct the impression for those of us who didn’t know HP that well, it was decided that an all Highland Park evening is a must. As always, date and time was moved back […] - [Whisky round table Jan 2011 : Craft Distilling & Future of Whisk(e)y](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/05/whisky-round-table-jan-2011-craft-distilling-future-of-whiskey/): It’s time for the first Round table for 2011.  As you remember the Whisky Round Table is a collection of 12 whisky bloggers from around the world. Once a month we convene on a different blog to discuss a particular question pertaining to whisk(e)y. This month our hosts are the guys from Whisky Party, an excellent American whisky blog. They chose to discuss an interesting issue: The American whisk(e)y industry is in a so-called ‘experimental’ period, in which new microdistilleries are offering a multitude of less traditional and less regulated variations on single malt and traditional American whiskey styles.  How long […] - [Japanese Whiskies Tasting Event](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/04/japanese-whiskies-tasting-event/): If you’re a constant reader of Whisky Israel, you might have noticed that Gal wrote several posts about Japanese whiskies, and also, that as part of the Whisky Israel Society many of us fell in love with the Nikka Whisky from the Barrel we’ve tried as part of our second summit. Well so it happened that the Israeli Whisky Society (not to confuse with our Whisky Israel Society), which is managed by Jonathan (Yonni) Ishai – the man behind the Israeli matured Arran whisky, together with “The Scottish” – an Israeli wines and alcohol merchant and importer, have decided to have […] - [Tasting Lagavulin 21- A real treat!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/01/02/tasting-lagavulin-21/): 2011 is here. why not start it with a bang?  And what better than starting it with an ace of a dram. Yes, Lagavulin 21. Lagavulin. A lot of us peat lovers adore the 16 year old, with it’s perfect harmony, wonderful nose and palate, and good price (for a 16 year old that good, it’s well priced). The 12 year old is a different animal altogether, kicking, and massive in ABV%. The 1991 DE is another one most of us enjoy from time to time, and is a lovely sherry edition to the family. Lagavulin 21… We all hear it’s […] - [Happy new year–2011 !!!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/31/happy-new-year2011/):   A year has passed. wow, how time flies. It’s been an amazing year over here at Whisky Israel. we’ve celebrated our first birthday. tasted hundreds (literally) of drams. Initiated the Whisky Israel tasting society. and so much more we wish a happy new year to all of our dear friends, readers, and fellow whisky bloggers. May 2011 be more drambalicious than 2010.   happy new year!   Slainte! - [Tasting Lion’s Pride Rye whiskeys](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/30/tasting-lions-pride-rye-whiskeys/): Lion’s pride is a very interesting whisky coming from Chicago,IL. The distillery which makes it is Koval distillery which also makes other distillates. What’s interesting about Lion’s pride is that it’s a single barrel,unfiltered and handcrafted, which means it’s distilled in small quantities. In addition the whisky is Organic, and Kosher (if you keep kosher). There are two persons behind the whisky : Sonat, A Chicago native and Robert, originally from Austria, who teamed up together to create this spirit. The name of the whisky comes from the distiller’s son (named Lion),  and each whisky is available in two aging styles […] - [Tasting AnCnoc 16](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/27/tasting-ancnoc-16/): I recently reviewed the AnCnoc 12, and quite liked it, very affordable, and good summery malt. Delicate,and refreshing. Now, it is time for a go at its bigger brother, the 16 year old.  Let’s try that one now, shall we? Dramming!!!!…. AnCnoc 16 , 46 % ABV , £40 (buy here) Nose:  Lovely mix of citrus, anise, apples and vanilla drops. quite fresh and zesty. Palate: Peppery , woody, some vanilla, spices and toffee. I didn’t expect the pepper, i must admit it. turns a bit bitter towards the end. the citrus is almost gone now. Finish : spicy,bitter wood. All […] - [Face Lift to Whisky Israel & further changes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/26/face-lift-to-whisky-israel-further-changes/): Good morning, While you have been celebrating Xmas (some of you anyways), we’ve been busy here at Whisky Israel HQ. and you can see the work done yourself… As Whisky Israel is gaining popularity and a wider reader base, we thought that a make over is due. First of all, we changed our hosting provider, to allow for faster access,better availability and maintainability. Second, we’ve moved to a new theme which combines the standard “blog” with some magazine like features: A header Featured posts Easy to navigate categories More Toolbars real estate and much more! We do hope you like the […] - [Tasting Jura boutique barrels JO & JI](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/23/tasting-jura-boutique-barrels-jo-ji/): The Jura boutique barrels is comprised of three different expressions, aged in different sets of barrels specifically selected by the Jura distiller Willie Cochrane.  Each has been assigned a code in two letters used in the Jura warehouse to distinguish different barrels. XU – heavily peated and aged in Ex-Bourbon casks. JI – Oloroso Sherry. JO – First fill Bourbon casks. If you’ve been following the blog, you probably noticed I’ve reviewed the XU heavy peat a few months back, and liked it very much (actually i even got a bottle of this after the initial review. it was that good). […] - [Tasting Nikka Yoichi – 10 year old Single Cask # 234426](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/20/tasting-nikka-yoichi-10-year-old-single-cask-234426/): The Yoichi distillery (余市)  is located at Japan’s northern island : Hokkaido. It was founded in 1934 by Japans’ father of whisky Masataka Taketsuru . Nikka started producing whisky  in 1936, releasing it’s first whisky in 1940. The Yoichi style differs from the Suntory style and is peatier, and more robust. Nikka is making it’s official entry into the Israel market this month with the Pure Malt , Whisky From the Barrel, and Yoichi 10 being the first to be distributed (One can hope for Crazy, but not Over crazy pricing, more on that later). I decided to celebrate this with […] - [‘Smokin’ – tasting SMOKEHEAD](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/15/smokin-tasting-smokehead/): We’re again dealing with a ‘Mystery Malt’ here. I guess most of you are familiar with that notion, but just a quick explanation for those who are new to the whisky world. A Mystery Dram, is a whisky bottled by an independent bottler without disclosing the true origin of the spirit , that is to say: in which distillery the spirit was distilled. Some mystery drams are not very mysterious and their origin is well known, but Ian McLeod who bottles this one actually does a good job not revealing its sources. I have my bets, as i am sure most […] - [create you own whisky with master distiller John Glaser (Compass Box)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/14/create-you-own-whisky-with-master-distiller-john-glaser-compass-box/): It’s no secret that i love the whiskies John Glaser of Compass Box makes. I’ve tasted quite a few, Recently the ‘Flaming Heart’ and ‘Double Single’ 10th Anniversary , and loved them. Exceptional cask selection , and creative blending, creates some wicked whiskies. Now, The folks at Master of Malt, teamed up with CB’s Glaser to create a wonderful competition, i think you need to know about. I sure am dying to win it. Two lucky winners will undergo a blending session with master blender John Glaser. At the end of the session they will create their own whisky, which they […] - [2010 Holiday gift guide on a budget](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/13/2010-holiday-gift-guide-on-a-budget/): The holidays are coming and most blogs have written their “gift guides” in the last week or so. I guess this post is mostly aimed at you Europeans/Americans out there, as we Israelis and Jews, do not celebrate Xmas, and hence get no gifts. Bummer! My idea is to put a few recommendation together for non-expensive gifts, you would be able to afford without needing to sell a kidney or donate your body to science… I’ve gathered a few suggestion that will set you back no more than £35 !!! (and most under 30) so here we go: Nikka From the […] - [Tasting Jura 21 yo 200th Anniversary bottling](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/09/tasting-jura-21-yo-200th-anniversary-bottling/): The Jura distillery is celebrating it’s 200th anniversary and  to commemorate this event,  it has released a unique version of it’s 21 year old expression. Available from the island or from whisky merchants,  this dram was matured in vintage sherry barrels from 1963. The Box includes contains an exclusive invitational scroll from Distillery Manager, Willie Cochrane, to a special tasting of rare whiskies at the distillery. There will also be 21 stays at the luxury Jura lodge up for grabs for purchasers of the commemorative malt, which is a nice idea. when asked about this bottling distillery manager Willie said : […] - [Quick Dram : The Macallan Sherry 18 yo, 1987 vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/07/quick-dram-the-macallan-sherry-18-yo-1987-vintage/): Xmas is near, and if there was a Xmas dram, this is it. It’s not new that The Macallan makes wicked sherry drams. I’ve tasted their 18 year old (1990) , their 12 and some of the FineOak (reviews coming, I know I am way way behind times). Even that we do not celebrate Xmas here (most of us don’t anyways – as we’re jewish) I do join the holiday season, and will be posting notes of drams I associate with holiday seasons and Xmas. The Macallan Sherry Oak, 18 yo, 1987 Vintage , 46% ABV Nose: Oh baby. This reminds […] - [Tasting Glenmorangie Quarter Century–25 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/06/tasting-glenmorangie-quarter-century%e2%80%9325-yo/): My friend Josh is a Glenmorangie devotee. When he got this bottle and sampled it, he was on the top of the world. I did manage to get a wee sample of this one from him some months ago, and saved this little precious dram (a rather generous 50 ml, when you take into consideration the price of this one) for a special occasion, or for a time i could sit , sniff this alone, in the quiet of of my home without cry of kids, babies, TV etc. (a.k.a : family). This time has come. and one quiet friday night, […] - [December 2010, Scotland & Israel–complete opposites](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/05/december-2010-scotland-israelcomplete-opposites/): It’s hard for us here in Israel to depict scotland in winter. We hear about heavy snow, closed roads, ice, airports, and everyone is freezing where here, it’s supposed to be winter too , yet it’s hotter than in the Scottish summer. My amigo Lukasz Dynowiak from the EWB and now Social media consultant for Inver house distillers updates about the snow issues in those distilleries : Quoting Gordon Bruce, Knockdhu Distillery Manager (makers of AnCnoc) ‘Not the best possible whisky making weather’ – he jokes. ‘It’s -19C here today and we have about 2 ½ ft of snow. It is […] - [Whisky Round Table #7 is here](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/02/whisky-round-table-7-is-here/): It’s that time of the month, and the Whisky Knights meet again. This time Neil & Joel from Cask Strength are our hosts and the topic deals with holiday sales. the question raised is : The festive season sees the big players in the spirits business heavily discounting some of our favourite whiskies in the supermarket chains with a view to entice the ‘once a year’ buyer and to grab some healthy market share. But does it de-value the product? Or do you think by discounting decent malts, it allows those with a curiosity to develop their palates further, albeit at […] - [Malt Maniacs Awards 2010 are here!!!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/01/malt-maniacs-awards-2010-are-here/): Every year The Malt Maniacs release their MM awards. The awards are maybe the best non-interest ranking you can find. Each judge (11 in number, world wide)  gets to sample around 260 samples, blind and then the scores are all presented along with an average. This year’s ‘winner’ is : Glendronach 38yo 1972/2010 (49.5%, OB, Oloroso Sherry butt, C#700, Taiwan, 241 Bts.), which i have not had…  most of the top 10 bottlings are single casks and very limited, of course… Check out the entire awards here (PDF). But, i spotted quite a few malts which i liked (and reviewed here […] - [Quick Dram : AnCnoc 12](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/12/01/quick-dram-ancnoc-12/): Today i am about to try a dram by one of the less known Speyside distilleries : AnCnoc. The distillery itself is called Knockdhu rather than AnCnoc, and until 1990 the whisky made was also branded Knockdhu . Apparently another distillery exists with a similar name (Knockando), so in order to save us the confusion between the two different distilleries, ‘AnCnoc’ was devised. AnCnoc means “The Hill” in Gaelic, where Knockdhu means “The Black Hill”. So,as you can see, the meaning remained intact, more or less. The AnCnoc core line is very limited, and consists of 12,16 year olds, as well […] - [Tasting Compass Box Flaming Heart (10th Anni. edition)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/29/tasting-compass-box-flaming-heart/): After the ‘Double Single’ we arrive at the second limited expression bottled for the 10th anniversary. The ‘Flaming Heart’. This is a marriage of  Single malt whiskies from seven distilleries located in the northern Highlands and Islands. Primarily whiskies from distilleries located in the villages of Brora (probably  Clynelish ) , Port Askaig, Islay (Probably Caol Ila)  and the Isle of Mull – (probably Tobermory). In terms of casks : 47% refill American oak, 34% first-fill American oak and 19% new French oak casks were used. It’s a rather limited edition as well with  4,186 bottles made. Dramming! let’s go. Compass […] - [Tasting Compass box Double Single – 10th Anni. bottling](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/24/tasting-compass-box-double-single-10th-anni-bottling/): So, Compass Box, one of the better independent bottlers, and whisky innovator, led by J.Glaser has turned 10. How time flies! It’s no secret that i am quite the admirer of Glaser’s work. I’ve previously reviewed their core range, and when I’ve heard they just released two expressions to mark their 10th, I knew i wanted to review those ASAP. Double Single is actually a re-do of a blend released by CB in 2003, and never released after that. Essentially it’s a marriage of two whiskies  – One is a single malt, and one is a single grain. The idea is […] - [Quick Dram : Noh Karuizawa Single cask – 1977 – Cask # 4592](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/24/quick-dram-noh-karuizawa-single-cask-%e2%80%93-1977-%e2%80%93-cask-4592/): Karuizawa. One of those names that makes every whisky geek drool…. like song to ones ears. I have long wanted to try one of those, and since those babies are not cheap and also hard to get , I was able to try one just recently. and all thanks to those cool guys at master of malt. A few weeks ago the guys at Master of Malt offered bloggers a wee sample (or a few – i got only one) , to try and review.No strings attached,just a mention and a link to their site. They were kind enough to let […] - [Movember # 2– “The Nose” R.Paterson and his none - MO](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/23/movember-2-the-nose-r-paterson-and-his-none-mo/): So, We have 7 more days for “Movember”. My Tache is growing, and i just wanted to point you to someone who did the opposite. Yes, our famous “Nose” Richard Paterson from W&M. Richard as it seems fought this disease and has decided on a very unique way of supporting Movember.         Support Movember too. Log into : www.Movember.com and please donate! - [Tasting Amrut Intermediate Sherry](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/22/tasting-amrut-intermediate-sherry/): After tasting the new Kadambham last week, it’s time to open this week’s tasting note series with another newly released Amrut. Like the Kadambham, this one also uses  very non orthodox cask maturation. As its name implies, the spirit was aged in three casks. First, the spirit was aged in ex-Bourbon or virgin wood casks, then it was transferred into sherry casks, and then back into ex-bourbon casks. This is very different from ‘normal’ sherry regime, which means aging or finishing of the spirit in sherry as the ‘last’ period of the aging. According to Amrut, this was done in order […] - [Tasting Amrut Kadhambam](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/18/tasting-amrut-kadhambam/): India is the world’s biggest whisky market (yes, you heard me right). It’s dominated by Indian made whiskies, and Amrut is one of the big players in that market (but certainly not the biggest). As most of Indian whiskies do not meet the EU regulation for being sold as whiskies, only a fraction of them do get sold outside India. Amrut has been exporting it’s single malt whiskies since 2004 and many of us have heard about it first, when J.Murray named it as #3 best whisky in his 2010 bible. The ‘Fusion’ was indeed a great whisky, and is a […] - [Tasting Balblair vintages 2000 , 1989 (Online!!)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/15/tasting-balblair-vintages-2000-1989-online/): I am a twitter animal, i enjoy twitting and i also enjoy whisky tasting online. Sometimes a few internet friends join me for a #twhisky as we call it. This time it was a bit different. Lucas from the EWB handed out Balblair samples to a quite a few bloggers, which were to be opened and sampled all at the same time online November 10th, 19:00 GMT. What a grand idea. Of course i was eager to take place (sample some good whisky, with good company). We were to be joined by John MacDonald – Balblair Distillery Manager. Cool. Now to […] - [Tasting Kavalan part IV : ‘Solist’ Single Cask, Ex-Bourbon](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/11/tasting-kavalan-part-iv-%e2%80%98solist%e2%80%99-single-cask-ex-bourbon/): It’s been a very interesting week here at Whisky Israel HQ, with three Kavalans already tasted and reviewed. If you read yesterday’s post, you will remember that i fell in love with the Ex-Sherry single cask expression which displayed complexity , power , and quality. Today we are about to review its sibling the Ex-Bourbon matured spirit, at natural cask strength,no colour additives. This one is also three years of age, but again we’re talking Taiwan years, high temperatures and humidity which mean fast maturation and quite some ‘Angel’s share’ evaporation. Josh of  the JSMWS and I will be sharing our […] - [Tasting Kavalan Solist Single Cask Strength Sherry Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/10/tasting-kavalan-solist-single-cask-strength-sherry-cask/): After tasting the two ‘basic’ Kavalans, we’re approaching the higher end expressions. Single Cask, Cask strength and no colouring or chill filtration. The real deal. The first expression that i am going to review will be the Sherry Cask. This nectar was aged for three years in an Ex-Sherry casks. Mind you, three years in Taiwanese time and the hot weather in their dunnage means that this spirit is about 8 years Scotch time. I am a real sherry head, and i like my sherry drams strong, No water added, and with an oomph. And boy was i up to a […] - [Online Balblair twitter tasting event TONIGHT! (Nov 10th)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2010/11/10/online-balblair-twitter-tasting-event-tonight-nov-11th/): Good morning lads and lassies I am quite happy to inform you about a wee online tasting event which will take place today, Wednesday Nov. 10th. The event organized by Alembic Comms and the Edinburgh whisky blogs guys (Lucas, Chris) will boast quite a few whisky bloggers, which are active on twitter. So, please log into twitter tonight 1900 GMT (21:00 Israel time) and join us using the #Balblair hashtag. the tasting will be led by John MacDonald – Balblair Distillery Manager (@balblairwhisky – follow him if you are still not) . We are going to taste two wee drams: 2000 […] - [Tasting Wemyss malts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/17/tasting-wemyss-malts/): The Wemyss (pronunced : weems)  family have had a longstanding passion for malt whisky and their connections with the industry date back to the turn of the 19th century when John Haig (founder of Haig’s) built his first distillery on Wemyss land.Wemyss is the scots word for “cave”. Currently they are an independent bottler which released two series of malts: Blended malts, and single casks. Working for them as a whisky expert is Charlie MacLean who does not need introducing (Keeper of the Quaich since 1992, and a well known whisky writer and expert). I will be posting my tasting notes […] - [Latest Poll Results : If you could reopen a mothballed or demolished distillery, which one would it be and why?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/14/latest-poll-results-if-you-could-reopen-a-mothballed-or-demolished-distillery-which-one-would-it-be-and-why/): We asked you a few weeks ago, a very simple  question : “If you could reopen a mothballed or demolished distillery, which one would it be and why?”. I was anticipating a strong Port Ellen following, and I was not let down … Many of you wanted to re-open Port Ellen (my choice, as described in the Whisky Round Table post by Ruben), Who came in 2nd? Here are the complete results: Port Ellen – 50% Brora – 22% Karuizawa –6% Glenugie – 4% LittleMill – 2% 16% chose “Other” where the most common ‘other’ selections were: RoseBank Caperdonich Thank you […] - [Tasting Dailuaine 1983 , 27yo Single Cask (Master of Malt)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/13/tasting-dailuaine-1983-27yo-single-cask-master-of-malt/): This one concludes the recent excellent single cask  bottlings released by MoM (North British 20 yo,Cragganmore 20 yo,and the somewhat weird Dalmore 14yo) which i reviewed recently. This one a Dailuaine 27 year old is very interesting, and IMHO, the best of the bunch.Not many Dailuaine single casks bottling out there, so this is double the fun. Bottled on the 14th July 2011. This was distilled at Dailuaine on the 2nd November 1983, and it was aged for 27 years in a refill sherry hogshead, which had an outturn of just 231 bottles. Dailuaine 1983 , 27 yo, single cask, 53.6% […] - [Whisky Round Table #17 – Common myths surrounding drinking whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/12/whisky-round-table-17-%e2%80%93-common-myths-surrounding-drinking-whisky/): Again, it’s time for this month’s whisky round table. This time a classic subject chosen by Neil & Joel of CaskStrength.Net was Common myths surrounding drinking whisky. they posed a very interesting question: “Dave Broom wrote an interesting article recently on the most common myths surrounding drinking whisky, highlighting a lot of existing anxieties people associate with the spirit. What myths have you encountered from your readers and how would you help demystify them to encourage a wider (and younger audience) to enjoy whisky?” A reminder as to who are the whisky knights: Chris – Nonjatta Keith – Whisky Emporium Karen […] - [Tasting North British 1991, 20yo Single Grain by Master of Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/11/tasting-north-british-1991-20yo-single-grain-by-master-of-malt/): Time for another of Master of Malts latest single casks.This was distilled on the 22nd January 1991, and was aged in a first fill bourbon barrel for 20 years before bottling in March 2011. A single cask release of 244 bottles, non-chillfiltered, and has not been caramel coloured. North British is not one of the most famous of distilleries, and is producing Grain whisky. In fact this is my first North British bottling ever, so i have nothing to compare it to, but it’s a good one, no doubt. North British 20 Year Old 1991 – Single Cask (master of malt) […] - [Tasting Jura 1976 – ‘Feith A’ Chaorainn’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/09/tasting-jura-1976-feith-a-chaorainn/): 1976. I am one year old. a wee baby, and at the same moment, some lovely spirit is distilled thousands of miles away on the isle of Jura. who would have thought i would be tasting it 35 years later ha? Lucky me!   The 1976 ‘Feith A’ Chaorainn’ vintage is the latest rare whisky to be released by the Jura distillery. as we all know Jura is famed for its strong superstitions (see my earlier notes of the Superstition and Prophecy), mystical  legends and of course its single malts.  Many of the Islanders are superstitious in nature believing amongst others […] - [Remembering Steve](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/06/remembering-steve/): I know it’s a whisky blog and not a tech blog, However I’d like to dedicate today’s post to a great man who just passed away, prematurely. Steve jobs changes the way we interact with computers, phones and many devices, and has contributed immensely to the development of new widely available technology. I guess many tech blogs will summarize his vision and work in length. He will always be remembered as the true visionary and innovator that he was. Let’s raise a dram in his memory. May he rest in peace, in the world of all good. Rest in peace. - [New Release – Tasting the Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/04/new-release-tasting-the-balvenie-tun-1401-batch-2/): The Balvenie Tun 1401 is a relatively new release, and is very intriguing since batch #1 was highly acclaimed (Sadly i did not get to try that one, and it’s now all gone). So what is Tun 1401? basically it’s a special vatting of hand picked casks by the Balvenie malt master David Stewart. David selected 10 casks from the entire aging stock at the Balvenie warehouses to be vatted in a very big liquid vessel named a “Tun”. This Tun, is made of wood, and inside the liquid from all casks is allowed to “marry” as we call it. The […] - [A new Amrut–2 Continents Batch #2–tasting notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/02/amrut%e2%80%932-continents-batch-2%e2%80%93tasting-notes/): The Guys at Amrut Single Malt never cease to surprise, and this new expression is one of their new releases for 2011. Batch #1 was a success, and batch #2 follows , but with some radical changes: different casks havebeen used for the maturation. Instead of ex-grain casks, second-fill bourbon casks have been used this time. The Amrut Two Continents Second Edition has also been bottled – in individually numbered bottles – at 50% abv, not 46% abv. Why two continents you ask? Two Continents refers to the fact that this is matured first in India and then Europe, where climate […] - [Shana Tova (Happy new Jewish year)!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/28/shana-tova-2011-2012/): Wow, that was fast. another year has passed. It was a great year in terms of whisky in general and for Whisky Israel too. May the next year be at least as good as this year. May the next year be a year of: A year of happiness A year of self-fulfillment A year of peace A year of great whisky! It’s customary to eat apple and dip it in honey for a sweet year, so let’s also raise a dram for a fantastic new year! Shana Tova ,All! Gal. - [Compass Box Twasting with the WhiskyWire](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/27/compass-box-twasting-with-the-whiskywire/): I love Twastings (twitter tastings, in case you do not know what it is), and I love Compass Box whiskies. Great Artisanal blended malts and whiskies. What can be better than a twitter tasting of Compass Box whiskies? well, nothing. Tuesday, 22:00 Israeli time. Kids asleep, Wife asleep, it’s only me and my precious 3 samples of compass box. Now those tubes are sexy as hell, with the liquid gold inside. We set to meet, courtesy of the tasting organizer, Steve Rush of the Whisky Wire blog , and a lovely chap. There were quite a few of us (don’t want […] - [Master of Malt Cragganmore 20 Year Old 1991 – Single Cask , (274 btl.)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/26/master-of-malt-cragganmore-20-year-old-1991/): Distilled on the 8th March 1991 and bottled in March 2011, this is a refill hoggshead , with an outturn of 274 bottles. Non-chillfiltered, with no artificial colouring.I am a fun of the OB 12 and have tried some nicer Single Casks in the past, so i was really hoping for a good cask this time. Master of Malt Cragganmore 20 Year Old 1991 , 54.20% , £50 Nose : Classic stuff. Speyside in a glass : pears &  apples with a malty base some sugar and baked apples too. Wee spicy edge to it, a few more minutes in the […] - [Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Take IV : Sazerac 18](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/22/buffalo-trace-antique-collection-take-iv-sazerac-18/): Perhaps the most well known whisky of the Antique Collection, after winning Murray’s Whisky bible whisky of the year in his 2010 edition and scoring a whopping 97.5 /100 score .  Again, this is a straight Rye whisky, which means at least 51% of it is Rye. So how good is this whisky, does it deserve the title? Let’s see. Sazerac Straight Rye 18 Year Old Whiskey (Fall 2010), 45%,£105 Nose : Balsamic vanilla interlaced with old oak , orange marmalade. A second sniff reveals some leather and coffee notes. Quite the rounded nose for a rye. Palate: Spices galore. Nutmeg, […] - [Whisky Bits Update September 20th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/20/whisky-bits-update-september-20th/): Wild Whisky Weekend – Falster, Denmark Hans-Hanrik Hansen, is the worlds biggest Glenfiddich collector (post about him coming soon), in addition he’s a whisky lover and fanatic (in the good way).Each year he holds a whisky weekend in the hotel he owns in Falster,DK, where a lot of good whisky, and company can be found. It’s a lovely event, and If you’re able to be there, i suspect you’re in for a treet. In addition to a Gala dinner, there are a few tasting events and classes including: Golfing session with Ian Millar Latest novelties from Glenfiddich tasting Friday W&M Tasting […] - [Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Take III : William Larue Weller 2010 Release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/20/william-larue-weller-2010/): This is third post featuring bottles from the B.Trace Antique collection bottle share organized by Sjoerd. This baby is a wheated Bourbon, and as such offers a milder , yet rich Bourbon not as bity as the Rye, but very different from the standard Bourbon profile. It’s aged for 12 years, having been distilled in 1998, and aged on the fourth and ninth floors of Warehouses I and P of Buffalo trace.Bottled at CS of 63.3% it promises a lot. Let’s see what kind of treat we’re in for with this lovely dram . William Larue Weller (2010 Release) , 63.3 […] - [Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Take II : Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 2010](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/19/buffalo-trace-antique-collection-take-ii-thomas-h-handy-sazerac-2010/): So, we continue our little journey through the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, and this time with the T.H.Handy 2010, straight Rye.I’m quite fond of rye whiskies, and this one is no exception. It turned out to be a fab example of rye whiskies. This one should be around 6 years of age, and is bottled at a whopping Cask strength of 63.45%. Mamma mia. Let’s dive… Thomas H. Handy Straight Rye, 2010,63.45% ABV, £108 Nose: A rye nose but not as powerful rye as expected , and that is a good thing. Spicy almost peppermint-y. The kind you find in cinnamon […] - [A sunday break :: Farm To Drink- Sweet Concoctions](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/18/a-sunday-break-farm-to-drink-sweet-concoctions/): Summer is almost over (or rather we wish it were, here in Israel it’s still hot, humid and nights here are warmer than midday in Scotland) and before we move into autumn, we have a last chance to enjoy the ripe fruit of summer. The guys at Liqour.com asked Charlotte Voisey to host a series of four short films the first of which  you can enjoy now – On a beautiful sunny afternoon, we accompany Voisey to San Francisco’s impressive Ferry Plaza Farmers Market to get her tips on finding the freshest and best ingredients. Then later, behind the bar, she […] - [Tasting Three Balvenies (The Balvenie sample pack)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/15/tasting-three-balvenies-the-balvenie-sample-pack/): Five years ago i would not touch a single whisky. I did not like whiskies, and my memory of whiskies back than were of low quality blends, which did not attract me. When i was offered a dram I would say, no. Then, one Evening I visited my friend Kfir, and he offered me dram. I asked him if he had anything good, and although his collection back then was smaller than today, he had a few Glenmorangies and a Balvenie Double wood. I chose that one based on his recommendation. The rest is history. I completely fell in love with […] - [Whisky Round Table #16 – mothballed or demolished distilleries](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/15/whisky-round-tanble-16-mothballed-or-demolished-distilleries/): Again, it’s time for this month’s whisky round table. This time a classic subject chosen by Ruben of WhiskyNotes.be (good choice Ruben). mothballed or demolished distilleries, always interesting, and always relevant. A reminder as to who are the whisky knights: Chris – Nonjatta Keith – Whisky Emporium Karen & Matt – Whisky For Everyone Ruben – Whisky Notes Mark – Glasgow’s Whisky (And Ale) Neil & Joel – Caskstrength.net Lucas & Chris – Edinburgh Whisky Blog Jason – Guid Scotch Drink Gal(me) – Whisky Israel Mike – Whisky Party Peter – The Casks Joshua – The Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society […] - [Tasting the Glenrothes 1995 vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/13/tasting-the-glenrothes-1995-vintage/): This new Glenrothes is one of the youngest (save the 1998) vintages to  have been released and is special in a way , since this is the first vintage bottling which is planned, before that vintages were just made out of existing stock, and were “unplanned” as opposed to this one. the 1995 is composed of 30% sherry treated casks (both American and Spanish oak) and 70% refill casks. Now let’s get dramming. Glenrothes 1995 ,43% Nose : Thick butterscotch , “lotus” biscuits , sweet.  Vanilla and wee hints if zest( lemon) & spices.  Classic stuff. Apples and some sultanas add […] - [Tasting 6 Arrans with friends of WI society](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/13/tasting-6-arrans-with-friends-of-wi-society/): I’ve reviewed only a few arrans until now on the blog (mostly special releases), and was very keen on expanding my experience and getting to know more of the Arran line-up. It’s always nicer tasting malts in company, so I popped over to Richard’s where we were to meet with Shai and drink a few wee drams by Arran. I provided the samples (kindly sent to me by Andy, Thanks you very much!) and Richard provided the lovely hospitality with a table loaded with food (Thank you Rich!). Shai was kind enough to bring one of his Arran bottles (the IB […] - [The Whisky Exchange–Whisky Show Bottlings](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/12/the-whisky-exchangewhisky-show-bottlings/): Living in Israel sucks big time when it comes to whisky events. I find myself wishing i lived nearer Europe so i could just hop on a train and be able to attend more whisky events. If you are not aware of it, then you should – The Whisky Exchange are organizing the whisky show this October (7th & 8th) at Vinopolis, and by the looks of it, this is going to be one amazing show. I’ve been invited, but sadly i can not be there (family,$$$ – the usual reasons), but I do recommend you take a look at the […] - [Musing about The Glenlivet Range](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/11/musing-about-the-glenlivet-range/): Richard Barr is a member of the Whisky Israel tasting society , a blog correspondent at times,  and a good whisky friend and big whisky lover. From time to time he posts his notes and adventures on our blog. My recent travels on British Airways reminded me of a Single Malt Whisky moment I had a few years ago… As you may know British Airways differentiates its travel classes with different aged Glenlivet expressions. Economy class gets the pedestrian 12 yo, Business class is honoured with the 15 yo, while First class is pampered with the 18 yo beauty. Once while […] - [Whisky Israel 300th post giveaway–And The Winner Is…](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/05/whisky-israel-300th-post-giveawayand-the-winner-is/): First of all let me thank everyone who participated, and wished us happy birthday and 300th post. It was really hear warming to see so many replies from all over the world : USA,India,Israel,Europe,Australia,Africa and many others. But here it goes: *drums*: The winner is:…. Menashe Almor. A wee set of those lovely Balvenies will be on the way to your address (after you send me your address of course). Thanks you all for participating. I will be reviewing those 3 wee Balvenies, in the coming days here, on the blog. Happy dramming, and see you in our 400th post celebration! […] - [Whisky News Flash – September 2011](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/02/whisky-newsflash-more-%e2%80%93-september-2nd-2011/): So here’s a few bits i’ve gathered for this NewsFlash. End of summer is near, and thanks goodness for that. Balblair and WIRED Magazine photography competition Balblair Single Malt whisky and WIRED Magazine collaborated to create an exclusive photography competition for Balblair fans and WIRED readers, with exceptional prizes to be won. In September and October we will be encouraging talented amateur photographers to submit their work to the WIRED team. The brief for entrants is Balblair’s motto: timed to perfection. Entries will be judged by WIRED picture Editor Steve Peck and Editorial Photographer of the Year 2010 – Edmund Clark. […] - [Tasting Isle of Jura Prophecy](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/09/01/tasting-isle-of-jura-prophecy/): It has been some time since i last tasted a new Jura. Having liked the XU heavy peat, i was looking forward to this one. This wee dram was a part of the samples used in the first ever Google + tasting event with the W&M master blender Richard Paterson (see my post about it, for more info). I knew this dram was supposed to be peaty, but the amount of peat compared to the peaty Superstition surprised me too. A vatting of several cask types , peating levels and style, and finished in an Oloroso sherry butt. Why call it […] - [Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Take I : Eagle Rare 17](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/30/buffalo-trace-antique-collection-take-i-eagle-rare-17/): I started my BT Antique collection voyage with this 17 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. At 45% ABV, it is one of the weaker expressions in the Antique Collection (where some are way over 60, and even over 70%), but it’s a good one. Eagle Rare, 17yo, 45% , £90 (@MoM) Nose: Sweet N’ spicy with some balsamic,Golden Syrup,and a nutty edge to it, as well as quite a bit of sweet pastries / dough. Palate: Butterscotch, Wood shavings, Cigar tobacco leaves, leather and dark tea , all engulfed in old wood. Finish : Wood, leather and bitter tea. Bottom […] - [Tasting the Whyte & Mackay 13 and 19 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/29/tasting-the-whyte-mackay-13-and-19-year-old/): Yesterday I wrote about the W&M Google+ tasting session, which was lovely, but too fast for me to really dive into those two blends and really appreciate them. SO, I revisited them the day after for a complete tasting note session. It’s weird that I have not tasted those two prior to that tasting, since i really like the 22 year old (post coming soon) and think it’s Fab. Let’s see how its younger siblings do. Whyte & Macakay 13 year old, 40% , £20(@Mom) 13 year old is indeed a weird age for a blend. We usually find those aged […] - [The first online Google+ live whisky tasting by Whyte & Mackay](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/28/the-first-online-google-live-whisky-tasting-by-whyte-mackay/): A few weeks ago (July13th to be more exact) i spotted a post on the W&M blog which announced the first ever G+ live whisky tasting, by the one and only Richard Paterson, Master blender extraordinaire at W&M… Who fancies a dram with me? As I mentioned the other day I’m on Google+ and one of the features on there is being able have a group video chat with other people, so I was thinking why not get together, have a dram and talk whisky? So here’s what’s being proposed. We’ll do one or two video hangouts on August 15 and […] - [Tasting The Master of Malt Dalmore 1996 14-year-old Single Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/26/tasting-the-master-of-malt-dalmore-1996-14-yo-single-cask/): Another of MoM’s new single cask bottling at a good price, this time from the Dalmore distillery. A refill Hoggy took care of this dram for 14 years until bottled at CS. IB Dalmores are not bottled very frequently so this is should be interesting. The Master of Malt , Dalmore 1996 14yo , Single Cask, 55.50%, £45 (Distilled 29th October 1996 , bottled 17th June 2011) Nose: vanilla and coconut. Quite a bit of alcohol burn. With water getting more wet hay, and a bit woody. Palate : malty. Some dried fruit and wet oak. Raisins , white pepper. Finish: […] - [Good News! – Whisky Israel to be featured on the Malt Whisky yearbook 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/24/good-news-whisky-israel-to-be-featured-on-the-malt-whisky-yearbook-2012/): A bit of good news I thought I’d share them with you, my readers. I guess None of you needs an introduction to the Malt Whisky Yearbook (THE authoritative book that whisky enthusiasts worldwide look forward to each autumn).Well, last night i got some wonderful news from the editor of MWYB, Ingvar Ronde : It appears that for the first time the Whisky Israel Blog will be included in the 2012 edition, in the list of recommended whisky blogs to follow. A real Honour.   A bit about Malt Whisky Yearbook 2012 Malt Whisky Yearbook 2012 lists hundreds of whisky shops, […] - [Tasting Kintra Tamdhu 20 yo single cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/23/tasting-kintra-tamdhu-20-yo-single-cask/): The Second Kintra I recently got hold of (a sample, sadly) is this Tamdhu 20 yo. Sherry cask as well, but what a whisky. All gone by now, and not surprisingly, but it’s glory should be told right? Now, Tamdhu has just been bought recently by Ian Macleod Distillers , after being mothballed in 2010 by Edrington Group. Now let’s hope this will lead to interesting OB by this lovely distillery.This dram shows great promise, and maybe we’ll see more of this greatness in the future. Kintra Tamdhu 1990/20yo Cask KW001 48,1% ABV , 84 btl Nose: Big sherry sweetness but […] - [Tasting Kintra –Confidential Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/22/tasting-kintra-confidential-cask/): If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you probably remember me posting my notes on 3 previous bottling by Kintra, and loving them, with the highlight being the Glen Scotia bottling. Erik Molenaar, owner of Kintra and a real lover of single malt has some new gems up his sleeve, and was kind enough to send me a wee sample of two of those (Kintra is mainly available in the Netherlands, and not in those forsaken parts of the world… – so thank you Eric Much appreciated). Needless to say i had high hopes for those two. The first […] - [Sunday Flic : the $13 Cocktail.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/21/sunday-flic-the-13-cocktail/): Good morning. I am off to a wee vacation up north in the Golan Heights, Wine Country. I will be back in a few day’s but i do have some posts and notes lines up for this week. In the mean time, here is a beautiful video prepared by the guys over at Liqour.com detaliing the back stage of a cocktail bar. It’s very interesting to watch, and ideal for a lazy sunday. So sit back and enjoy.   Behind the Drink: The $13 Cocktail from Liquor.com on Vimeo. Liquor.com filmed the managers at San Francisco craft-cocktail bar Bourbon & Branch […] - [Tasting Master of Malt’s ‘Brown Drink’.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/19/tasting-master-of-malts-brown-drink/): A quick question: What do you get when you vat together 542 different kinds of spirits, mix them well, and then bottle them up? You got it right, “the brown drink”. This is exactly what the chaps over at Master of Malt did. As you know they are offering 100’s of dram sized samples and they make about 23 samples out of each bottle. which leaves 10 ml in the bottle. So, they took all those ‘spare’ 10 ml’s and made a new drink out of those all.  they included many whiskies : from From Aberlour 19 Year Old Cask Strength, […] - [Tasting ‘Ron de Jeremy’ ,oh yes!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/16/tasting-ron-de-jeremy-oh-yes/): A Rum. yes. My first rum tasting note on a whisky blog, and what do i choose? Yes, Ron de Jeremy. I was really keen on trying this, and as soon as i got the sample from the fine guys at Master of Malt (thank you guys!), i poured me a wee dram. So, how do you go about writing tasting notes on a dram like that? Every word is/can be an innuendo, and every adjective is well… problematic. Few others have tried and did quite well. So, i will just have fun with it, and see how it goes, ok? […] - [Visiting Balblair Distillery Part II : Tasting session](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/16/visiting-balblair-distillery-part-ii-tasting-session/): After completing the Grand tour with distillery manager John MacDonald (see my last post about that), we were shown the way to the tasting room where we were to enjoy a few drams, again hosted by John. What can be a better ending to such a glorious tour in a lovely place like Balblair? We entered the room to find the table set with five glasses, and after a few minutes, we started what we really came in for. taste whisky! Glasses ready (photo: Lukasz Dynowiak) There is no better way to start a tasting, than to sniff and taste the […] - [My Visit to Scotland (June 2011) Part I : Balblair](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/14/my-visit-to-scotland-june-2011-part-i-balblair/): Before i begin, i just want to let you know this is my 300th post!! on Whisky Israel, and that I’ve  chosen to publish this post today, as it was probably the highlight of those great two years since i began blogging. So, it’s just fitting to act as my celebratory post. Hope you enjoy it. and here is to many more posts like this! Cheers! Stage I : From Israel to the Scottish Highlands It all started very unexpectedly one day, when an email from The guys over at Inver House Distillers landed in my Inbox, inviting me for a […] - [Buying Whisky on the Road – A treasure trove in Johannesburg](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/11/buying-whisky-on-the-road-a-treasure-trove-in-johannesburg/): Richard Barr is a member of the Whisky Israel tasting society , a blog correspondent at times,  and a good whisky friend and big whisky lover. From time to time he posts his notes and adventures on our blog. This time a bit about his experience of buying whisky in Johannesburg, SA. Great stuff. worth a read. As my friends and family can testify, I travel more than a little bit for work, heading to some very interesting place around the globe. One question I’ve been asked on more than one occasion is “where do you buy your whisky on your […] - [Our 300th post! (and 2nd birthday) and a chance to win a ‘Balvenie’ 3 sample set!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/09/our-300th-post-and-2nd-birthday-and-a-chance-to-win-a-balvenie-3-sample-set/): Yes! Our 300th post will be live next week. 300! Now 300 posts may not sound like much but it’s really an awesome number taking into consideration 95% posts were written by me, as a side project … on top of raising 2 wee kids, a demanding job, and life. I would like to thank each of every one of you, our readers for readin, commenting and sharing this whisky journey with us. So,as a token of our appreciation to you our readers, We’re giving you a chance to win a wee prize. A Balvenie 3 sample kit (3X50ml) containing the […] - [Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2010 - bottle share](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/08/buffalo-trace-antique-collection-2010-bottle-share/): Bottle share. What a nice idea. You get to sample quite a few exquisite bottles, for the cost of less than a bottle. Cool eh? Bu really, bottle share are a very cool way to try a lot of new whiskies without committing and buying the whole bottle. My good whisky friend Sjoerd D.H (and a great whisky blogger on its own) which runs Malt Fascination, likes organizing bottles shares, and I am always delighted to be the Israeli participant in one of those.  A few months ago he posted a question on twitter , for people that were interested in […] - [The Tweeddale blend 12 year old Batch #2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/07/the-tweeddale-blend-12-year-old-batch-2/): A few months ago I finally reviewed Batch #1 of the Tweeddale blend, which is a great blend with a beautiful story behind it (read more here) . A few weeks ago the 2nd Batch of the same blend has been released. This time 12 year old rather than the 10 year old. It’s always interesting to see how batches differ from each other, and i was really interested to try the new batch and compare to the first batch. when a wee sample bottle arrived i did not wait and tasted it the same day. In case you were wondering […] - [Tasting Black Bull Special Reserve – Batch #1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/04/tasting-black-bull-special-reserve/): The Black Bull Special Reserve is the latest addition to the BB family consisting of the 12,30,40 year olds. It has been bottled to celebrate BB 12 year old winning the best scotch blend in the world, 12 years and under at the 2011 World Whisky Awards. As always, BB Special Reserve contains a high ratio of malt to grain (50%!) and is bottled at cask strength Non chill filtered, with no artificial colouring. This first batch is is an extremely limited release batch with just 978 hand-numbered bottles available globally. Having previously tasted the 12 and 40 year olds (both […] - [Whisky Round Table #15–Cocktails.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/04/whisky-round-table-15cocktails/): Whisky Cocktails have been quite popular in the whisky blogosphere lately. Quite a few debates going about whether we like, or think of them as Sacrilege. Oliver of Dramming posted a Poll regarding this the same day the Whisky Round table 15 dealing with this was about to go online (he did not know about this..). Recently the MOM blog was also dealing with cocktails made with good whiskies it was just fitting the Peter of The Casks blog would choose this subject as this month’s whisky debate. Peter raised the following question : Whisky cocktails…love ‘em or hate ‘em? We’re […] - [Tasting Fettercairn 40 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/03/tasting-fettercairn-40-year-old/): Having not had a single dram in a week (due to throat issues and Antibiotics) i was looking at my old tasting notes, and found this one. in desperate need of publication… A few months back (January 20th, to be more exact) i posted my notes on the Fettercairn ‘Fior’ which was a very good and enjoyable dram. I promised to review the entire range, and for some reason did not get to it. I chose to re-start the FC series of notes with the 40 year old, which i had the pleasure of tasting. Now 40 year olds are usually […] - [A Whisky Visit… To the Holy Land!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/08/02/a-whisky-visit-to-the-holy-land/): Few months ago, Marc Pendlebury, being no other than WhsikyBrother.com from South Africa, twitted Gal and myself that he is to visit Israel during July on a family vacation. It was very obvious right then that we three are going to meet somehow and share a dram or two during his stay to the Holy Land. And so, after some emails and tweets , it was agreed that on his first Shabbat here (Saturday), Marc will be coming over to my place for lunch as well as Gal and his family. The set Saturday came, and as soon as I finished putting […] - [New Whisky & Music Festival : Pure Festival, London](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/29/new-whisky-music-festival-pure-festival-london/): If you’re in London this September (24,25th), and you love whisky and music (if you’re reading this blog, I’m sure you love whisky, and who doesn’t love music eh?) You should be aware of this lovely new Festival coming. Named Pure, and organized by the guys over at Connosr.com. Pure aims to educate people on Whisky in a fun and informative way and the festival is a unique opportunity to sample a number of fantastic whiskies in a relaxed, informal setting.  Brown spirits are enjoying a huge renaissance in the UK from both male and females and there is a real […] - [Tasting The English Whisky Co. Chapter 11 Heavily peated](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/27/tasting-the-english-whisky-co-chapter-11-heavily-peated/): St.George’s Distillery is a rather new distillery which started producing whisky in 2006. The distillery itself had been founded by James Nelstrop and his son Andrew. Currently their master distiller is David Fitt who joined them in 2007. The distillery’s first official Whisky was bottled in 2009. The distillery has a unique naming convention for it’s whiskies and spirits (under 3 years of aging), where each one is assigned a Chapter X name. Chapter 1 ,2 were new makes spirits, where Chapter 3,4 were 18 year old aged spirits (not yet whisky). Chapter 5 trough 11 which i will review shortly […] - [Tasting The BenRiach Authenticus 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/27/tasting-the-benriach-authenticus-21-yo/): This one is the older brother of the 10 year old Curiositas I’ve reviewed in the past. Every year only 4800 bottles of this fine nectar are released.at 46% ABV, it’s non chill filtered, and natural colour, as we whisky geeks like! BenRiach Authenticus 21 , 46% ABV , £60 Nose: A rather peaty nose, with quite a lot of smoke, and an underlying sweeter honeyed juice, with hints of apples, Sherry sweetness, the odd dried fruit, and spices. Palate: Oodles of peat, on layers of sweet, spicy, honey juice. some leather, then off to more sultanas,dark chocolate and nuts. a […] - [Tasting The BenRiach 20 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/26/tasting-the-benriach-20-yo/): We’re climbing the age ramp , and after having 16,17 year olds, we’ve reached the more mature 20 and 21 year old (next post). For a 20 year old whisky , this one is well priced at around £51, yet the 43% is a bit disappointing. why not up the ante and go with 46%? this is clearly not an entry level whisky… The BenrRiach 20 yo  , 43% ABV , £51 Nose: Starts lighter with floral notes, then Vanilla,Marzipan, honey, some exotic fruit and wood, quite a bit of that here. Palate: Vanilla, Apples dipped in honey, Mars Chocolate bars, […] - [Glenfiddich Take II : Tasting four Glenfiddich](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/22/glenfiddich-take-ii-tasting-four-glenfiddich/): After enjoying the lovely hospitality of the British Ambassador, we sat down for a short tasting session of 4 GF expressions. The Tasting was led by Ilan of the Hacerem (Israeli Importer of Glenfiddich), and was set beautifully in the garden around little tables with 4 sitting at each. I sat down for the tasting with two lovely blokes : Richard Salt, Director of Trade & Investment at the embassy, and the  W.Grant & Sons Area manager – Levant.   It’s weird that I do not have a tasting note for this one. I guess it’s amazingly popular, and a cornerstone […] - [The Glenfiddich event at the British ambassador ‘s house celebrating the Snow Phoenix](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/21/the-glenfiddich-event-at-the-british-ambassador-%e2%80%98s-house-celebrating-the-snow-phoenix/): If you remember a few weeks ago i wrote about the Snow Phoneix auction in Israel and asked how much would you pay for a bottle. The auction took place this month, and as promised, The British Ambassador in cooperation with the Israel Importer of Glenfiddich threw a cocktail party, and reception for Israeli journalists and the lucky 45 Isralies who won a bottle of the S.Phoenix. I was very happy after a bit of effort to have been invited to the event. I found this in my Inbox: It’s not everyday that i have a chance of meeting an ambassador […] - [Tasting The BenRiach 17 yo Rioja Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/20/tasting-the-benriach-17-yo-rioja-finish/): Continuing our Benriach sessions, with another finish, this time an older 17 year old Rioja wine finish. For those of you who are not familiar with the wine world, Rioja denotes a wine region in Spain. Rioja wines are made from vines growing in the La Rioja region, as well as some part of Navarra, and the Basque province of Álava. Saying Rioja is not really saying a lot about the wine cask, since there are quite a few grape verities used in Rioja wines. I could not find anymore information regarding which wineries or grape types are used here in […] - [Tasting The BenRiach 13 yo Maderensis Fumosus (peated Madeira finished)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/18/tasting-the-benriach-13-yo-maderensis-fumosus-peated-madeira-finished/): After two non peated beauties, we come back to the peated land. It’s Speyside, yes i know, but if you remember my previous BenRiach posts, i quite liked their peated line. How will this Madeira finish fare? will it be in par with the sherry / rum ‘Fumosuses’?  Let’s dive in. Nose first, of course! The BenRiach 13 yo Maderensis Fumosus , 46% ABV ,£30 Nose: Peat smoke, with a lot of sweet tropical fruit. A kind of a peat lollipop, with a pinch of cinnamon added to it. Palate:Oodles of sweet peat smoke, cocoa, butterscotch and the spices from the […] - [Tasting The BenRiach 16 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/15/tasting-the-benriach-16-yo/): This one is the older brother of the 12 yo I wrote about earlier this week, let’s see what we’re in for after an additional 4 years of maturation. The BenRiach 16 yo, 40% ABV , £36 Nose: The nose on this one is spicier than the 12 yo. Starting on candied Ginger, a bit of exotic fruit (papaya, sun-dried banana) , marzipan and creamy rice pudding. Palate: Almonds, Nuts, buttered bread with honey ,again the sun-dried banana, and lots of vanilla coming in and doing very nice things to your palate Finish : Longish, malty, spicy, with toasted oak, and […] - [Tasting The Benriach 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/13/tasting-the-benriach-12-yo/): My first Benriach in the series. This 12 year old has won a few medals through the years (it’s right medals don’t say much about the whisky).  It’s a no frills 12 classic speysider, without any finishes or peat or anything. the good old way . So let’s give it a try. The Benriach 12 yo,40% abv, £23 Nose: Starting off with a lot of vanilla, then continues with some floral, and malty notes, quite buttery, the wood is very nicely integrated. A bit of a citrusy edge to it, in the ending. Palate: A great mouth feel, a bit oily, […] - [Tasting The Benriach On Whisky Israel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/12/tasting-the-benriach-on-whisky-israel/): The Benriach distillery is located in the ‘Heart of Speyside’, between the village of Rothes and the town of Elgin, in the North-East of Scotland. It has a long history, originally built  in 1898 by John duff, who also constructed Longmorn, which is not far away. The Benriach had seen long periods of closure and mothballing since 1990, until finally purchased in 2004 by a group of whisky lovers led by Billy walker (a former operations manager with Burn Stewart) and two south African partners (Geoff Bell and Wayne Kieswetter) which also purchased the Glendronach distillery. That year production was restored […] - [Macallan and Charity:Water , Last drops of the ‘Cire Perdue' available](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/08/macallan-and-charitywater-last-drops-of-the-%e2%80%98cire-perdue-available%e2%80%99/): One in Eight people on this planet do not have access to SAFE ,CLEAN, drinking water. That’s a fact. Now,The Macallan in cooperation with the non-profit organisation named “charity:water” are doing something to change that. I am sure you’ve hard in the past about the Macallan Lalique 64 year old, which is auctioned and had raised $605,000 last year for that just cause. The Decanter which was beautifully crafted raised about $460,000 and the 10cl samples were $41,000 each. Impressive. Of course those amounts are far beyond me, and you my readers (If not, good for you!). The Macallan have a […] - [Whisky Round Table #14–Whisky Rating Systems – hosted by the JSMWS](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/06/whisky-round-table-14%e2%80%93whisky-rating-systems-%e2%80%93-hosted-by-the-jsmws/): It seems time flies so fast, from the #13 chapter of our whisky knights gathering… This month our host is Josh of the Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society (And blog). He posted a very interesting question, i guess every whisky blogger / fan had invested a few minutes/hours/months thinking about : Whisky ratings.  We all rate whisky and we all do it in a different way.  Many of us, as well as other bloggers, critics & whisky writers, have our own technique.  The most popular being the 100 point system.  Some have a ten point system or a star system.  Then […] - [Tasting Great King Street ‘Artist’s Blend’ By Compass Box](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/06/tasting-great-king-street-artists-blend-by-compass-box/): About three weeks ago Compass Box whisky Co. had launched a new line of whisky named “Great King Street” , and the first expression in this line : A blended whisky (not Blended malt since this one also contains some grain like ‘normal’ blends do). I’ve dedicated a post to this new launch, which can be found here, but essentially we’re speaking about a luxury blend with a high malt content (almost 50%) , and very fine ingredients. A few bloggers / whisky sites had already reviewed it, and gave it good reviews, and  I was very happy to receive a […] - [Would you pay €150 for A ‘snow phoenix’?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/04/would-you-pay-150-for-a-snow-phoenix/): So, A snow phoenix for €150? Yes, that could be the price (and much more) for such a bottle sold in Israel. As it happens, the Israeli Importer of Glenfiddich had been allocated 60 bottles for the entire country, 15 of which were broken on the way to Israel (talk about rough seas, eh?). So what does the importer do? He decides on auctioning all of the remaining 45 bottles. starting at €120, to the highest bidder. One small addition is that the winners of the auction will receive their bottle in an event hosted by the British ambassador in Tel […] - [Tasting the Ardbeg Alligator–finally](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/03/tasting-the-ardbeg-alligatorfinally/): Exactly one month ago, the Ardbeg Alligator Committee release (for discussion) was released and i posted the official notes for it. It’s been very tough getting hold of a bottle down here in Israel (Ardbeg do not ship here, why?!), and finally yesterday i recived a wee sample of the beast kindly sent to me by a good whisky friend, and a real whisky lover Johan (a talented whisky blogger from Sweden who runs the WhiskyBlogg.se with his companion Tommy D). So first, many thanks to Johan for allowing me to sample this dram. much obliged! What i am trying is […] - [My ‘Carambola Pantheon’ Cocktail –Featured on the Master of Malt blog](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/07/01/my-carambola-pantheon-cocktail-featured-on-the-master-of-malt-blog/): A couple of month ago, I was asked by the chaps at MoM if I was interested in making a cocktail using their Master of Malt 8 year old blended whisky, and I happily jumped at the opportunity, so to say. Normally I am not a cocktail maker, but I had just the perfect ingredients, and a lovely recipe I wanted to base my cocktail on (a recipe by a very talented Israeli bartender named Oron Lerner). My secret ingredient? (apart from the MOM 8 year old?) was a Carambola (AKA: star fruit) liquor made by the very talented an enthusiastic […] - [Whisky Israel Society – Springbank Tasting](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/26/whisky-israel-society-summit-4-whiskey-2/): As we posted at the beginning of June, WI Society were to have our first open to the public gathering, with a Springbank tasting and a special guest. Well, as posted and promised, we did! On June 13, at HaBerez (The Tap) Mini-Bar at Tel Aviv, we’ve gathered together WI Society members and friends to enjoy what was a great whisky event. HaBerez is a small bar and functions as the ‘special events’ room for the neighbouring pub “Shishko” (both under the same ownership of Tal Chotiner, who is also the Johnnie Walker ambassador to Israel!). Being small and cosy with […] - [Tasting Port Charlotte 9 yo, Single Cask bottled for whisky friends Denmark](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/24/tasting-port-charlotte-9-yo-single-cask-bottled-for-whisky-friends-denmark/): In my daily ramblings in cyberspace I get to meet a lot of whisky friends from all over the world be it Europe America or Australia. I was fortunate enough to have met a few lovely Danish whisky lovers , one of which frequents Israel so we actually got to meet a couple of times. The last time we met, I ended up tasting 5 blind samples sent by @macdeffe owner of the Danish whisky blog, and this time i was lucky to be able to sample a single cask bottling from one his owned casks (and cask shares), and not […] - [Tasting Zuidam 5 yo Dutch Rye Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/21/tasting-zuidam-5-yo-dutch-rye-whisky/): A Dutch Rye Whisky? Well, Yes! A few months ago, my good whisky buddy Sjoerd from NL, had arranged a bottle share of American whiskies (i have yet to post my notes!, wow. i am way back). anyways, he was kind enough as to add a wee sample of this very nice rye by a Dutch distillery by the name of Zuidam. Zuidam distillery goes back to 1975 when it was set up by Fred van Zuidam. His idea was to build a small artisanal distillery, and He built a small distillery of 300 square meters with 1 small copper still […] - [Tasting Springbank 1999 by Single Malts of Scotland](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/16/tasting-springbank-1999-by-single-malts-of-scotland/): Last week I had the pleasure of meeting a few wonderful whisky bloggers from the UK and Sweden while visiting some distilleries in a trip sponsored by Inver House distillers (owners of Balblair,Knockdhu,Pulteney, and Speyburn). Long and detailed posts about that trip will surely follow in coming weeks…. One of the guys i was really happy to meet was Billy Abbot  (A.K.A @cowfish) who recently had become editor of the Whisky Exchange Blog. A great bloke I’ve been tweeting to for some time now. Anyways, Billy was kind enough to bring over a wee sample of a yet to be released […] - [Whisky Round table #13–Hosted by JJY of the GSD blog](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/13/whisky-round-table-13hosted-by-jjy-of-the-gsw-blog/): We meet again, and this time a cracking question that will no doubt keep on being asked again, again and again. just to remind you the knights are: Chris – Nonjatta Keith – Whisky Emporium Karen & Matt – Whisky For Everyone Ruben – Whisky Notes Mark – Glasgow’s Whisky (And Ale) Neil & Joel – Caskstrength.net Lucas & Chris – Edinburgh Whisky Blog Jason – Guid Scotch Drink Gal – Whisky Israel Mike – Whisky Party Peter – The Casks Joshua – The Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society this months question is: In February of 2010 John Hansell, Malt Advocate […] - [New Whisky from Compass Box : Great King Street ‘Artist’s Blend’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/12/new-whisky-from-compass-box-great-king-street-%e2%80%98artist%e2%80%99s-blend%e2%80%99/): Normally i don’t post about new whiskies before they are released, or before I have the chance to sample them, but I really like John Glaser’s work and CB’s whiskies, and this one is really something i am looking forward to trying soon. To make a long story short- Compass Box has released 4 days ago a new Brand of whiskies solely dedicated to Blended Scotch Whisky – called Great King Street and the first expression from this line is named ‘The Artist’s Blend’. Quoting J.Glaser: “This is more than a brand; it’s a mission. A mission to get people – […] - [The Mad Dash – A whirlwind trip from Israel to Spain to attend Whisky Live Madrid](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/08/the-mad-dash-%e2%80%93-a-whirlwind-trip-from-israel-to-spain-to-attend-whisky-live-madrid/): I had such a wonderful time at Whisky Live London back in March, I decided to see if there were any other shows in my “neighborhood”. I discovered the closest event was in Madrid. I couldn’t get anyone else to make a crazy journey lasting a mere 32 hours, including 10 hours flight time, so I would have to do it alone. I have a ton of air miles saved up and as luck would have it, a business class seat was available on Iberia for the dates I needed, May 26th to Madrid & May 27th returning to Tel Aviv. […] - [Tasting SMWS G6.1- Port Dundas 28 yo ‘Spicy Cologne’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/07/tasting-smws-g6-1-port-dundas-28-yo-%e2%80%98spicy-cologne%e2%80%99/): Port Dundas is not a well known distillery, and lacks prestige as one of diageo’s grain producing distilleries. It’s located not far from Glasgow, and currently was a major contributor to blended scotch under the labels of Haig, JW, and White horse. Currently there are no OB and only independent bottlers are issuing bottling of casks in recent years, those are also not common.A SMWS single grain is also not something very common, so it’s rather nice to be able to try that one from this distillery/bottler combination. SMWS G6.1- Port Dundas 28 yo ‘Spicy Cologne’ , Refill hogshead  51% ABV […] - [Off to a short break in Scotland–Back soon](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/04/short-break-in-scotland%e2%80%93back-soon/): In a few hour’s time i will be going on a very short break to Scotland. Only a few days, but i am sure they will be packed with whisky tastings. The plan is to visit a few distilleries, and enjoy my time alone (No kids!) . I will try and tweet / write short posts while I’m there, but not sure how frequent that will be. Of course, posts will be posted automatically a few times next week, so you will not get bored over here , ok? So, see you all in a few day’s time. Happy dramming. Gal - [Tasting Penderyn peated](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/03/tasting-penderyn-peated/): A long time ago I posted my notes on the Penderyn Madeira cask, which was a lovely whisky, very sweet, and exotic. A short time afterwards Penderyn distillery were kind enough to send over a sample set consisting of this peated whisky, and a sherried expression. I tasted those a long time ago, but for some reason (senility,backlog) did not post them here. So here goes. Penderyn Peated,  NAS, 46% ABV, £36 Nose: A really different peat monster than I was expecting. The peat is here, no doubt, it’s very clear, but it’s masked by a very sweet, fruity, tropical smell. […] - [Whisky Israel Society Springbank Tasting Event, June 13, Tel Aviv](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/02/whisky-israel-society-springbank-tasting-event-june-13-tel-aviv/): The Whisky Israel Society is proud to announce of its first public tasting event to be held June 13, at HaBerez (The Tap) Mini-Bar at Tel Aviv. Special guest to the event is Mr Jonathan Ishai of the Israeli Whisky Society who will give a lecture about Springbank and Campbeltown. This will be followed by a guided tasting, by Whisky Israel Society’s members, of four Springbank expressions – Springbank CV Springbank 15 Year Old Longrow CV Hazelburn 12 Year Old This is to be the early bird in what we hope to see becoming a tradition of Whisky Israel Society events […] - [The Ardbeg Alligator is finally here](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/01/the-ardbeg-alligator-is-finally-here/): So, I bet most whisky blogs will be filled with this one, so we can not overlook this event. Starting from today Ardbeg Committee members can purchase the much awaited Ardbeg Alligator on the Ardbeg site, that is if it doesn’t crash / is too slow. I have not tried logging and buying one yet, but i did hear it’s pretty slow right now – The Ardbeg PR / Marketing machine is in full throttle. from the Ardbeg site: Lurking within is an Ardbeg of hidden depths. Extremely fierce charring of the cask gives Ardbeg Alligator a unique spicy bite that’ll […] - [Catoctin Creek–Organic rye whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/06/01/catoctin-creek%e2%80%93organic-rye-whisky/):   No one has to learn how to help an alcoholic if only everyone would drink in moderation and not excessively.   Yesterday Gal visited me, it has been a while since his last visit. We had a very  enjoyable evening with some nice food and great whiskies, Gal always is keen on tasting  drams from my collection (which he has yet to taste) . another incentive to buy bottles while i am abroad. I asked Gal to bring with him an interesting sample from his collection, he came with a very interesting dram – Catoctin Creek Organic Rye Whiskey .  […] - [Whisky Israel Society Summit #4 – Whiskey](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/30/whisky-israel-society-summit-4-whiskey/): It has been some few months since the last Whisky Israel Society Summit #3 (Highland Park theme), time in which all of us found ourselves a little too busy, and so almost half a year later, finally our next summit took place. We have been planning to give Irish whiskies a dedicated tasting for a while now, and standing to our word, Whisky Israel Society’s 4th summit was all about them. In coincidence, the last two episodes (315, 316) of WhiskyCast.com were all about Irish whiskey as Mark Gillespie, WhiskyCast.com founder and a good friend, was invited to Midletown for the […] - [Tasting Creative whisky Co, the exclusive malts , Glenlivet 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/29/a-different-%e2%80%98bunny%e2%80%99%e2%80%93kintra-bunnahabhain-13-yo-2/): After posting my notes on the Exclusive malts Glengoyne 9 yo , i got a comment from Johan , a whisky blogger from Sweden, and a reader of my blog (Thank you Johan!) who mentioned another lovely bottling from the CWC, of this 12 year old ‘Livet. Johan kindly agreed to send me a wee sample from a bottle of this he has and thought it was of exceptional quality. A week later, the wee sample arrived, and was poured later that evening into a Glencairn, to be fully appreciated, nosed and tasted. As it seems Johan is indeed a man […] - [Tasting SMWS 31.18 – Jura 20 yo – ‘Manly, masculine dram’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/25/tasting-smws-31-18-jura-20-yo-manly-masculine-dram/): Taking a short break from the Kintra Single Casks (One to go), and back to the well known line of SMWS. This time it’s a Jura. We’re talking about a 20 year old whisky bottled in 2008, from a single Ex Bourbon Hogshead, 259 bottles and named : “Manly, masculine dram”. I’ve previously tasted the OB 21 year old (sherry profile), and it was rather good. Time to find out how a Bourbon cask feels at 20 year of age. Jura, SMWS 31.18, ‘Manly, masculine dram’ (Jura 20 yo 1988/2008) , 56.2% ABV , 259 btl Nose : Manly? Masculine? Well, […] - [Tasting Kintra Glen Scotia 18 Single Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/24/tasting-kintra-glen-scotia-18-single-cask/): Glen Scotia is the lesser known distillery in Campbeltown, and is often shadowed by the more popular and well known Artisan distillery of Springbank.  It’s also fairly small with an output of about 150,000 litres per year, having only 3 employees making whisky… For me this was my first Glen Scotia ever , and it’s not really surprising sine they have only a 12 year old OB, and a few OB peated and heavily peated OBs bottled from single casks (#78,404,511 – as displayed on the distillery site and most others are IBs. I was discussing this whisky with some of […] - [A different ‘Bunny’–Kintra Bunnahabhain 13 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/22/a-different-%e2%80%98bunny%e2%80%99%e2%80%93kintra-bunnahabhain-13-yo/): Bunnahabhain is not my favourite among Islay malts, and the OBs tend to be very lightly peated. However the peated versions I’ve had are nice, and I have some very good memories of the 18 year old PX finish from last years’ Feis Ile (It was not heavily peated, but it was excellent, nevertheless). This one is indeed highly peated, and from first sniff, It seemed i am going to like it. As it happens 1997 was the first your Bunna started distilling highly peated whisky, and as Erik pointed out, nearly every IB has a bottling of a 1997 Bunna. […] - [Some smoke – Kintra – Coal Ila 1984 25 yo Single Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/20/some-smoke-kintra-coal-ila-1984-25-yo-single-cask/): This is the first Kintra bottling tasting note, with more to follow. This one was distilled in 1984, Aged in an Ex-Bourbon Hogshead , Cask # 5395 for 25 years and bottled in 2010. Only 60 bottles were available). I’ve recently tasted a 30 year old CI bottled by MOM and it will be interesting to compare both. Caol Ila 1984, 25 yo , Cask # 5395 , 60 btl, €100 Nose: A lot of smoke, but not as much BBQed meat as i was expecting. Blood oranges, quite a bit of fruity quality to it as well (yet i can’t […] - [Kintra Single Cask Collection](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/19/kintra-single-cask-collection/): Kintra Whisky is a small Dutch company, relatively young. It was established in September 2009 by Eric Molenaar and was a result of his love for Scotland and its whiskies. Prior to founding Kintra Eric had been organizing whisky tasting  sessions for years. Starting with family, friends and co-workers. This slowly developed into more professional N&T events for liquor stores and other companies. After Eric’s third visit to Islay he decided that he wanted to do something more with this love for whisky, and set his mind up to to launch his very own whisky-label. “Kintra” is  derived from the beautiful […] - [Fancy winning a £4,000 bottle of Glenfarclas?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/18/fancy-winning-a-4000-bottle-of-glenfarclas/): I know i would! You all know I am a bit of a Glenfarclas fan. I think their line-up from the 10 to the 40 is brilliant (and no, I am not a stock holder…) MoM are organizing another competition and guess what? they are giving away a 50 year old single cask worth a mere £4000. here goes: To celebrate Father’s Day 2011, online retailer Master of Malt is giving away a 50 year old, single cask, £4,000 bottle of Glenfarclas single malt Scotch. The one-of-a-kind whisky was bottled in a stunning engraved glass decanter, which celebrates the on-going partnership […] - [Tasting Icons of Arran #3: The ‘Westie’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/16/tasting-icons-of-arran-3-the-%e2%80%98westie%e2%80%99/): This is the third bottling in the series of “Icons of Arran”. The Previous two bottlings (The Peacock, and the Rowan Tree) were both reviewed by me last year, and were very good. This expression is named after Ruaraidh h (pronounced Roo-ree) the West Highland Terrier belonging to our Distillery Manager James MacTaggart. This limited edition bottling was drawn from 22 ex-Sherry Hogsheads distilled in 1998 and specially selected by James MacTaggart. The bottle design is lovely, and the packaging is very nice, now let’s see what’s under the hood… Icons of Arran, The Westie, 46% ABV , 6000 bottles, £ […] - [Preview tasting of AnCnoc 35 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/11/preview-tasting-of-ancnoc-35-yo/): A few weeks ago i got an offer i could not say “no” to – Online preview tasting of a yet to be released, 35 year old (one year younger than me, which in whisky age is quite old) AnCnoc. I Immediately said “Yes!” and hopped on the bandwagon. Having previously liked the 12,16 and the 1996 vintage, i was pretty sure the guys at AnCnoc would also do a good job with this older expression. I was looking forward to the event, but i guess the whisky gods were frowning on me participating :). Courtesy of Lukasz of Allembic Comms […] - [Tasting Kavalan Vinho](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/09/tasting-kavalan-vinho/): This tasting note has been sitting for far too long in my email, and I only after getting the tasting notes from Shai & Richard (members of WI whisky tasting society whose notes will be published soon), i finally arrived at publishing them. A bit of information about this whisky (described by Ian the master blender at King Car Whisky, makers of Kavalan): The Vinho is fully matured in used American oak wine barrels that have been toasted and re-charred manually. The American oak that has been seasoned in the open air for at least 24 months. The oak is slow […] - [ウィスキーラウンドテーブル (Whisky Round table ) round 12 – Chez ‘Nonjatta’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/08/%e3%82%a6%e3%82%a3%e3%82%b9%e3%82%ad%e3%83%bc%e3%83%a9%e3%82%a6%e3%83%b3%e3%83%89%e3%83%86%e3%83%bc%e3%83%96%e3%83%ab-whisky-round-table-round-12-chez-nonjatta/): this month our host is Chris Bunting from the excellent “Nonjatta” blog, which is THE blog for Japanese whisky. Chris is a journalist and writer based in Japan , and recently published an excellent book name  “Drinking Japan” which deals with the drinking culture, and drinking options and venues in Japan. A real source of information. joining Chris are the 12 whisky knights: Chris – Nonjatta Keith – Whisky Emporium Karen & Matt – Whisky For Everyone Ruben – Whisky Notes Mark – Glasgow’s Whisky (And Ale) Neil & Joel – Caskstrength.net Lucas & Chris – Edinburgh Whisky Blog Jason – […] - [Tasting four Mackmyra – Twitter tasting event](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/05/tasting-mackmyra-twasting-event/): Drinking alcohol is a wonderful thing if done in moderation, but drinking in excess would turn anyone into an alcoholic, and would therefore need the help of alcoholism treatment programs eventually. May 2nd saw a very unique twasting (twitter tasting) take place , this time of a Swedish whisky. Courtesy of Angela D’Orazio (master blender at Mackmyra distillery, and Colin Campbell (better know as the ‘ScotsDreamer’ on twitter) we received four samples of Mackmyra whisky some still unreleased, and some currently available. We eagerly waited for 1900 GMT to pop open our samples and to start nosing, sniffing and putting our […] - [Taking the bull by both horns – Tasting Black Bull 40 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/04/grabbing-the-bull-by-both-horns-tasting-blackbull-40-year-old/): Older blends can be wonderful at times, and having said that, and tasted the Black Bull 12, I was very keen on trying the Black Bull 40 year old Batch #2 (which is the latest).  Black Bull 40 year old is made of 90% single malt and 10% single grain and is bottled at cask strength (at this older age this is usually not very high due to angel’s share). The spirit is completely natural, without chill filtration or added colorant. Such a High malt content is common in older blends, but 90% malt is indeed a very high malt content […] - [SMWS Ardbeg , 33.70 , “Keith Richards Meets Socrates Classics”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/05/02/smws-ardbeg-33-70-%e2%80%9ckeith-richards-meets-socrates-classics%e2%80%9d/): The Second tasting notes of SMWS bottling, as promised. This time an Ardbeg, aged in Sherry casks (Sherry Gorda) for 10 years. A sherry Ardbeg is always something interesting, as most OBs are not sherry matured. I find that Sherry and Peat is a pairing i quite like (Uigedail for example, Classic of Islay 9 yo, Lagavulin 21 etc.…) . Now let’s see how well did the SMWS pick this time… Ardbeg SMWS 33.70, 10 year old , 57.30% ABV ,848 bottles , 848 bottles, £54 (out of stock) Nose: Sweet smoke up front, with some honey sugars, and some hints […] - [Mackmyra Twasting – May, 2nd 2011](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/29/mackmyra-twasting-may-2nd-2011/): Twasting season has begun, and this time with a very interesting twasting of a whisky distillery outside Scotland – Sweden! Mackmyra distillery has been producing whisky in Sweden since 1999. Until now it has been sold mostly in Europe, and now it’s breaking new grounds and expanding their distribution world wide. Join me, and Angela D’Orazio (Master Blender at Mackmyra)  and fellow whisky bloggers in tasting four different Mackmyra samples for the first time: (left to right). Mackmyra Brukswhisky Mackmyra Special:06 Sommaräng Mackmyra Moment Jord Mackmyra Moment Drivved I’m very excited to try those expressions for the very first time (I […] - [The Macallan SMWS Cask 24.104 – “Chocolate box at Christmas”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/27/the-macallan-smws-cask-24-104-chocolate-box-at-christmas/): After last month’s Whisky round table which dealt with Single Casks, I decided to taste some SMWS bottlings. I’m sure you all heard and know the SMWS, their mission, and their unique naming conventions and titles for their single cask bottlings. All bottlings by the SMWS are single casks, and some are extremely interesting. So, a Macallan with a very promising title “Chocolate box at Christmas” , how can we go wrong with this one? SMWS 24.104 ,“Chocolate box at Christmas” , 18yo 1st fill sherry butt 612 bottles , 56.9% ABV (out of stock) Nose: Chocolate coated nuts,sultanas, plenty of […] - [Tasting Glengoyne 9 yo, from the Creative Whisky Company “Exclusive” range](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/24/tasting-glengoyne-9-yo-from-the-creative-whisky-company-exclusive-range/): The Creative Whisky Co Ltd specialises in Exclusive, single cask, single malt whiskies. Managed by David Strik, who has a has a passion for whisky, and has been in the business for quite a few years now. Previously he worked as a Co-coordinator and  Journalist for “Whisky Magazine”, in addition for authoring a couple of whisky related books : “The Malt Whisky Guide” and “The Distilleries of Campbeltown”. He also spent time with Scotland’s oldest independent bottler – nosing and selecting hundreds of casks each year prior to opening his own label. TCW features three lines of bottlings: Exclusive malts, Exclusive […] - [Tasting Mackinlay’s Shackleton Rare Old Highland Malt (the replica)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/21/tasting-mackinlays-shackleton-rare-old-highland-malt-the-replica/): Topic at hand, Shackelton’s Replica, also known as Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland malt. I bet you’ve heard the name Shackelton quite a few times these past few months, and if you haven’t than you are indeed living in another galaxy or stranded on some island with no TV, Internet and phone… For the five people out there who have not heard about Shackelton’s whisky, here is a quick recap: Last year a case of whisky that was buried for more than 100 years under the arctic was excavated and returned to Scotland. The whisky belonged to the polar explorer Ernst Shackelton […] - [Happy Passover / Easter](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/20/happy-passover-easter/): It’s that time of the year, when we Celebrate Passover / Easter. I will be taking some time with the family, doing the real fun stuff, so not much blogging will be going on here , only sporadic posts from time to time. Wishing you all a happy holiday, and a kosher one (if you keep Kosher). Hag Sameach! Gal. - [Quick Dram: Ardmore Traditional Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/18/quick-dram-ardmore-traditional-cask/): I’ve been hearing good things about the Ardmore traditional for some time, and been meaning to give it a try. A peated whisky, out of Islay is always interesting, and this young malt should pack enough oomph, right? and i know that Speyside peated malts are really nice… The Traditional casks is matured in quarter casks which boost maturation, by offering more contact of the wood with the spirit inside the smaller casks (in which the ratio is higher than in bigger casks). Ardmore Traditional Cask, 46% ABV, NAS, £29 (here) Nose: Starting on some smoke, malt, some hints of aniseed, […] - [Tasting the Master of Malt 50 year old Speyside](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/15/tasting-the-master-of-malt-50-year-old-speyside/): I’ve had some older malts in the last few months, but this 50 year old is by far the oldest I’ve ever had. After liking the 30,40 year old Speysiders from MoM, this was indeed the next step. This lovely dram was distilled and put into a cask some 14 years before I took my first breath. Quite romantic to think of it that way eh? The world was indeed so different back then. No laptops,Internet,Facebook,Twitter. No cell phones, DVD, even no CDs. It was a simpler, slower world. An now some 50 years after, here were are, going for a […] - [Fancy winning a VIP ticket to Cannes 2011?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/14/fancy-winning-a-vip-ticket-to-cannes-2011/): There are indeed a lot whisky related competitions around, this one is quite interesting, especially if you are into the movies. Chivas Regal, the original luxury whisky, is proud to be an official partner of the 64th Cannes Film Festival.  This year, Chivas Regal is offering one winner and three of their most deserving friends a truly VIP experience. All-access passes will guarantee the lucky four seats at a movie premiere and the chance to walk the iconic Cannes Film Festival red carpet together, rubbing shoulders with the stars of the silver screen, the moment captured by the world’s press and […] - [Tasting The Cask of Yamazaki 1993/2008 Single Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/04/13/tasting-the-cask-of-yamazaki-19932008-single-cask/): It’s very sad watching the state of affairs in Japan post the big earthquake. Being a fan of Yamazaki (and having tasted and reviewed at least a few of their core range drams before) i would like to dedicate this post to the proud people of japan, fighting the terrible situation over there. Normally when you think of Yamazaki, you do not think about big peat (or peat at all), but this baby is a totally different story,and this time “heavily peated” indeed means HEAVILY! The cask of Yamazaki 1993 – 2008 , 15 year old , single cask , 62% […] - [Bourbon time : Tasting Angel’s Envy](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/24/bourbon-time-tasting-angel-envy/): It’s about time I posted my notes on this one, as I’ve been meaning to for a long time. A bourbon. yes, but not any bourbon, but a very special one : finished in Port casks after being aged in fresh oak casks, as bourbons should. Basically this is one is born out of love and passion , Lincoln Henderson’s, love and passion. Mr. Henderson describes his masterwork as “a warm spirit, lacking any hint of edginess, with ephemeral hints of port wine and a rich amber hue.” He explains, “My goal with Angel’s Envy is to produce a bourbon of […] - [Whisky Newsflash April 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/23/whisky-newsflash-april-2012/): Seems like Inver house distillers are hard at work, and this week’s News flash features two of their distilleries : Knockdhu (AnCnoc) and Speyburn. Let’s start with the latter. Speyburn to launch new packaging Speyburn Highland Single Malt Whisky has revealed a new fresher and more contemporary look for its award-winning core expressions – Speyburn 10 Year Old and Speyburn Bradan Orach. The iconic single malt has enjoyed a sustained growth in recent years with the United States being the single biggest market for the brand. The new bottle shape, label and sleeve are designed to boost brand exposure in retail […] - [The Benriach ‘Birnie Moss’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/22/the-benriach-birnie-moss/): The Birnie Moss has been around for a couple of years now since 2008, and it’s been added ‘officially’ to the peated Benriachs (change of bottle, and packaging). This one is the youngest of the bunch (NAS) but the color really gives it away,as well as the nose, as we’re about to see soon.It’s bottled at 48%, which is nice for an entry level NAS (nice!). The Benriach ‘Birnie Moss’, NAS, 48% Nose: Oh my. This is almost a new make as far as the nose goes. if you have ever had a peated new make, this is it. Pears, apples, […] - [The new BenRiach Authenticus 25 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/17/benriach-authenticus-25-yo/): A few weeks ago The Benriach had announced they are making a few changes to their peated whisky range, and although their production of peated malts is only 12 weeks per year, I do like their peated line very much, and I am not alone, they are very popular, and show another facet of speyside whisky making which involves heavy peat. The Authenticus was part of this range, this is no news, but until now it has been released as a 21yo expression , and starting end of march it is replaced by an older 25 year old expression. I’ve tasted […] - [Tasting Highland park ‘Thor’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/16/highland-park-thor/): Highland Park is one of my top 3 distilleries, and there are always a few HP bottles in my bar at any given moment, I like it that much. Earlier this year, HP caused quite a stir in the whisky puddle after a massive PR campaign for their latest expression “Thor” the 16 year old whisky. A twitter account was created, as well as a teaser campaign was released in which bloggers and industry members received a few packages with riddles and icons prior to the much anticipated release. I was not included in this PR Hoo-ha!, and was lucky enough […] - [Quick Dram : Whisky Barrel Exclusive Macduff 11 Year Old Sherry Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/12/quick-dram-whisky-barrel-exclusive-macduff-11-year-old-sherry-cask/): Another wee dram which is exclusive to the Whisky Barrel online shop. After very nice Bunnahabhain and Caol Ila, this time we’re talking Macduff here… Single cask, sherry butt, 60% ABV,120 bottles only,Specially selected by Doug McIvor of Berry Brothers & Rudd, Only available online at TheWhiskyBarrel web shop. Macduff is currently owned by the Bacardi group, and is currently making most of it’s whisky for blends, hence not many bottlings exist, and most are IB. It’s currently producing 2,400,000 liters of Alcohol per annum. Macduff 11 yo, 2000 , Fresh Sherry Butt #5774 , 120 btl , £33.33 Nose: Almonds, […] - [Some Rye : Rittenhouse 100 proof bottled for The Whisky Exchange](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/11/some-rye-rittnehouse-100-proof-bottled-for-the-whisky-exchange/): Either you like Rye, or you don’t stand it. I happen to like that stuff, and though it’s not easy getting them here or for the matter in Europe, I do take pleasure in trying new expressions from time to time. When I visited Whisky Live last week I was given a wee sample of this one by a good whisky friend (let’s just say his name is made up of two very different animals). I Was looking forward to trying this , having heard very good things about it from two whisky friends from two continents (Europe, and Africa!) ,they […] - [Tasting The Whisky Society Longmorn 1990 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/09/tasting-the-whisky-society-longmorn-1990-18-yo/): A couple of months back, I met a group of friends for a tasting evening with a theme – “Cask strength”. It was bring your own, and taste, as long as it was bottled at cask strength (or premium strength for the matter), it was ok. I brought my beloved HP 14 year old bottled by the guys who run the Glasgow whisky Festival, and this one was brought by our host for that evening, Amit, A fellow whisky lover. I never tried this one before, and I was really surprised by its quality, it was I think the best whisky […] - [Tasting Springbank 100 proof](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/05/tasting-springbank-100-proof/): Continuing the streak of excellent whiskies in recent days, with this little stunner. About two months ago I visited my whisky friend Yariv who lives in Haifa. He’s a big Springbank and Laddie fan, and we did have quite a few drams of those. It was the first time I had the pleasure of trying this 100 proof Springbank. It’s a shame this bottle is not available in shops right now, since it’s a stunning whisky. I took home a wee sample to re-taste this (after all, after massive dramming it’s not so easy to take notes, and believe me, some […] - [Tasting Highland Park 21 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/04/tasting-highland-park-21-year-old/): This 21 year old has an interesting history. It was first released for Travel retails a few years ago, and was bottled at 47.5% ABV, then Highland park were seeing that it was in high demand and their stocks were low, so the decided to water it down to 40% (still travel retail only), this was a shame since the higher ABV % was much better, and many people did not like that move. Happily earlier this year HP restated the higher strength expression and also made it available to the entire market rather than travel retail, which is very good […] - [Whisky Round Table April 2012 : Multiple Aging locations](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/03/whisky-round-table-april-2012-multiple-aging-locations/): This month I am happy to be hosting the Round table, and I’ve chosen a question that really interests, me also one I’ve been asked on many occasions by fellow whisky enthusiasts: Multiple aging locations – do they add complexity, and enhance the spirit, or are they only PR stunts? "Lately we’ve seen a few examples of distilleries aging their whisky in two (or more) locations until full maturation. Amrut has done quite a few of those with their "Herlad" aged on Helgoland (a wee German island) and the "Two continents". In Israel the IWC has bought a few casks from […] - [Springbank Rundlets and Kilderkins](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/02/springbank-rundlets-and-kilderkins/): It’s not everyday that Springbank releases a new expression and this one has also a unique name , unlike most other springers who have only a vintage or a year indication. As it seems Rundlets and Kilderkins are two different measuring units for liquids , which were used in olden days. The Springbank site also tells the tale of a lady caught smuggling in Campbeltown which was a  smuggling center during the 17th and the 18th centuries : she was brought in front of the sheriff, and was found guilty. before passing her sentence the Sheriff remarked that he supposed she […] - [New Whisky bacteria to boost whisky aging](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/01/new-whisky-bacteria-to-boost-whisky-aging/): Two Israeli Scientists from the Weizmann institute of Science at Rehovot (a leading Israeli research institution) might have found a bacteria that will change whisky industry as we know it today. The two scientists while researching Aerobic bacteria, came across a whole new specie which was unknown to science , and after accidentally putting it into a wooden cask that held an alcoholic substance, were amazed at what they discovered. This bacteria still called Bd-vxd-he109 (a temporary name), and nicknamed “The whisky Bacteria” works its magic by releasing some unusual enzymes into their surrounding, which scientists think are meant to break […] - [Tasting Redbreast 12yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/29/tasting-redbreast-12yo/): Been a while since I posted an Irish whiskey tasting notes, and this one has been sitting patiently in the “backlog” queue , and it’s time. On my visit to London this week, I did buy the Cask Strength version of this whiskey, and I shall be posting my notes about that one soon… This wee dram is as we call it “Pot still” or “Pure pot still” ,  meaning that we’re dealing with malted and non malted barley fermentation here.. It’s not really clear by law what should be called “pure” and what can not be called this way, so […] - [Tasting The BenRiach ‘Solstice’ 17 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/27/tasting-the-benriach-solstice-17-yo/): I am back! Been a quiet week blogging wise, with not much activity, but believe me it was not a quiet time in regard to whisky. I had  a few amazing days on the Isle of Jura, and in London, visiting the Whisky Live show, meeting so many wonderful people who are passionate about whisky (and having drunk a lot of excellent drams over there, be sure of that! ).I am  Planning on devoting two long posts both to the Jura distillery and island, and whisky live, but first a tasting note I’ve been meaning to publish for quite some time: […] - [Heading to the UK](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/21/heading-to-the-uk/): I’m on my way for a short visit to Scotland (Isle of Jura) and then London. Updates on the way, I guess… I will be back with stories to tell, and whiskies to tell about, i am sure of that. I will not post regularly when i am away. So, see you soon!   Gal. - [Tasting the new AnCnoc 1998 vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/19/tasting-the-new-ancnoc-1998-vintage/): A new year, and a new AnCnoc, good news, and always something worth waiting for. As in last year, AnCnoc are releasing a new vintage, limited as it is, a few more bottles have been released this year and will be heading to selected EU & world markets any day now. As we’re used with AnCnocs, this one is also bottled at a nice 46%, NCF, and no evil Caramel to colour it, just as we like. A vatting of both ex-bourbon and ex-Sherry casks.  Last year’s vintage was superb, and i had high expectation from this one too. Let’s roll […] - [Tasting Bunnahabhain 21 yo , 1990 ‘Burns Malt’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/14/tasting-bunnahabhain-21-yo-1990-burns-malt/): Another Exclusive for the whisky barrel. Another Islay, but from Bunna’ this time. this Burns Islay Malt was matured in a single fresh sherry butt #51. Distilled Christmas Eve 1990 and bottled 31st December 2011. I did taste quite a few Sherry Bunna’s lately and I really like their flavor profile, this one was not an exception. Bunnahabhain 21 yo , 1990 ‘Burns Malt’ , 54.8%, Out of stock Nose:Egg yolk. Meaty sherry. With the expected dried fruits. Sultanas plums and prunes. A lovely mélange of sweet and meaty notes, in this heavily sherried nose. Palate : starting spicy with  pepper […] - [Tasting Caol Ila Old Malt Cask 1984 , 27yo ‘The Whisky Barrel’ Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/12/tasting-caol-ila-old-malt-cask-1984-27yo-the-whisky-barrel-exclusive/): In the next couple of days I am going to post a few tasting notes of Exclusive bottling for The Whisky Barrel,which had a few such bottling made public to celebrate the new look of it’s website. The first is this Caol Ila, Old Malt Cask bottled by Douglas Laing which was matured for 27 years in a sherry hogshead, yielding only 120 bottles.  1984 you say? Let’s see how does this “big brother” fair. Caol Ila Old Malt Cask 1984 , 27yo for the Whisky Barrel Exclusive , 52.4% , £99 Nose: The note is quite gentle, not very peaty […] - [The Cooley twitter tasting event : #cooleyTT–summary and notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/08/the-cooley-twitter-tasting-event-cooleyttsummary/): A few weeks ago, Steve of the Whisky Wire was asking on twitter who wanted to join in for a Cooley Irish whiskey tasting event online. I am not the one to miss on such an event, and I really was looking forward to getting to know a few whiskies I have yet to try from the Irish. The lineup of yesterday’s tasting consisted of : Kilbeggan blended whiskey, Tyrconell single pot still whiskey, Greenore 8 yo , single grain, and the peated Connemara.Of all those I’ve only tried the Connemara prior to this tasting and was really keen on trying […] - [Whisky Round Table March 2012 Chez the EWB](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/07/whisky-round-table-march-2012-chez-the-ewb/): Another month has passed and it’s time for our round table for March. This time a few new knights have arrived to the table while a few have left. Let me welcome our new knights : Steffen Bräuner & James Saxon We were discussing new make, and the question was : In recent years we’ve seen a good few releases of not-quite-whisky-yet or spirit-that-dares-to-command-a-price. Whether kissed by Quercus Robur tannins for 4 months or just plain clearac, do you think this is something new distilleries or ones with severely depleted stocks should be doing? you can read and comment on the […] - [Tasting Two Kintra Single Casks : Benrinnes & Miltonduff](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/06/tasting-two-kintra-single-casks-benrinnes-miltonduff/): Two new expressions released end of last year (2011), and tasted a while ago, I had the honor of listening and taking part in a twitter tasting in Dutch which took place a few weeks ago online, and although my Dutch is quite basic I could manage and read some of the tasters notes, when they were not too complicated (with the help of Google translation, of course).  I posted my notes (which are posted below) and even got mentioned on their blog. cool, if you are fluent in Dutch, I recommend reading that blog post too… Benrinnes  1984 26 yo […] - [Master of Malt Inchgower 29 yo, 1982 vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/05/master-of-malt-inchgower-29-yo-1982-vintage/): Last year MoM released a lovely version of Inchgower everyone were raving about, and sadly I did not sample that one. This is in fact the first ever Inchgower notes features on Whisky Israel, so let’s party… Some info before we dive in :This wee dram was distilled on the 30th June , 1982 and was aged in a single refill hogshead for 29 years before bottling on the 22nd November 2011. At natural cask strength there are only 190 such bottles around… Inchgower 29 Year Old – Single Cask (Master of Malt) , 53.90% , £69.95 Nose: Starts very sweet […] - [More Whisky news](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/04/more-whisky-news/): Two new whisky clubs and one new AnCnoc. The whisky world does not rest… JSMWS is launched It’s true I am Jewish, but not very religious, I do not keep kosher, and I am not really devout (In other words, I don’t do much,but only the fun stuff), but there is always a warm corner in my heart for Jewish related issues, and this one definitely requires a mention. You probably know Josh Hatton and Jason J.Y who are both whisky bloggers (and friends) based in the US, each with a blog of his own. They both teamed up and created […] - [Whisky Newsflash March 2nd 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/02/whisky-newsflash-march-2nd-2012/): So a few news items this week, from Smokehead , The Macallan and Ballantine’s. Smokehead releases a Limited Edition Rock Design Smokehead is a very nice and well priced Islay “mystery” whisky bottled by Ian McLoed, and has been around for quite some time. I’ve reviewed it in the past, and now it boasts a new edition, with the same nectar, but a different sort of ‘Hang Banging’ edition dedicated to rock. SH is Entering its third year as the official drinks sponsor of The Marshall Ultimate Band Contest, the unsigned band showdown, in partnership with legendary Marshall Amps and Lick […] - [Quick Dram : Bunnahabhain 1997 – Queen Of The Moorlands](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/03/01/bunnahabhain-1997queen-of-the-moorlands/): It’s Thursday already, and let’s end this week with a bang! A few months ago, Marc P, from South Africa who is a fellow blogger (A.K.A Whisky Brother)  and good whisky friends came for a visit, and we met over at Shai’s for lunch and a few drams. Our host Shai put quite a few interesting bottles on the table, and one of them was this one I was longing to try after Shai was raving about how good it was, and that he managed to get a bottle sent to him. This edition was bottled for the Feis Ile 2010 […] - [Tasting The BenRiach 17 ‘Septendecim’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/29/tasting-the-benriach-17-%e2%80%98septendecim%e2%80%99/): The latest peated expression from the Benriach is called Septendecim (17 in Latin), and follows the BenRiach tendency to apply Lating names to it’s peated line of malts such as the  Authenticus, Curiositas and the Fumosus family. Who says good peated whiskies only comes from Islay? In the past we’ve seen it’s not the case with the BenRiach 21. The BenRiach Septendecim, 17 yo, 46% ,NCF, natural color , £47 Nose: Sweet peat, cured bacon marinated in sweet BBQ sauce. Fennel, old library books, spices and leather all come together. Palate: Rich thick peat , tar, smoke getting sweater with barley […] - [Tasting The Glendronach 21 yo ‘Parliament’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/28/tasting-the-glendronach-21-yo-%e2%80%98parliament%e2%80%99/): It’s been quite a long time since my last Glendronach tasting note, and since the Glendronach do not release a lot of new expressions, every new expression is a cause for celebration. This one was released some time ago, and I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a bottle or sample for quite some time, and only now managed to get hold of one. I did not wait and immediately tasted it. Curiosity, you know. I really like the 12 and 15 year old expressions and had high hopes for this one. The 21 year old was matured in a […] - [Duncan Taylor “Dimensions” Glen Moray 1991 cask 9408](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/27/duncan-taylor-%e2%80%9cdimensions%e2%80%9d-glen-moray-1991-cask-9408/): Another Single cask bottling from the DT “Dimensions” series of cask strength bottlings by DT,  this one comes from a 1991 cask (Ex-Bourbon I think according to color and profile) , and bottled at 54,8% ABV. This is also my first Glen Moray tasting note. So, it’s double as fun. Let’s roll : Duncan Taylor dimensions glen moray 1991, 54,8% cask 9408 Nose: Malt ,bitter almonds , marzipan vanilla wood and coconut flakes. quite the fragrant nose which does not let you down. Palate: Sweet malt, some fruit, pepper, with a spicy edge. Also some fudge and sweet dough. Finish : […] - [Things you read on whisky labels that make you go : “hmmmm”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/22/things-you-read-on-whisky-labels-that-make-you-go-hmmmm/): It all started as a twitter meme I was starting, and I thought I’d share those little things we see on whisky labels that sometimes drives us, whisky geeks out of our minds. ordered from silliest to silly. #1 : Aged in oak casks Really? a scotch aged in oak casks, who would have thought it possible. DUH! of course no indication of which type of oak casks, like it matters, well it does matter. and it is just a waste of printing ink to indicate aged in oak. Why don’t you just write : liquid inside… #2: Limited edition of […] - [Tasting The Balvenie Craftman’s Reserve #1 : The Cooper](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/20/tasting-the-balvenie-craftmans-reserve-1-the-cooper/): Almost a month ago, the Balvenie unveiled a new expression available only to UK residents, and members of the Warehouse 24, Balvenie’s whisky lovers club. To celebrate this new expression they announced a live tasting event for anyone who’s a member of that club (one can easily join the club online, for free) and was quick enough to ask for a sampler kit. Being a fan of the Balvenie, I knew I could not miss the opportunity of tasting this new expression, and although I knew I could not get my hands on a sample kit in time for the tasting […] - [Tasting St Isidore – the bloggers blend](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/20/tasting-st-isidore-the-bloggers-blend/): A few month’s ago Master of malt thought of a very interesting idea. let a few bloggers blend their own whisky from a few whisky building blocks, run a wee competition, and bottle the winning blend and make it a real product that will be sold on the master of malt site. A lovely idea it was. Samples were sent to a few bloggers (sadly, your humble servant was not one of them…) and after they fiddled with it, and sent the results of their blending to MoM, the winner blend has been bottled, and named St. Isidore. Why? very easy, […] - [Tasting Master of Malt Bunnahabhain 20 Year Old 1990 Single Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/16/tasting-master-of-malt-bunnahabhain-20-year-old-1990-single-cask/): Need I repeat my saying that peat smoke and sherry go well together, or horribly together, depending on the combination. This time we’re in for a treat. This wee wonder was distilled in December of 1990 and aged in a single Spanish oak butt for 20 years before bottling on the 7th November 2011. Just from the colour you can see you’re in for some rich sherry goodness, and boy that is so right! Bunnahabhain 20 Year Old 1990 – Single Cask (Master of Malt) , 54.10%, £70 Nose: Boom! We’re in sherry monster land here. Big sherry notes, with prunes […] - [Tasting the new Dalmore ‘Cromartie’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/14/tasting-the-new-dalmore-%e2%80%98cromartie%e2%80%99/): The Dalmore seems to hard at work with quite a lot of new releases in recent weeks. Only a week or so passed since I posted my notes about the new Cigar Malt Reserve,  and the 1995 special release and now a new limited edition – the ‘Cromartie’.This is  the third in a series of limited edition releases crafted by Master Distiller, Richard Paterson, in homage to the Clan Mackenzie. It celebrates the ancient lands of Cromartie, heartland of the clan, and home to Castle Leod, the clan’s historic seat. The Mackenzies have held lands in Cromartie since the 1600′s and […] - [A blind Mackmyra Twitter tasting event](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/13/a-blind-mackmyra-twitter-tasting-event/): A long time passed since I last tasted a Mackmyra. The last twitter tasting was lots of fun, and left me wanting more. I was very happy to hear that Colin (the scots dreamer) and Angela D’orazio (Master blender at Mackmyra) are holding another online tasting, this time Blind! A few weeks ago a lovely package arrived with 5 sample bottles numbered 1-5, no clue what they were (except #1 which I specifically asked to taste, after seeing Angela tweet about the new “White Dog” being sold by Mackmyra. Angela was very helpful and suggested we add it to the next […] - [Bladnoch Forum Bottlings Take I : Teaninich 27 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/09/bladnoch-forum-bottlings-take-i-teaninich-27-yo/): A few months ago my good whisky friend Sjoerd announced another one of his famous bottle shares, this time a Bladnoch forum bottling share. Bladnoch in addition to being a distillery do operate as IB, and as such offer quite a few such bottling. I must confess it took me a lot of time to reach those samples, as my sample queue was getting longer and longer (not complaining here , eh?) . It’s time to kick of the series of Bladnoch IBs, Starting with a 27 year old Teaninich . Teaninich is a Highlands distillery with a 2,700,000 2,700,000 Liter […] - [Tasting Rosebank 21yo 1990 Special Release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/08/tasting-rosebank-21yo-1990-special-release/): This baby was bottled for Diageo’s Special Releases edition in 2011. There are just 5,604 numbered bottles and the whisky was aged in refill American oak and refill European oak casks for 21 years. Littlemill has was mothballed in 1993 but Diageo still releases the odd bottle once in a while… I think this is one of the first Rosebanks I’ve ever tasted, so It’s hard to compare, but I really liked this one. Rosebank 21 Year Old 1990 (2011 Release) , 53.8% ABV , £158 , 5,604 bottles Nose: Very light floral and with finesse. Flower petals with a lot […] - [Exploring Glenfiddich With Ian Millar](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/07/exploring-glenfiddich-with-ian-millar/): Not long ago I attended a whisky tasting of the entire ‘Core’ GF event, but when Israeli Importer of Glenfiddich ‘Hacerem’ invited me for a tasting session with Glenfiddich Global Brand Ambassador , Ian Millar, I did not think twice, and hopped on the bandwagon. it is not everyday that such a figure in the Whisky industry visits Israel, and I do think it’s the first time a global brand ambassador for any whisky company pops over the pond to preach some whisky unto us Israelites. So here I was, all dressed up in my whisky shirt and vest, ready to […] - [Whisky, Whisky everywhere and more than a drop to drink - A visit to the Auld Alliance Singapore](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/06/ault-alliance-singapore/): Richard Barr is a member of the Whisky Israel tasting society , a blog correspondent at times,  and a good whisky friend and big whisky lover. From time to time he posts his notes and adventures on our blog. I’ll preface this review by saying my workload & family obligations pushed the sharing of this treasure off far too long. It’s been in my mind to write on this gem of a whisky bar/lounge ever since visiting Singapore a couple months back. Just what is this treasure trove of whiskies of which I must write? It is none other than “The […] - [1,2,3,4,5 Mackmyra!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/05/mackmyra-twitter-tasting-feb-2012/): A few weeks ago 5 numbered bottled landed over at Whisky Israel towers, and after a few delays the Mackmyra twitter tasting is on this wednesday! join me , Angela D’Orazio ,  Master Blender at Mackmyra,  Colin (The Scotch Dreamer)and fellow Twitter whisky friends for an online, “blind” tasting of 5 expressions, one of which is a White Dog, and the rest who knows? all we know it’s a Mackmyra. Wednesday, 8th , Feb. 21:00 Israeli time (20:00 CET, 19:00 GMT). our hashtag will be (how appropriate) : #MackmyraBlind Slainte! - [Whisky Round Table : Feb 2012 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/05/whisky-round-table-feb-2012/): Again, This time of month has come and February’s Round Table sessions is hosted by Keith of the Emporium. He has asked 3 simple questions regarding our views on whisky festivals : Which, if any, festivals are you planning or hoping to attend this year? What dictates your choice(s) here; Is it location and perhaps ease of travel, or is it more? What do hope to get from festivals?  Meeting people, trying new editions, bringing samples away to try later or anything else? Festivals is a rather sad afair for me, since I have to travel abroad to attend any (non […] - [The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/02/the-dalmore-cigar-malt-reserve/): I am not a big Cigar smoker, and i rarely smoke, But sometimes i do fancy a cigar, and pairing it with a whisky is a task one has to give thought to. Pairing a delicate whisky with a powerful cigar can kill that whisky, and although it’s true that smoking a cigar does change how your whisky feels (no matter which whisky you choose) it sometimes changes it in a good way, so I find. Now, The Dalmore cigar malt was a very popular whisky among cigar aficionados, and after burying the brand three years ago (and calling it Grand […] - [Book Review : Malt Whisky Yearbook 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/02/01/book-review-malt-whisky-yearbook-2012/): Before I start reviewing this excellent book,Let’s set one thing clear. It’s true that Whisky Israel is featured this year’s edition as part of the “New Blogs to watch” (p.103), but this is clearly not the reason i am posting this review. I am mentioning this just for the sake of transparency,to be 100% true to you readers. Oh gosh, i’ve been meaning to post about this one for so long, and somehow it got forgotten in the midst of 100’s of samples, bottles and tasting notes which get posted here on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. The current edition […] - [Tasting The Benriach 1990 Single Cask # 3805 for Singapore](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/30/tasting-the-benriach-1990-single-cask-3805-for-singapore/): Today I’m reviewing a very unique single cask Benriach. This one was bottled specifically for the Singapore market. 484 bottles all in all. This bottle has a very interesting story. As it appears the Singapore market is a rather important market for scotch whisky, and there are quite some special cask bottlings being released there. I cam across a lovely whisky in Singapore by the name of “DrinkFellas”,though the blog. They liked my previous Benriach tasting notes, and dropped me a line to say so. We started discussing whisky, and I looked at their site, and found some very interesting such […] - [Tasting Auchentoshan 1999 Malts of Scotland](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/26/tasting-auchentoshan-1999-malts-of-scotland/): Another one of the Toshans from the sample swap with the ‘Toshan Man, Mark. I was really looking to tasting this one, being a sherry cask, and indie selected by Belgian whisky club Fulldram. And I was in for a treat Auchentoshan 1999 Malts of Scotland Xmas Fulldram , 56,4% ABV , Cask # 2412 Nose: Sweet burst of sugars. Big sherry influence with dates, raisins and a touch of the balsamic. Classic sherry really Textbook. Oloroso supreme. Palate: As expected a real sweet winey rich palate. Mouth coating warming and delicious. Candied fruits , chocolate covered raisins , syrupy and […] - [Master of Malt Rumbullion!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/24/rumbullion/): Today we’re off the whisky trail and taking a wee detour to experiment and explore a rather unique spirit from Master of Malt. the Rumbullion. This one is the brain child of Professor Cornelius Ampleforth based on the kind of rich, full-bodied rums the seafaring fraternity would have enjoyed centuries ago. At the core it a blend of the very finest high proof Caribbean rum, to which was added creamy Madagascan vanilla and a generous helping of zesty orange rind. A secret recipe was followed, and the Professor finished his hearty tipple with a handful of cinnamon and cloves and just […] - [Wemyss Single cask–’Honey Spice’ 1991 (Bunnahabhain)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/23/wemyss-single-caskhoney-spice-1991-bunnahabhain/): Wemyss malts also bottles some very good single casks in addition to the blended malt whiskies. The latest batch of single casks includes a distillery name on the label in addition to the Wemyss special naming scheme describing the whisky so accurately as I’ve grown to learn. Today we shall sample another one of those, a 1991 year old Bunnahabhain aged in a sherry cask. Wemyss honey spice 1991 Bunnahabhain , 46% ABV , £68 Nose : We’re definitely in sherry territory here. Sherry with spices: Cinnamon Cardamom  a bit of coastal effect over here too. Palate: Sherry goodness with peppery […] - [Tasting Auchentoshan 2009 Festival Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/19/tasting-auchentoshan-2009-festival-edition/): Continuing our Auchentoshan journey, today we’re in for a treat. a cask strength distillery only bottling. In 2009 Auchentoshan held a festival over at the distillery , visited by over 2000 people. A special edition was bottled for the occasion, 500 bottles made, of a fairly young cask strength whisky (NAS on the bottle), which later was also sold on site as a distillery only bottling to distillery visitors. This expression is matured in ex-Bourbon casks, and bottled at 56,6%. I was able to taste this one thanks to Mark D,and many thanks to Mark for that! Auchentoshan, 2009 Festival bottling, […] - [Some Cool Whisky news – Social whisky game / Blend your Own Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/18/cool-whisky-news-jan-2012/): Blend your own whisky by Master Of Malt A lot of whisky news going on, and two very interesting items I wanted to share with you, my loyal readers. The first one is not completely new, and was launched at the end of 2011 : Master of malt the innovative whisky retailer is never idle, and they have launched a very cool “Blend your own whisky” initiative.  How cool is that? All you have to do is drag widgets on the screen and tell MoM how much of eat ingredient you want: Single Grain, Malt base,Speyside Sherry , Highland malt, Islay […] - [Glenfarclas 175 Special anniversary edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/17/glenfarclas-175-special-anniversary-edition/): No, this whisky is not 175 year old as you might guess (a wee bit too much of maturation LOL), but rather a special 175 year anniversary bottling. Glenfarclas Distillery was first licensed in 1836 and to mark the 175th year of operation, this expression was released.  It is really a vatting quite a few casks from different decades : the oldest cask from 1952 and three casks from each of the following five decades were all vatted together to produce this limited edition (6,000) bottles. Glenfarclas being one of my favorite distilleries out there, I knew I had to get […] - [Tasting Hibiki 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/16/tasting-hibiki-21-yo/): Currently I am in the midst of reading a wonderful book by a japanese writer by the name of Haruki Murakami, a well known writer and an excellent one if i might add (won a lot of literary prizes and recognition, so this is not a real surprise to most of you i know)  the book 1Q84 (which i highly recommend to all) deals with the lives of a few characters in Tokyo, in 1984 and is way too complicated to describe in a short whisky post, but is very recommended, if you can, get your hadns on it and read it. It’s […] - [Tasting Bunnahabhain 23 Year Old 1988 – Dimensions (Duncan Taylor)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/12/tasting-bunnahabhain-23-year-old-1988-dimensions-duncan-taylor/): After the first member of the “dimensions” line , that excellent Aberlour ex-Bourbon cask, i had high hopes for this expression from the same series. This time We’re talking 23 year old, Bunnahabhain which rested in cask 2358  until being bottled in 2011, Cask strength,  and limited to 225 bottles all in all. Dimensions Bunnahabhain 1988 23yo Cask 2358 53.5% , £83 Nose: Sweet, with wee balsamic.  Raisins dipped in liquor. Wood. Cherries kirsch, and hints of smoke. Palate: Starts bitter sweet with quite some wood. Coconut, on top of apple crumble, some smoke. Menthol and Ginger,  Getting sweeter. Finish: raisins. […] - [Tasting Compass Box ‘The Last Vatted Malt’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/09/compass-box-the-last-vatted-malt/): At midnight on the 22nd of November 2011 an era has ended. The term Vatted Malt has been declared illegal, and a new term has come into life : “Blended Malt”. the SWA decided that the term vatted malt was not clear enough and replaced it with the new term. To celebrate this change and pay homage the the old and beloved term, John Glaser of Compass Box Whisky, conceived a whisky by that name : The Last Vatted Malt.  This is indeed the very last such whisky to bear that name. The last vatted malt is a blend of two […] - [Tasting Littlemill 22 year old by Kintra Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/04/tasting-littlemill-22-year-old-by-kintra-whisky/): Time to get back to the single casks collection by Kintra. Late 2011 I reviewed the excellent Laphraoig 13 year old which was all firecrackers and gunpowder, and I have a few more I will be reviewing early 2012. The first of which is a 22 year old  Littlemill, which I also the first Littlemill to be reviewed on Whisky Israel. Littlemill was one of the oldest distilleries founded in 1772 and operational until 1992. in 2004 the distillery was destroyed altogether by a fire. Not many bottling of Littlemill are out there and I was really glad to be able […] - [First dram of 2012 : Duncan Taylor ‘Dimensions‘ Aberlour 1993](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/01/02/duncan-taylor-dimensions-aberlour-1993/): I am not too fond of yearly summaries and selecting best whiskies etc, so I have refrained from doing that and now that we’re officially in 2012, it’s time for the first dram of the new year. I’ve selected a recent bottling (though 2011, I fear no 2012 bottling exist to date, early in the second day of the year) by the independent bottler Duncan Taylor. This expression is part of a new line released recently by DT, called “Dimensions”. In addition to this Aberlour it includes also : Bunnhabhain 1988 (which I will also review shortly) ,  Cameronbridge 1978, Clynelish […] - [Tasting Tamdhu 1984 ,26 yo , WWW forum Bottling (Creative Whisky Co.)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/29/tasting-tamdhu-1984-26-yo-www-forum-bottling-creative-whisky-co/): Earlier this year the members of the WWW forum, an excellent forum, run by Mark Connelly, were asked to choose a single cask bottling that would be bottled especially for the forum members (if they chose to buy it, of course). After some discussion the choice fell on a 1984 Tamdhu which was bottled by David Stirk owner of the Creative Whisky Co. . I was lucky enough to be able to secure a bottle and was even happier when I opened it to sample the nectar. it was gorgeous and one of the sweetest yummiest bottles I’ve bought that year. […] - [Poll Results – Paying more $$$ for more % ABV](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/28/poll-results-paying-more-for-more-abv/): Earlier this month I posted a new poll regarding bottling strength of single casks or quality malts, and the premium we’re willing to pay to get a fuller body, with higher % ABV. It all started after tasting a Master of Malt Speyside 30 year old, I really liked but hoped it would be bottled at a higher ABV for such a good malt (currently it was only 40%). Posting this poll on a whisky blog frequented mostly by whisky aficionados and anoraks, I was pretty sure what the poll results would be, but it was still fun to see how […] - [Wemyss malts Peat Chimney 12 yo blended malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/27/wemyss-malts-peat-chimney-12-yo-blended-malt/): We’re back from a little Hanukah  / Xmas break with another one of Wemyss malts blended malt whiskies. If you recall I have reviewed it’s younger brother a few months ago (8 year old) which was very nice. This Blended malt is made up from 16 different single malts, with an emphasis on 12 year old Islay malt. I’ve noticed that Master of Malt now carries most of the Wemyss range which is good news for israeli readers (as MoM ships here) and most other countries which can benefit from shipping. Peat Chimney, 12 yo, 40% ABV , 34.99 Nose: Fruity with pears […] - [Merry Xmas from Whisky Israel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/25/merry-xmas-from-whisky-israel/): So, it’s Xmas time! We at Whisky Israel wish you a merry Xmas & Happy Holidays. Enjoy your time with your family, pour a few drams, and see you all on the other side of 2011. In the mean time, do tell us which whisky are you going to enjoy over the holidays, be it a special bottle, one you love, or just something with a story behind it. And most important, which whisky bottles did you get as a Xmas present from Santa? merry Xmas all. Gal & co. - [A Hanukkah dram : Kintra Whisky Glen Garioch 20 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/21/a-hanukkah-dram-kintra-whisky-glen-garioch-2o-yo/): The holiday of lights , A.K.A Hanukah is upon us and here in Israel and throughout the world we’re lighting 8 candles staring with one and adding another one each day for the next 8 days. it’s a lovely holiday, filled with light, Latkes, and Sufganiot (a form of doughnuts, with no hole in the middle, but injected with jam). Lovely times. Basically we’re celebrating winning a battle against the Greeks and their empire. No better holiday to match a nice doughnut with a lovely dram. and tonight we’re in for a very unique dram. the Kintra Glen Garioch (pronounce: G-eery, […] - [Tasting the new Dalmore 1995 (Whisky Shop Exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/19/tasting-the-new-dalmore-1995-whisky-shop-exclusive/): Only a few days ago The Dalmore has released a new limited expression which is now available only in the whisky shop chain. Named ‘The Distillery Manager’s Exclusive’ the whisky was chosen for release by Distillery Manager Ian Mackay to celebrate the at the newly refurbished Dalmore Distillery Visitor Centre. The ‘Distillery Manager’s Exclusive’ has been matured in Matusalem sherry casks and American white oak casks and is  priced at £84.99 , and also limited to 1,800 bottles. I was fortunate enough to get a wee sneak sample of this one, and here are my notes. The Dalmore 1995 , £84.99  […] - [Tasting Kintra Whisky Laphroaig 13 yo single cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/15/tasting-kintra-whisky-laphroaig-13-yo-single-cask/): We continue tasting the newest bottling from Kintra, and after that Coal Ila, another Islay from Laphroaig. This time aged in a sherry butt. Sherry and peat can go well together, or can be very bad together, depending on the cask and balance. Happily this one is a great example of how a sherry but and a peaty spirit can work together and produce great young sherried monsters. Kintra Whisky Laphraoig 13 yo , 55,4% ABV Refill sherry butt Nose : We’re at the 4th of July, or Independence day here with a lot of Gunpowder, fire crackers and smoke. some […] - [New Poll : Paying more for higher % ABV](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/14/new-poll-paying-more-for-higher-abv/): A tasting note, and a twitter conversation between a few whisky fanatics like myself, has led me to post a new poll. The facts: Say you have an old and good bottling of a whisky at 40%, at a reasonable price, would you agree to pay 30% more, and get a richer fuller higher %ABV of the same whisky? Voting is open, I will post the poll results next week. Poll: [polldaddy poll=5755478] - [Tasting Master of Malt Speyside 30 year 4th edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/13/tasting-master-of-malt-speyside-30-year-4th-edition/): Only a few weeks ago I tasted the 3rd edition and here comes a brand new edition. This one is totally different than the third, with a much more sherry influence (back to the ‘roots’ as the 2nd edition). Let’s give this a try, shall we? Master of Malt 30 Year Old Speyside (4th Edition) , 40% ABV , £99 Nose: A lot of sherry here with soft spice. Cinnamon , honey, pepper. Sultanas and baked apples. Very sweet. With some bouillon notes too. Palate: Very nice delicate sherry influence. With those dried fruit honey comb, golden syrup and spices sprinkled […] - [Tasting a unique Springbank : Frederica Golf Club bottling 2009](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/12/tasting-a-unique-springbank-frederica-golf-club-bottling-2009/): I’ve posted notes of a Port Charlotte bottled by my Danish friend Jorn, a few months ago, and that was a total cracker. Jorn is a great person, a true whisky and golf lover, and apparently has a great sense of choosing good casks. Now it’s time to enjoy his prior bottling a 10 year old Springbank he bottled last year. I heard great things about this expression from Steffen (@macdeffe , from whose blog I nicked the image) who is a fellow Dane, and a friend of Jorn’s (the person through which I came to know an meet Jorn). A […] - [Round table #19 – December 2011](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/10/round-table-19-december-2011/): Holiday season is coming and our friends  Matt & Karen over Whisky for everyone are the hosts for this month. they posed a very interesting question for the knights. “Pick two or three members of your family and select a whisky drink (this can be straight dram, with a mixer or elaborate cocktail) or whisky & food pairing that you think they will like. Try to mix it up – pick an auntie who ‘hates whisky following a bad experience’, your brother who always asks “what’s the best thing you’ve tried this week?” or your dad who you are just trying […] - [Tasting Wemyss Malts–‘The Hive’ 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/08/tasting-wemyss-malts%e2%80%93%e2%80%98the-hive%e2%80%99-12-yo/): It’s been a while since we tasted some Wemyss malts, and a few are about to be posted here soon. The first one is the “Hive”. This one is the newest in the series of blended malts, aged 12 year old, and with an emphasis on Speyside malts, with some first fill and refill sherry casks. AS the name suggests quite a bit of sweet stuff (honey) is to be had in this lovely Blended malt (previously called vatted malt, and now an illegal term). Nose: Starting on honey notes, with vanilla , apples , and wee smoke. Cinnamon and a […] - [Quick Dram : Auchentoshan ‘BattleHill’ 8 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/06/quick-dram-auchentoshan-%e2%80%98battlehill%e2%80%99-8-yo/): Today we’re tasting an IB Toshan, bottled by Duncan Taylor in a line called “BattleHill” to commemorate battles fought by the highland clans in the 16 century, near Huntly. This line of bottling includes  Imperial, Auchentoshan,  Macallan , Aberlour and Auchentoshan. This one is an entry level bottling at 43%, Auchentoshan 8 yo Battlehill by Duncan Taylor,43% ABV Nose : green apples and pears fruit basket. Followed by zest, vanilla and sugar-baked apples. Palate : Sweet, malty with sprinkles of lemon on top if pear pie. Finish : Short-medium with some Citrus and spices. A worthy dram if not very complex, […] - [Tasting the new Amrut ‘Portonova’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/04/tasting-the-new-amrut-portonova/): Another very interesting Amrut is out, and this one is nothing but boring. Like the Kahdambam and sherry intermediate, this one has been aged in several types of barrels: The unpeated Amrut single malt was matured initially in a combination of new American oak and ex-Bourbon barrels. Then it was transferred to once-used Port pipes imported specially from Portugal before being put back into ex-Bourbon casks. Interesting experiment, and hence the name Portonova. Ashok C. sales person for Amrut explains: “This was a maturation we just had to try,The Indian links to Portugal go back centuries, so it was natural that […] - [The ‘Zman Amiti” Yearly Whisky Event](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/02/the-zman-amiti-yearly-whisky-event/): ‘Zman Amiti’, or in free translation, Real Time, is one of the leading bartending schools in Israel, and it so happens that they have a yearly whisky event held at their main branch in Tel Aviv. This year’s event was held just last Friday, and I was sure to attend. I needed a bit whisky out time being very busy lately with my 3 months old son, new job, new entrepreneurship I’m part of and quite a lack of sleep. The “Zman Amiti” Tel Aviv branch, is located in a very large basement divided into several halls, each has one or […] - [Malt Maniacs Awards 2011 – Results are announced](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/12/01/malt-maniacs-awards-2011/): December 1st and the Malt Maniac awards are upon us again. This year, a lot of new judges have been added and top three maniacs (being Johannes, Serve, and  Davin) did not take part in the voting. Not very surprising, the Gold Medalists are all very old, expensive whiskies , most of us will never have a chance to sample, let alone buy… 91,31 GlenDronach 39yo 1972/2011  (49.9%, OB, Oloroso Sherry Butt, C#712, 466 Bts.) 91,23 Karuizawa 1981/2011   (55.2%, OB, C#2634, Btl. 12/08/2011) 91,15 GlenDronach 39yo 1972/2011  (54.7%, OB for Taiwan, PX Puncheon C#2033, 450 Bts.) 91,08 Lochside 46yo 1965/2011   (52.3%, […] - [Quick Dram : Kintra Whisky Caol Ila 10 yo , 2000 vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/30/quick-dram-kintra-whisky-caol-ila-10-yo-2000-vintage/): Kintra whisky is a small IB based in NL, and we’ve had the pleasure of sampling quite a few expressions bottled by it in the past, always with satisfaction. In October 2011 Erik (proprietor of Kintra) released 6 new single cask bottlings in the “Single Cask Collection” Series. A young Coal Ila which we’ll review shortly, a 26 year old Benrinnes , 22 year old Littlemill , 21 year old Miltonduff,13 year old Laphraoig , and a 20 year old Glen Garioch. Luckily I was able to get official samples of the lot, and I shall review them in the coming […] - [Tasting Auchentoshan Bordeaux finish 1988](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/28/tasting-auchentoshan-bordeaux-finish-1988/): Another Toshan today, this time a very limited, and very unique one. This bottling was released in 2008 , as a duty free only edition (or distillery shop exclusive) , with an outrun of 1800 bottles only.Calling it a wine finish is really not so accurate, as it spent 8 years in ex-bourbon casks, and another 12 years!!! in Saint-Julien Bordeaux casks. So it’s more of a double maturation than a finish… Bottled at 52,4% ABV and costing around 150 EUR at the time, I was very fortunate to have gotten this sample. Auchentoshan Bordeaux finish 1988, 20 yo , 52,4% […] - [Tasting the new Jura ‘Elixir’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/24/tasting-the-new-jura-elixir/): Jura is hard at work, producing new expressions, and after the very limited ‘1976, comes this one, which is less limited, yet sold only in the UK and in Sainsbury’s. yes, available only at that UK retail chain… Why Elixir? The Jura distillery has a tradition of drawing upon the island’s myths and legends, as inspiration for their whiskies and Elixir is another example of that. This folklore say that the island’s water, used in all their whiskies, has life-prolonging and mystical health-giving properties. Several Diurachs (people living on the isle of Jura)  claimed to have lived to their hundreds, including […] - [Tasting the Amrut Herald–A spicy Indo-German](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/23/tasting-the-amrut-herald/): Amrut distilleries are known for their affection of experimenting with whisky. I’ve written before about those experiments, mainly the “Two continents”, Khadambam, and the intermediate sherry, all very unique combination of cask types, cask origins, and location where the spirit is matured.  This time Amrut has decided to experiment with double maturation , where the casks themselves are maturing in two different locations. The first stage, takes place in India, where they are aged for five years, then they are shipped to a tiny German Island by the name of “Helgoland”  (Helgoland is an unspoiled unique environment with dramatic red sandstone […] - [Auchentoshan Fino Sherry Cask Matured 1998](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/21/auchentoshan-fino-sherry-cask-matured-1998/): We continue the journey with a sherry cask matured ‘toshan. this one was distilled in 1998, bottled in 2010, and aged in  European Oak, Fino Sherry barrels for some 12 years. Fino being the lightest type of sherry, imparts it’s lighter sherry effect on the spirit, but still produces very interesting sherry effects, and changes the ‘basic’ ‘toshan profile quite a bit. Auchentoshan Sherry Cask Matured 1998/2010 , 54.6% ABV Nose: Sherry or not , this one is fragrant with quite some orange peel, cereals and woody sawdust. Vanilla and honey. Fresh is the word. Palate: much sweeter than the nose. […] - [My Auchentoshan Journey continues : The Valinch](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/18/my-auchentoshan-journey-continues-the-valinch/): We continue our Toshan odyssey with something more powerful and although young and with NAS , quite the cracker IMHO. The Valinch. Valinch is the the name of the pipette used to draw whisky straight from the cask, and this one is just that. bottled at cask strength of 57.5% which is a nice change after the rather anemic 12 year old.  Essentially it’s a cask strength version of the “classic” but with a lot of oomph. Let’s try this one, shall we? Auchentoshan Valinch  2011 Release , 57.5 , £36 Nose: crème Brule with lemon rind on top. Coconut. And […] - [Tasting Auchentoshan 12](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/17/tasting-auchentoshan-12/): Auchentoshan has been one distillery I’ve yet to post any notes about. Weird, but when I come to think of it, I’ve only tasted very few ‘Toshans in the last few years, and don’t really know why. To rectify this I went to the source, The “Toshan Man” A.K.A Mark Dermul, who is a very well known Auchentoshan fan and collector, who also has a very nice site and blot documenting his collections and Auchentoshan adventures. Mark is a very nice man, and I’ve managed to arrange a wee sample swap with him, so I can enrich my Auchentoshan experience and […] - [Tasting the Master of Malt Speyside 30 year old 3rd edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/16/master-of-malt-speyside-30-year-3rd-edition/): After Tasting the 40 and 50 year olds, it’s high time to test the ‘middle aged’ 30 year old. This one again is a Secret Bottling and differs from the 2nd Edition by replacing the sherried notes with some fresh honey and malt (as quoted from the official tasting notes). Master of Malt 30 Year Old Speyside (3rd Edition) . 40% , £100 Nose: A very nice nose with a great balance of wood, malt, citrus and wood spices (cinnamon,ginger, cardamom), crisp and  lively for such an old malt. palate: Juicy stuff. the wood and the malty notes combine gently, with […] - [Tasting the Glenfiddich Core Range at the Norma Jean](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/14/tasting-the-glenfiddich-core-range-at-the-norma-jean/): I am not the biggest Glenfiddich fan out there, but when Tomer ,an Israeli blogger and whisky lover (who blogs in Hebrew about alcohol and whisky) , asked who is interested in a Glenfiddich tasting , where we’ll pretty much try the entire range, i could not say No. It’s true, I’ve recently tried most of it at the British ambassador’s house at the snow phoenix, but the chance of tasting them all from the 12,through 14,15,18, 21 and then 30 was something that is not to be missed, until today I’ve not had the 30 year old, and the 18 […] - [Shackleton’s whisky meets the Iphone App.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/13/shackletons-whisky-meets-the-iphone-app/): Whisky and Smartphones , a great combo. A lovely new PR campaign for the W&M Shackleton whisky. Usually I do not post PR stuff, but this one is way too cool to miss. What can be better than mixing whisky and social media, and this time with a great idea : The folks from W&M have hidden bottles of the Shackleton whisky in a few UK cities, which  can only be found via smartphone app Repudo. I never used this app, but when I read the news, i went and installed it, and it’s mega cool. instead of me telling you […] - [Tasting Laphroaig Cairdeas 2011 Ileach Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/11/tasting-laphroaig-cairdeas-2011-ileach-edition/): This year’s Feis Ile edition is carries no age statement, and should be fairly young. I’ve tasted the 2009,2010 (see Shai’s excellent guest post about FI 2010) editions and quite liked them, and got a bottle. this year I chose not to as shipping became to much of a hassle. Gladly Johan of WhiskyBlogg.se was kind enough to send over a wee sample so i can see how this one fares. So here we go: Laphroaig Cairdeas ‘Ileach Edition’ 50.5%, OB, Feis Isle 2011, Bourbon casks Nose : The obvious peat, soot and seaweedy goodness we are accustomed to in laphroaigs […] - [Tasting Speyburn 25 year old Solera](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/09/tasting-speyburn-25-year-old-solera/): A few months ago I visited the Speyburn distillery as part of a blogger’s visit to some of the Inver House’s distilleries. The Speyburn distillery, is located in wonderful surrounding near Rothes , all green and pastoral, but sadly it lacks a proper visitor center. While there we got to sample the 10 year old and a NAS expressions, which were nice, but did not leave a mark, I must say. I did hear quite a bit about the 25 year old, and read favorable reviews , but did not get to try that one until very recently. Well, I was […] - [Tasting new Balblair – 2001 vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/07/balblair-2001-vintage/): Balblair. That wonderful little distillery in the village of Ederton. Something good is hapenning there, and a new vintage has just came out, the 2001. The 2001 was introduced just earlier last week, at the distillery in an event at Balblair’s new visitor facility (just opened, was not open even a few months ago when I visited the distillery) . So what’s so special about the 2001 you ask? First, It’s bottled at 46%, which is a great start. Second, it’s non chill filtered, and It’s bottled without artificial colouring.All natural. That’s how all whiskies should be bottled IMHO. The 2001 […] - [Tasting Stranahan’s Colorado whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/06/stranahan%e2%80%99s-colorado-whisky/): A little change today, with an American malt whiskey. Made of barley. and In Colorado. Eighty per cent of the barley used to distil this one  is grown in Colorado with the remainder coming from the Rocky Mountain region, which is nice. The process is interesting : The barley goes through a roller mill and then into 30 barrel mash-tun  at the distillery.  The grain is mashed, sparged and transferred as a naturally maltose-sugar-rich liquid to the kettle where it is boiled before being filtered, cooled and transferred to one of 60 barrel fermentation vessels. Once the fermentation is complete, the […] - [Grant’s Twasting with Ludo hosted by The Whisky Wire](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/04/grants-twasting-with-ludo-hosted-by-the-whisky-wire/): Blended whisky can be very good, we all know that already. I’ve been tasting quite a few blends recently and when i was invited to join a twitter tasting arranged by my good whisky buddy steve of the “whisky wire”, i was thrilled. We were about to meet with Ludo , Grant’s whisky brand ambassador and a lovely fellow (Whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting for a personal tasting of the entire grant’s range a few months ago via Skype), and taste four drams from the Grant’s core line: the Ale cask (an entry level blend aged in ale casks),the […] - [Whisky Round Table #18– Holiday season recommendations](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/03/whisky-round-table-18-holiday-season-recommendations/): It’s time for this month’s Round Table and this time we start on a sad accord. one of the knights (Mark Connelly), who currently has a lot of whisky business on his mind (a Whisky Shop , which looks very cool, A whisky Festival coming soon, and of course the WWW forum) has decided to leave the forum as he has too much on his plate. It’s been a pleasure having him here, and I do wish him a lot of success in his whisky journey, he seems to do just great! the remaining knights are: Chris – Nonjatta Keith – […] - [Tasting Glenfarclas Movember 2011 by Master of Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/02/glenfarclas-movember-2011-by-master-of-malt/): You all know by now it’s Movember time, and what more fitting than tasting this year’s special bottling especially for Movember by the guys at Master of Malt. This little cracker was distilled in September 2002 and bottled in September 2011, this most unusual 9 year old Glenfarclas has been taken from two Oloroso sherry hogshead casks. Not often do we meet young Glenfarclas bottlings at cask strength (the 105 is a good example, but is NAS) and this is a great opportunity to try this. As a lover of Glenfarclas, I ordered a bottle of this even before i tasted […] - [It’s the first of Movember!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/11/01/its-the-first-of-movember/): It’s again this time of year – Movember. Yes, this is not a type, not November but Movember. Like each year Whisky Israel joins this good cause and supports Movember, and so can you. For those who are not familiar with this, it’s a charity to raise money and fight prostate and testicular cancer. So how can you support this noble move? like most of the whisky industry and blogosphere you can do it in a few simple ways. 1.Grow a moustache (yes, really). Like myself and many others, start today, and do not shave your moustache for the entire month, […] - [Tasting the AnCnoc 1997 vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/31/tasting-the-ancnoc-1997-vintage/): You all know that i have a warm spot in my heart for the AnCnocs. The 12 year old is a house favourite here, so light and gentle, great for summer, and after having visited the distillery a few months ago, and meeting the lovely distillery people and manager, every time i sip on a wee dram, those lovely memories come back. green speyside fields, the hill, sheep and the lovely surroundings. well, back to reality. Israel, is not as green, and not as picturesque… I was happy to try this new vintage, the 1997 which is the latest of the […] - [Tasting the ‘New’ Laddie 10 year old (Batch 1)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/27/tasting-the-new-laddie-10-year-old/): So, here comes the post about the much awaited Laddie 10. The first bottling of a 10 year old distilled after the distillery was “resurrected” so to speak. I was really keen on trying it and got a bottle even before i sampled it, seeing raving reviews from Serge(whiskyfun), and others. Today I’ve spotted another enthusiastic review by John Hansell  on Whisky Advocate Blog. On the other side, a review by the Edinburg whisky blog was not very favourable… So, let’s see how this one feels like. Bruichladdich 10 Year Old – The Laddie Ten, 46% ABV,£32 Nose: signature mini “baby […] - [Wemyss Round 6 : Ginger Compote Single Cask,Speyside Vintage 1996](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/25/wemyss-round-6-ginger-compote-single-cask-1996/): So We’ve reached the final tasting note in this series (3 more to come next month), and to conclude it, we’ll be tasting another single cask, this time a Speyside single cask, 1996 vintage called “Ginger Compote”.Not a bad dram, and again Wemyss names those with much accuracy. Bingo. Shall we start nosing the compote? Wemyss Malts ‘Ginger Compote’ Single Cask,Speyside Vintage 1996, 46% , £58 Nose: Starting on zesty gingery stuff: Ginger, cinnamon, and some orange peel candy, mixed with malty and toffee notes. Palate: Spicy, gingery again, with a lot of “zing” to it, more vanilla, and wood spices. […] - [Whisky Bible 2012 winners are announced!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/24/whisky-bible-2012-winners-are-announced/): It’s this time of the year again, and Jim Murray’s whisky bible award winners are announced. While I do not rely on the bible as my source for looking up whiskies, a lot of people are, so this is an important announcement (especially for the winners – which will most definitely see a surge in demand). This year’s big winner is the Old Pulteney 21 year old. I find it much easier to sympathize with  this year’s winner (as opposed to last year’s winner, the Ballantine’s 17).   here are the rest of the winners:     Overall Winners 2012 World […] - [More Wemyss : Red Berry Cream Single Cask vintage 1990](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/24/more-wemyss-red-berry-cream-single-cask-vintage-1990/): After the glorious “Whispering smoke” arrive at out 2nd single cask tasting note, this time a Highland single cask, distilled 1990. I’ve seen some sites pointing to the Ben Nevis distillery, yet the Wemyss site does not indicate which distillery is behind this one. Very different than the w.some, this one is all about red fruits & berries, as the name suggests. Let’s dive in: Wemyss Malts “Red Berry Cream” Highlands single cask , vintage 1990,£75 Nose : The name is on the money ! Stewed red berries, cherry bubble-gum, apples and some white chocolate. Palate : spices, vanilla and red […] - [A few hours in Macau where The Macallan shines bright](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/23/a-few-hours-in-macau-where-the-macallan-shines-bright/): Richard Barr is a member of the Whisky Israel tasting society , a blog correspondent at times,  and a good whisky friend and big whisky lover. From time to time he posts his notes and adventures on our blog. A few weeks back, I spent a couple weeks in Hong Kong for work. On this visit I didn’t spend any time exploring for Hong Kong’s Whisky haunts, though it’s certainly a city with more than a couple serious Whisky bars. That, I’ll save for a future trip. But Macau is a simple 1 hour ferry ride away. And it is from […] - [Wemyss Malts Take IV : Whispering Smoke 1981, Single Cask (Islay)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/21/wemyss-malts-take-iv-whispering-smoke-1981-single-cask-islay/): Time for the big guns: the Wemyss malts single cask bottlings, selected by Charlie Mclean. I’ve chosen to start with a peated cask, and IMHO the best of their bottling I’ve tasted to date. This one was distilled in 1981 , bottled 2011, at 46%(why?) with only 228 bottles (to bad!), it’s sold out (no wonder) and it’s wonderful. Nose: Starting with liquorice, malty notes, sweet dough, fruit: stewed apples and vanilla, few hints of smoke, but very subtle. this is not a peaty monster. no it’s not. it’s refined, elegant. Palate : Smokier than the nose suggests, yet gentle. Again […] - [Tasting Old Pulteney ‘Row to the Pole’ edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/19/old-pulteney-row-to-the-pole/): Today We will be tasting a new Old Pulteney expression : “Row to the pole” edition. this bottling is commemorating the first ever successful row to the magnetic North Pole. Old Pulteney Row to the Pole took place earlier this year and the crew as well as all involved are celebrating this extraordinary achievement tonight (19 Oct) at a homecoming event in London. more information about this whisky: It’s a special, one-off commemorative bottling of Old Pulteney created by master blender Stuart Harvey especially for this occasion The whisky is presented in OP’s new 35cl bottles and wrapped in sail canvas […] - [Wemyss Malts Take III : Tasting the ‘Spice King’ 8yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/19/wemyss-spice-king-8-yo/): We come to the third and last Wemyss blended malts aged 8 years (the next ones i will be tasting will be single cask malts). This time with an emphasis on 8 year old Island malt. Until today the names were spot on, so i was expecting something spicy, and delicious. I was not disappointed… Dram on! Wemyss ‘Spice King’ 8 yo, 40% ABV , £29 Nose: Spice (ginger,cinnamon), with some vanilla, pepper, also some sweeter notes of honey , ripe orange, and herbs. Palate: spicy stuff, with lots of ginger, a bit of chilly, and earthy notes of bits of […] - [Wemyss Malts Take II : Tasting the ‘Smooth Gentleman’ 8 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/18/wemyss-smooth-gentleman-8-yo/): Another Wemyss blended malt, this time we move on from the Islay emphasis of the peat chimney, to this 8 year old with an emphasis on Highland malts from a first fill Bourbon cask. Now let’s see if this gentleman lives up to its name… Wemyss smooth gentleman 8 yo , £29 Nose:  Starting in the sweet side , honey, fresh cut hay, malty and doughy. Sherry. Je t’aime. a great nose on this one. very smooth and sexy. Palate: chocolate fudge, stewed fruits, golden syrup, some spices:  cinnamon , ginger. Finish : chocolate , raisins. medium-long. The name really becomes […] - [Tasting the Wemyss malts ‘Peat Chimney’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2011/10/17/wemyss-malts-peat-chimney/): As a peat-head, no better start than a peaty blended malt for starting our little Wemyss malts series of tasting notes, right? This is a Blended malt (a blend of several single malts from different distilleries) with an emphasis on Islay malts, the youngest is 8 years old. Not much more information on the Wemyss site. Ready? Go. Wemyss ‘Peat Chimney’ 8 yo, 40% ABV, 29 GBP Nose: A lot of peat, quite peppery, liquorice, with a lot of sweetness underneath, which backs it up. Palate : Sweet avalanche of peat smoke , spice,cinnamon with a good measure of malty backbone. […] - [Tasting Amrut Peated](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/30/tasting-amrut-peated/): How did I not post my notes about that Amrut until this day? No Idea. was meaning to, since i had tasted this one  along ago during a lovely Amrut Twitter Tasting which took place last year. So, better late than never as we say, here it is. In the meantime i did get a chance to review some newer Amruts but this one is the classic and one of the first to ever be released from Bangalore. Interesting to see how this differs from my favourite “Fusion” which has some peated malt inside… Amrut Peated, 46% , £34 Nose: Starts […] - [Glenrothes 1988 Archives (WhiskyBase)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/29/glenrothes-1988-archives-whiskybase/): Another week starts with an Indie bottling by Whiskybase (Archives) this time a Glenrothes, single cask from 1988, ex-sherry cask #7318. Been quit a while since I had a new (to me Glenrothes, and although I am fond of Glenrothes their OBs are mostly diluted and colored which is a turn off, though some older ones are really nice. Glenrothes 23 yo 1988 ,53,4%, Archives 2012, #7318, 80 bottles Nose: starts with pepper, Spice. Malt. Wee cinnamon and quite some ginger powder. off to damp wood. Apples. Palate: Sweet and spicy with cereals. Peppery even getting chilly. A weird Combo of […] - [Isle of Jura 1988 Archives by Whiskybase ](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/25/isle-of-jura-1988-arvhices/): I received some very interesting samples of various bottling for the “Archives” series by whisky base. All single casks, bottled at CS, and from a wide variety of distilleries, will be going to post notes about them all (10 or so) in the coming month. The first of which is a lovely and very different Isle Of Jura bottling. Only fitting as this month I’m running the “Win a 30 year old Jura” competition on the blog. (have you participated yet?, if no, click here!). Isle of Jura 1988 , Archives,  24 yo , 51.3 %, cask # 752 , € […] - [Tasting Isle of Arran Burn’s Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/24/tasting-isle-of-arran-burns-malt/): Long time since I featured an Isle of Arran whisky , and it’s about time I tried a wee dram from that lovely distillery. I was very glad to get a wee sample ,this time a NAS Bottled under the Robert Burns label, this edition of the Arran Single Malt has been  created by combining different ages. The use of mainly American oak ex-Bourbon casks in maturation has accentuated the sweet-fruity notes of Arran whilst a smaller proportion of ex-Sherry hogsheads add depth and richness.  It’s nice to know that Isle of Arran Distillers are Patron of the Robert Burns World […] - [Peter Arkle Ancnoc edition No.2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/23/peter-arkle-ancnoc-edition-no-2/): Time flies, and it seems only yesterday we reviewed the first Arkle edition. Here’s a 2nd one. You get the deal, it’s another lovely sherry focused (50%) dram from the knock. Limited Edition No. 2 is a classic expression of single malt whisky from Knockdhu Distillery with a twist. The whisky was matured in Spanish oak ex-sherry butts (50%) and American oak ex-bourbon barrels, both first fill.  The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, unchill-filtered and presented at its natural color. AnCnoc Arkle Edition No.2 , 46% ABV, £37, NAS Nose: perfumed honey. Apricot. Dried ones. Sultana. Wood. Cinnamon and spice. […] - [A New Old Pulteney 40 Year Old is unveiled](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/23/a-new-old-pulteney-40-year-old-is-unveiled/): If you’re feeling very rich today, or you are a big OP collector here are some exciting news for you. A brand new spanking OP. Doesn’t happen frequently. Old Pulteney is to unveil the oldest and most exclusive official expression of single malt since its establishment in 1826. The Spirit for Old Pulteney 40 Year Old came from four casks. They included three Spanish ex-sherry hogsheads and one American oak ex-bourbon barrel. The casks yielded 493 bottles of whisky at a natural strength of 51.3% ABV at cask strength, has not been chill-filtered or colored. Despite the age the spirit shows […] - [Malt Whisky Yearbook 2013 edition–Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/22/malt-whisky-yearbook-2013-edition%e2%80%93review/): It’s that time of year, and it’s time for this year’s MWYB 2013, I reviewed the 2012 edition, and this one walks the well trodden path, but as always, never fails to deliver. A lovely bunch of talented whisky writers at the top of their game, have contributed some great pieces: starting with Gavin Smith illustrating “Secondary Malts taking center stage” about some lesser known and small distilleries which lay obscured and have made great progress in recent years, off to Charles Maclean (after a memorable appearance in Ken Loach’s ‘Angel’s Share’) dealing with “The creation of an industry” with some […] - [Whisky Israel turns 3 year old, and you can win the Brand new Jura 30 year old ‘Camas an Staca’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/18/whisky-israel-turns-3-year-win-the-brand-new-jura-30-eyar-old/): Times flies, and Whisky Israel is three years old, like a proper whisky, right? As a token of appreciation for our readers, we’re giving away an amazing bottle of whisky, A FULL SIZE BOTTLE!! (700ml) of  the brand new 30 year old Isle of Jura (see notes and info here ) . Brillant right? 350 quid worth of whisky, elegant bottle in an amazing case, You want it, we know… So, how can you win that? simple as 1.2.3: Become a friend of Whisky Israel on FB / follow us on twitter @whiskyisrael Answer the following 2 questions: Name the post […] - [Quick Dram : Lp2 – Elements of Islay–Laphraoig](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/17/quick-dram-lp2-elements-of-islay-laphraoig/): Been meaning to try this one for some time , and thankful to Billy for saving a few drops of this for me to have a go at it – you’re the man Billy. Another bottling by TWE in their “Elements of Islay” series, of excellent IB Islay malts at CS. Let’s dive in. Lp2 – Elements of Islay ,64.1% , £43 Nose: A lovely and interesting combination of wet earth, sweet sherry and sugar, spice, medicinal note as well as some chocolate, and a certain saltiness, new leather, hay and those candy you take when you have a cold, forgot […] - [Tasting Grant’s Stand Fast (Recreated 2012)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/16/tasting-grants-stand-fast-recreated/): This whisky is indeed a special one. A blend but a very unusual blend with a real nice story behind it. If you want the full Monty have a look here, or here, and even here. If you are lazy or don’t feel like a long reading here’s the essence in short: Earlier this year Paul Kendall, archivist of the Grant’s family, discovered a book which contained the recipe of Grant’s Stand Fast, written down on 11th of June 1912. To celebrate this 100 years old recipe, current Master Blender Brian Kinsman re-created it and bottled 100 bottles, all to be […] - [Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert by Davin D.K](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/15/canadian-whisky-the-portable-expert-by-davin-d-k/): A few very interesting and well written books have been published and released in the past months and I am about to review a couple of such books, The first of which is an excellent book dealing with Canadian whisky, named simply “Canadian Whisky” and written by a true Canadian whisky lover, and perhaps the man who knows the most about Canadian whisky in the whisky blogo-geeko sphere : Davin De Kergommeaux . Now,whisky geeks and aficionados not living in Canada, if you ask yourself “What do I really know about Canadian whisky?” I think most would answer: pretty much nothing. […] - [Sunday NewsFlash October 14th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/14/sunday-newsflash-october-14th/): The Ultimate Bowmore adventure Bowmore distillery is offering a very cool prize for those who wish to enter their competition: Along with Brand Advocates Ken Hames and Colin Prior, the winners will enjoy a unforgettable five day trip to Islay, from surviving on an uninhabited island overnight to photographing majestic eagles at dawn, this trip will be the ultimate outdoor lovers adventure around Islay. After experiencing all the outdoors can throw at you its back to the Bowmore distillery to enjoy your reward. Highlights of your trip will include: •  Dawn Islay photography master class with Colin Prior •  Construction of […] - [Whisky Bible 2013 is released. Let the hoo-ha begin…](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/12/whisky-bible-2013-is-released-let-the-hoo-ha-begin/): It’s October again, and time for the yearly release of JM’s (in)famous whisky bible. While very controversial (and not liked by a lot of whisky geek and lovers) It can not be ignored since it’s one of the best selling whisky books yearly, and maybe the most expansive reference books dealing with whisky. A few year’s ago I bought the books but as time goes by I find JM’s selections sometime a bit odd, and not in sync with my individual taste, so I prefer not to use this book as a guide or reference, but it’s me, and I know […] - [Old Ballantruan Twitter Tasting #OB10TT](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/11/old-ballantruan-twiter-tasting-ob10tt/): last night we gathered again with the help and guidance of Steve from The Whisky Wire, for a lovely twitter tasting. It has been quite some time since I sat in one of those (due to some samples arriving late etc. but this time all was on time). I almost forgot that Israel is now only 1 hour ahead of the UK and not 2 as usual (stupid Israeli government ending the DST a month early. Bastards!). So, I rushed in traffic to be home early enough to say hi to the kids, bathe them and hop on to the twitter […] - [Tasting the new Speyburn 25 year old (and the 10 year old as bonus)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/10/tasting-two-speyburns%e2%80%9310-yo-25-yo/): It’s Speyburn time again. 3 weeks ago on September 6th another twitter tasting took place, this time organized by Lukasz of Alembic Comms (who’s doing the magic stuff for inverhouse). The original date of the tasting was a few weeks before that, but they had to reschedule. I really wanted to participate, but I was flying to MaltStock the day after (or just a few hours after the tweetup), and since my plane took off at 0600 am I was due at the airport fairly early Friday morning, and wanted to grab a few hours of sleep before I was to […] - [Littlemill 21 Year Old Burns Malt Whisky (the whisky barrel)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/09/littlemill-21-year-old-burns-malt-whisky-the-whisky-barrel/): Another exclusive bottling for the whisky barrel shop, From a single sherry hogshead cask #35 limited to just 60 bottles. Littlemill whisky Distillery was established in 1772 to the west of Bowling by the north shore of the River Clyde and on the main road into Glasgow. Subsequent modifications during the 1930s resulted in a number of novel features including double ventilation towers which sat over a single drying kiln and pot stills with rectifiers rather than the more traditional swan necks. The combination of pot and column stills in Littlemill was designed to produce malt whisky which was expected to […] - [Tasting Compass Box Hedonism](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/08/tasting-compassbox-hedonism/): The truth is I tasted this one a long time ago, even a year or more ago with a bunch of other CB’s and for some odd reason did not post my notes. Gladly I received another wee sample of this lovely dram for last month’s Compass Box twitter tasting, and this time around got to write my notes again. Compass box blends this Grain whisky twice a year and source whiskies Will vary according to batch but typically whiskies from the following distilleries: Cameron Bridge, Carsebridge, Cambus, Port Dundas or Dumbarton. Now, a Grain whisky can be a beautiful thing, […] - [Isle of Jura part II – A spanking NEW 30 year old Jura!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/04/isle-of-jura-part-ii-a-spanking-new-30-year-old-jura/): So, I’m pretty excited about this post, and it’s going to be the first time this  new whisky from Jura is revealed to the public (you, dear readers). and not just any whisky, but a 30 year old very special whisky it is. But first things first, (if you are very curious, just scroll down a bit ok?) You are probably wondering why it took me that long two write this 2nd part of my Isle of Jura trip experiences. I am lazy, but not that lazy… The reason I was waiting that long is that I wanted this write-up to […] - [Quick Dram: SMWS 23.71 ‘A cheese Baord in surgery’–Bruichladdich](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/02/quick-dram-smws-23-71-a-cheese-baord-in-surgery%e2%80%93bruichladdich/): Another one from Sjoerd’s SMWS bottle share, this time a 9 year old Ladie bottled at a whopping 65.9%, not for those who appreciate delicate malts, eh? SMWS 23.71 ‘A cheese Baord in surgery’–Bruichladdich , 9yo , 65.9% Nose: Signature Laddie no doubt here. Baby vomit, peat and powerful mix of herbal and fruity notes with medicinal qualities such as ER or surgery room. A certain sift cheese aroma. Maybe sweeter ricotta. Palate: much sharper than the nose would indicate. Pepper , sugar, coconut, fruit (peach apple) , peat smoke. Vanilla and wood, sprinkled with salt. Finish: bitter wood and sweet […] - [Milroy’s of Soho single casks Take II–Cooley & Zuidam Rye](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/01/milroys-of-soho-single-casks-take-2-cooley-zuidam-rye/): Time for another go at some interesting single casks bottled by the guys at Milroy’s of Soho, London. This time with some quite unusual drams. The first one, we’re going to try is a single Grain Cooley (yes, Whiskey from Ireland). This one was distilled in 1991, and bottled at 46%, out of stock, it’s a bit on the pricey side at £300!! , but it’s a classic. My first EVER grain whisky from Cooley, and I was not expecting it to be that good! Milroy’s of Soho Single Cask,46% ABV, Cooley Grain 1991 Nose: Classy stuff over here mind you! […] - [Maltstock Masterclass #2–The Benriach and Glendronach](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/27/maltstock-masterclass-2the-benriach-and-glendronach/): After finishing the MoM master class, we went out to eat a light lunch of sandwiches , as to allow us to eat nicely at dinner, while BBQ Guru NL was doing his magic with the BBQ and grill. Everyone was drooling at the sight of the piglet which was cooking nicely since the morning on the skewer. A bit more and it would be ready.  In the meantime the Barrel rolling contest was in full motion. At the main gathering point people were sitting around the tables and drinking samples they have brought over to share with closer friends. Thanks […] - [New Blended whisky from Wemyss Malts : “Lord Elcho” 15 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/25/new-blended-whisky-from-wemyss-malts-%e2%80%9clord-elcho%e2%80%9d-15-yo/): Those of you who read the blog on a regular basis know that I find Wemyss Malts single casks and blended malts to be very good to excellent. They do bottle good stuff, and do not bother with mediocre stuff, and usually they produce top notch stuff. The new expression named “Lord Elcho” is their first attempt at the blended whiskies market, with a premium whisky that sounds really interesting. I guess a little bio of this Lord Elcho is mandatory, so here goes : The whisky is named after Wemyss Malts founder’s 18th century ancestor who was a loyal supporter […] - [Should we be Selling our empty whisky bottles ??? (hint: NO)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/24/should-we-be-selling-our-empty-whisky-bottles-hint-no/): I was not planning on writing this post, but a conversation on both twitter and on Facebook on the same day triggered this quick post. A few whisky friends (@_MosStef_ , @sjoerd972 , and Gert Jan on FB ) were posting links to EMPTY whisky bottles (Ardbeg for example) being sold for around 40 EUR on eBay, and we all agreed this was madness , and that people are insane. We all regretted a few old bottles we threw up when done. We could have sold them and bought new bottles with that cash. Then the possibility of people buying those […] - [Tasting the new Old Pulteney: Wk 217 ‘Spectrum’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/23/tasting-the-new-old-pulteney-wk-217-%e2%80%98spectrum%e2%80%99/): A long time passed since the last OP I reviewed (almost exactly the same time last year) the Row to the pole. And here is another Duty free only OP, this time named after another wick ship: the WK 217 ‘Spectrum’.The inspiration for the last installment came from WK217 ‘Spectrum’. She was built in 1920 and went down in local history as one of the first Wick drifters to use a pioneering method of fishing called Anchor Seine Netting . She was also used during World War II for harbor service duties. Old Pulteney WK217 ‘Spectrum’ was distilled and matured at […] - [Master of Malt ‘The Old Fashioned Cocktail’ 2011](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/20/master-of-malt-the-old-fashioned-cocktail-2011/): Time to take a wee detour from pure whisky and malt and try a pre-mixed cocktail from Master of Malt. Cocktail purists will say this is Blasphemy and that you should make yours at home and play with the different ingredients and variations, and that making this one is not a big deal. All is right, but there is a market for those pre-mixed cocktails, let’s say you do not know much about Alcohol, or you are just plain lazy and have kids around and you do not want to invest time an energy in all the mixology business. Master of […] - [Maltstock Day #2–Master of malt Masterclass – That Boutique-y Whisky Company](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/19/maltstock-day-2%e2%80%93master-of-malt-masterclass-that-boutique-y-whisky-company/): So, after a solid 8 or so hours of sleep (while my room mate JB is still in deep slumber) I woke up with a bit of a headache (not enough sleep, and almost enough malts) , to wash up and get ready for day 2. Nothing is nicer on such a day than a big, nutritious and healthy Full Scottish Breakfast, which was exactly what Maltstock offers daily. The good lads from the Highlander Inn have prepared a lovely meal, for all of us to enjoy. Being an Israeli, it’s not easy to get hold of good bacon, and Black […] - [Tasting Compass Box Flaming Heart 2012 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/18/tasting-compass-box-flaming-heart-2012-edition/): Israel Post. I love hate it. It’s evil. You can count on it to do its work so slowly it can be infuriating at times. Other  times it just works fine. Go figure. It all started with a Compass Box Tweeter tasting Part Deux. I was keen on participating but the Evil post (again) did not deliver the samples on time. I got the samples one day too late, and thus, had to taste those three lovely sample (Hedonism, Oak cross, Flaming heart) a few days after the rest of my twitter friends did. Better late then never, as they say. […] - [Maltstock 2012–An incredible whisky weekend Part I](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/16/maltstock-2012an-incredible-whisky-weekend-part-i/): So I’m back. How was it you ask? It was wonderful! one of the better weekends I’ve had in recent years. full of whisky, friends and adventures. I decided to break my Maltstock adventures into 3 parts,  this is the first, and two coming posts about two very interesting master classes I’ve attended : Master of Malt’s new IB label, and The Benriach/Glendronach session with Donald MacLellan.   I landed in AMS airport early Friday morning (Early for some *wink* ) after waking up really early to catch the 6 am plane from Tel Aviv, just in time to meet a […] - [Wishing you all A “Shana Tova” (Happy new Jewish year)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/13/wishing-you-all-a-shana-tova-happy-new-jewish-year/): Another year has gone by, with 100’s of new drams, new whisky experiences, and lots and lots of malt. I would like to thank my fear readers for following Whisky Israel, and sharing my whisky journey. May the next year be even better with more interesting (Cask Strength, eh?) drams, whisky events, festivals and everything whisky. It is customary to dip an apple in honey for a sweet upcoming year, so let us dip and apple in honey and malt, and let’s make the coming year, sweet and malty! Shana Tova! Keep on dramming. Gal. - [Tasting Cardhu octave Duncan Taylor 1984 27 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/12/tasting-cardhu-octave-duncan-taylor-1984-27-yo/): My first Cardhu review on the blog I think, and it’s about time. Cardhu does not release a lot of single malt expressions, and it is mostly remembered for the infamous “pure malt” incident in which Cardhu due to shortage of stocks bottled a pure malt (mixed with other Speyside malts) under the same brand and label, which vexed whisky geeks and its competitors. it had to remove that packaging in 2003 and repackage it under a different looking package and that was the end of that, only to completely remove the “Pure Malt” version in 2004. A real fiasco, which […] - [Tasting Benriach 1996 (Caskstrength.net) or Eureka!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/10/tasting-benriach-1996-caskstrength-net-or-eureka/): Joel and Neil those two nice blokes from the well known cask strength whisky blog are on a mission to bottle whiskies from A-Z, a very worthy and noble cause. Last year they started with ‘A’ and bottled a single cask Arran 1998, that I sadly did not manage to taste, and that one flew of the shelves quickly. This year, they continue with ‘B’ and chose a lovely Benriach which sat in a Bourbon cask until 2008 only to be poured and ‘finished’ for a few years in a PX cask, then bottled with the help of the fellas at […] - [Heading to MaltStock 2012 !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/06/heading-to-maltstock-2012/): Time flies when you are having fun, and September 7th is drawing close. I will be flying over to the Netherlands for Malt Stock 2012, and I am really looking forwards to it. I will be happy to meet many NL whisky friends, and international whisky friends visiting too. So, if you are there, and a blog reader, Facebook friends or twitter buddy come by to say hi, and share a dram (or two, or three), I’d be happy to meet you. So, don’t be a stranger! and see you all in a few days on Dutch ground. (don’t worry, I’ve […] - [Tasting Two Milroy’s of Soho single casks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/05/tasting-two-milroy%e2%80%99s-of-soho-single-casks/): A few weeks ago, I received a few samples from Milroy’s Of Soho which is a leading whisky and wine  shop in London, and also a private bottler. I remember visiting them a couple of times in the past, and also tasting some delicious Amrut whisky they had on sale back then, and was very  happy to be able to try some of their offering. I decided to go with those two for starters, unusual single casks bottled at 46% rather than at cask strength, but offering good price / quality ratios. Milroy’s Royal Lochnagar 2002, Aged 10 Years, Jubilee Bottling […] - [Tasting Duncan Taylor Brora 1981 – 23yo cask 1425](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/04/tasting-duncan-taylor-brora-1981-%e2%80%93-23yo-cask-1425/): Brora Brora. With today’s prices, it’s hard to afford old Broras, and the last Diageo Special releases 35 year old went up to £400. I was lucky enough to be able to taste this wonderful dram courtesy of my good whisky friend Phil. he sent over a sample my way, but It was with him one night, that I was able to enjoy a generous dram, and it was excellent. A few weeks later, I retested it , giving it more time (like it deserves) and liked it even more. A wonderful sherry cask. Brora 23 yo 1981/2005 61%, Duncan Taylor, […] - [Tasting Balblair 1990 single cask #1463 (Gathering Place)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/09/03/tasting-balblair-1990-single-cask-1463-gathering-place/): Not long ago I wrote about the new Balblair members club “The Gathering Place”, members of which will be able to buy this single cask offering directly from the distillery. A really unique opportunity to score a single cask Balblair OB (Not many of those, none at all to be more exact). This bottling is special as it is a Cask Strength, and aged in a cask that previously contained Islay whisky. I was lucky to be given a sneak preview tasting of this lovely example, and as a lover of Balblair, I was not disappointed. Make sure you register the […] - [Celebrating 500 posts with Highland Park 40](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/30/celebrating-500-posts-with-highland-park-40/): So, 500 posts eh? Who would have believed? When I started blogging in English about whisky, I never thought I’d reach 500 posts, and now We’re actually there (and even beyond the 500 mark). How was it you ask? It was sheer fun. Let me tell you It’s not easy posting every few days ( every 2.19 days to be exact), and with work , raising two wonderful wee kids , and life, I’m really surprised I managed to write so many words on one vast topic : Whisky. I could not have gotten to 500 without some good whisky friends […] - [Diageo Announce 2012 Limited Edition Special Releases](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/28/diageo-announce-2012-limited-edition-special-releases/): It’s this time of year again, and Diageo the spirits giant is revealing its 2012 whisly special releases. not a lot to add other than : EXPENSIVE. I suspect most of us whisky lovers (and not collectors) will not be able to afford any, and most will be gone in no time to the dusty shelves of whisky collectors / Investors. Shame… Distillery Bottles Price Comments Auchroisk™ 30 year old 2,976 £230 The oldest Auchroisk ever released by the distillers. From a mix of American & European Oak refill casks filled in 1982. Brora™ 35 year old 1,566 £400 Eleventh of […] - [Tasting 3 new Wemyss malts single casks (latest batch)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/27/tasting-3-new-wemyss-malts-single-casks-latest-batch/): A couple of month ago Wemyss released 5 new single casks to their Single cask collection, and continuing their recent trend, they do disclose which distillery is behind the lovely name and descriptions. I really like how they name their expressions, with descriptive names, although not as fancy and posh, and some might say over posh names given to some single casks by SMWS. One caveat in those releases (and I keep on nagging about this every single time I review Wemyss’s excellent collection, and I know Wemyss know how I and probably more feel about it) is the low ABV […] - [Yes, you really can combine Irish Whiskey & Music with Surfing](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/26/yes-you-really-can-combine-irish-whiskey-music-with-surfing/): Richard Barr is a member of the Whisky Israel tasting society , a blog correspondent at times,  and a good whisky friend and big whisky lover. From time to time he posts his notes and adventures on our blog.     Of course you’ve heard of the Beach Boys and you also know that their lyrics are filled with beaches, surfing, waves & sunshine. I bet you’re hard pressed to find a whisky connection though. How about this one; Way back in 1972, the Beach Boys performed at the “Whisky-A-Go-Go” on Sunset Strip in California. What you don’t know is that […] - [Whisky News Friday 23rd August](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/24/whisky-news-friday-23rd-august/): It’s hot, and it’s summer and most of you are/were/will be on vacation. But that is soon to end. Here in the meantime, a few whisky PRs that might interest you. New Whisky book By Dominic Roskrow & Gavin D. Smith The definitive 21st-century reference to the world’s greatest distilleries & their whiskies Gavin D. Smith & Dominic Roskrow With contributions by Davin de Kergommeaux & Jürgen Deibel Price: £30.00 Publishing: 3rd September 2012 By looking at established whisky-producing countries such as Scotland, Ireland and America, and innovative newcomers like Sweden, Taiwan and Australia, not to mention whisky’s growing popularity with […] - [Tasting Cambus 24 yo (Bladnoch Forum)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/22/tasting-cambus-24-yo-bladnoch-forum/): Moving back in time to the remains of my Bladnoch bottle share samples. This time we’re dealing with Cambus (Camb-what?! you ask?), So, yeah. Cambus WAS a grain distillery located in the lowlands and was closed in 1993. Most Single malt snobs (mainly those who don’t have a clue) do not drink Grain whisky, although those who have tried some old and good grain whiskies will tell you they can be brilliant. So, do yourself a favor and consider trying some older grain whiskies if you have the chance. Some are worth your while, and will deliver a thoroughly enjoyable experience. […] - [SMWS 5.29 – ‘Freesias crushed by an escaping car’–Auchentoshan 11 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/20/smws-5-29-freesias-crushed-by-an-escaping-carauchentoshan-11-yo/): Not all single casks are great, and not all blended mats are mediocre. A saying I just invented, but it’s true. I’ve been tasting quite a few SMWS single casks in recent weeks and this particular one from Auchentoshan is an example that some single casks are not very good sometimes. I am not quite sure why the SMWS picked this cask up. Probably they liked something about it enough to justify the bottling, but what it is eludes me. This one is a 11 year old 2nd fill Hogshead , distilled 03/1999 and bottled at 60.6%. SMWS 5.29 – ‘Freesias […] - [Whisky Israel goes on summer vacation](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/19/whisky-israel-goes-on-summer-vacation/): As the 500th post is nearing, it’s only fit to take a wee vacation before diving into the 500th celebratory drams. also… It’s that time of year again. Kids are on vacation, and we’re headed to the north of Israel for a few days of hiking and fun. Will pack a few wee drams to share with friends while gone , do not worry So, you can expect a fairly silent and easy week on the blog ,but don’t worry, I’ve scheduled a few tasting notes thay will go live this week to keep you company. See you all in a […] - [Tasting SMWS 7.65 ‘A Balm for the Soul’–Longmorn 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/16/tasting-smws-7-65-a-balm-for-the-soullongmorn-21-yo/): So, A Longmorn with a very enticing name : “A balm for the soul”. here’s to it delivering that promise… 2nd fill Sherry butt, and I am really looking forward to this one, since my experience with Longmorns is not vast to say the least. I need to try more. And here’s this one, and I have very good memories from the last one I reviewed here. SMWS 7.65 ‘A Balm for the Soul’ Longmorn 21 yo, 55.2% abv, Nose: A gently beauty. Gentle wood. Nuts. Cinnamon. Dried figs , apricot. Hay. Rum. Spice and wee anise, to finish it all […] - [Tasting SMWS 35.51, Glen Moray “Every Flavour Beans”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/15/tasting-smws-35-51-glen-moray-every-flavour-beans/): My Second Glen Moray tasting note on the blog (the first was a Duncan Taylor), and the fourth from the SMWS bottle share series.  distilled in 1976 and aged in an ex-Bourbon first fill cask for 33 years. Not a very common distillery to be bottled, and a good chance to taste something you don’t drink every day. SMWS 35.51 , 53.6% ABV , 33 year old , £147 Nose: Thick nose. With quite some alcohol up front ; Starts with  honey sweetness, ample wood, wood spice,  mint, pine . then gets fruity : red apples, peaches and some pear. some […] - [Tasting Caperdonich 1969 by G&M](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/13/tasting-caperdonich-1969-by-gm/): So, Demolished distillery bottling, are they tastier? or are we just missing those distilleries which will never operate again? That is a good question I need to devote an entire post to, or even a poll, but until then we’ll give Caperdonich the benefit of the doubt, as it is one of those distilleries that ceased to operate but yielded wonderful whiskies. Another sample which arrived by surprise from an Austrian whisky friend and connoisseur, Bottled in 2009 and distilled in 1969, making it 40 year old. I was a bit disappointed to see it was only at 46%, but As […] - [World Whisky Figures part I : David Baker of Bakery Hill distillery, Australia](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/07/world-whisky-figures-part-i-david-baker-of-bakery-hill-distillery-australia/): Today we’re starting a new series of interviews with World Whisky insiders, or the people that makes the water of life outside bonnie Scotland. We’re going to start with David Baker from down under who set up the lovely Bakery hill distillery. Background: Bakery hill is a distillery is located in North Balwyn, Victoria, Australia, and all brewing and distilling are carried out in the current distillery hall.At the commencement of operations, the brewing required was carried out for the first 4 years at a local micro brewery but subsequent that was carried out at the distillery itself.Bakery hill operates two […] - [Tasting SMWS 29.102 : Laphraoig, Cowboys campfire dram](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/05/tasting-smws-29-102-laphraoig%e2%80%93cowboys-campfire-dram/): A few days ago I heard a bad yearning for a sherried peat smoke and ash monster and I immediately thought of this one. I wanted to try this one for some time and due to the heat and summer, my peaty whisky consumption was quite low. Nothing lovelier than a wee dram when A/C is on full throttle and house is freezing cold in mid summer at the wee hours of the night (ok, evening). This SMWS Laphroaig was distilled March 1998 and Aged for 13 years in a Refill Sherry Butt, sounds just perfect, right? SMWS Laphraoig 29.102 , […] - [Tasting Wemyss malts winter spice 1982 (Teaninich)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/03/tasting-wemyss-malts-winter-spice-1982-teaninich/): A new batch of exciting new single casks from Wemyss has been launched recently and this reminded me I have some leftovers to review before getting to ‘work’ on the new batch. This time we’re in for a nice Teaninch 1982 , again bottled at 44% (not CS) and from a single cask. Boy, I am getting old. My wee sister was born in ‘82 and she’s now 30! OMG. that makes me an old man… Wemyss malts winter spice 1982 ,44 % ABV , NCF, natural color , £106 Nose: Its name becomes it : Lots of spices: cinnamon first […] - [California Whiskey](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/08/01/california-whiskey/): Today a guest post by an american whiskey friend of ours Mack M. Mack McConnell is Whisk(e)y fan and enthusiast. he  lives in San Francisco, CA. and  recently founded Taster’s Club – a Whisky club that sends quality whisky every month to all it’s members and helps them learn about them in the process. he has recently started blogging about what he drinks in a new blog. California is known for a lot of things. Some of them are pretty good (San Francisco, The Beach Boys, craft beer), some aren’t so great: Hollywood, bankruptcy, Kim Kardashian. Whatever comes to your mind […] - [Mortlach SMWS, 76.83 ‘Cocktails after Rugby’ 15 yo vintage 1995](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/30/mortlach-smws-76-83-%e2%80%98cocktails-after-rugby%e2%80%99-15-yo-vintage-1995/): Another one of the SMWS bottle share by the good old Sjoerd from NL. Time to go through that bunch, methinks. And today : A Mortlach! Ah, I do love those meaty Mortlachs, and was hoping this one will be one of them. But, not this time. This was a very different story altogether. SMWS, 76.83 ‘Cocktails after Rugby’ 15 yo Nose: A lot of malty goodness. Vanilla and honey liquor. If you look well you’ll get some star anise, Damp wood.  Apple & Pear peel. Palate: Sharp entry With lots if Barley sugars.Some earthy notes a well. Wood , sawdust. […] - [Tasting Perfection : Glenfarclas Norse Cask 1964 “Rechlerich”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/30/tasting-perfection-glenfarclas-norse-cask-1964-rechlerich/): Some distilleries make consistent wonderful drams and the family owned Glenfarclas is one of them. It’s a favorite of mine as you well know, and making older expressions of perfect sherried malts is what they excel at. Seldom do you find a bad OB ‘Farclas. IB Glenfarclas is not common, and they are never bottled under the Glenfarclas name as the distillery does not allow that. A few months ago, my good whisky friends and Danish gentleman Jorn visited Israel, and when we sat and had a few beers and drams, handed me a wee sample bottle. It did not look […] - [Whisky Newsflash Friday 27th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/27/whisky-newsflash-friday-27th/): Two recent whisky releases have arrived into our mailbox, and I thought they were pretty interesting. Old Pulteney releases WK217 ‘Spectrum’ Old Pulteney releases the final installment of the boat series – WK217 ‘Spectrum’ Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky, known as The Maritime Malt, has released the third and final expression of an acclaimed series of single malts related to extraordinary boats from Wick.The inspiration for the last installment came from WK217 ‘Spectrum’. She was built in 1920 and went down in local history as one of the first Wick drifters to use a pioneering method of fishing called Anchor […] - [Tasting Elijah Craig 18 Single Barrel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/27/tasting-elijah-craig-18-single-barrel/): Time to taste some of the samples I’ve got from my good friend Josh (@cooperedtot). I’ve tasted the EC 12 before and liked it a lot, this one sadly is not available anymore, and discontinued due to lack of older stock so I am told. It’s an 18 year old single barrel Bourbon named after the Reverend Elijah Craig, who discovered the benefits of ageing bourbon in charred barrels. The barrels are hand selected by Master Distiller Parker Beam Elijah Craig Single Barrel 18 Year Old, 45% ABV, Barrel 3866 Nose: Wood varnish , vanilla, maple , orange peel candy , […] - [Blended Malts Evening at Whisky Israel tasting Society](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/25/blended-malts-evening-at-whisky-israel-tasting-society/): A few months ago when it was much cooler, and one could drink whisky without the need of A/C 24 hours a day, The whisky Israel tasting society convened for an evening of Bring your own whiskies. The Theme was Blended Malts (Or Vatted Malts like we used to call them before the SWA messed things up). Each brought a bottle, and thanks to our host Raviv, we sat down for a nice evening of whisky and cheeses. Some of the whiskies were new to me and some I’ve had on previous occasions, but its always nice to return to a […] - [Tasting Arran’s latest release : The Devil’s Punch Bowl](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/23/tasting-arrans-latest-release-the-devils-punch-bowl/): When I heard about this one a few weeks ago, I was very keen to know more. What an unusual name (good work PR guys!). But when I saw the amazing box and the bottle and heard what’s inside, I knew I HAD to try this one sooner or later (sooner is better). If this is the first time you’ve heard about this new Arran I must tell you what’s it all about. In essence this is a vatting of hand picked casks by Arran’s distillery manager James MacTaggart, and features both peated and unpeated casks (this is a first for […] - [Whisky news–friday 20th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/20/whisky-news%e2%80%93friday-20th/): A new Ardbeg? – Galileo? This is not quite official yet, but more and more pics and rumors are showing up online, Facebook , twitter. Even the Master of Malt Blog has written a post about it two days ago. So, there must be something in it. Not a lot is know, other that it’s supposed to be a 1999 vintage, making it a 11/12 year old. I’ve seen some evidence that Moet has registered the Galileo name on the dept. of treasury site, so they must be serious. Rumor also has it that it’s going to be a wine finish […] - [Tasting the new Balblair 2002 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/19/tasting-the-new-balblair-2002-edition/): As I’ve mentioned in the last post about the 1975 vintage Balblair, another new vintage will be released shortly by the guys from Edderton: a much younger 2002 edition. Again, this one will be bottled at 46% ABV , NCV, and no colouring added. As opposed to the 1975, this liquid was aged in 100% Ex-Bourbon casks.  Pricing has not been announced yet, but surely it will be much cheaper. Balblair 2002 preview , 46% ABV , NCF Nose: This is a young and fruity one : apples and pears in light woody and malty packaging. Add some honey, Wood spice […] - [Tasting the new Balblair 1975 vintage (batch 2)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/17/tasting-the-new-balblair-1975-vintage-batch-2/): Last week Balblair distillery has released a 2nd batch of their 1975 vintage. The new expression has been matured in American Ex-Sherry casks (rather than European ex-Sherry casks of batch #1 ) and is bottled at 46% , NCF, and no additional colouring added. A press event was held and UK whisky bloggers and press were invited to the distillery to celebrate. In addition an online twitter tasting of two new expressions (this one and the new 2002) was held that Tuesday, and as much as i wanted to participate, I knew there was a good chance of Israeli postal services […] - [Tasting The Benriach “Horizons” 12 yo triple distilled](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/16/tasting-the-benriach-%e2%80%9chorizons%e2%80%9d-12-yo-triple-distilled/): Today’s dram is the Benriach Horizons 12. What’s so unique about it is that it’s distilled three times as opposed to most single malts which are distilled twice (or 2.5 times like in Springbank). Will be interesting to see how the third distillation affects the liquid. One thing I do like about this one and many young Benriachs is that it’s bottled at 50% ABV, and not the usual 40-43, and that makes it richer. We should encourage distilleries to go for 48%+ ABV’s even in the younger ranges. So, go go Benriach, and keep this going. The Benriach “Horizons” 12 […] - [Tasting Laphraoig PX Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/12/tasting-laphraoig-px-cask/): After the success of the Triple wood , and it’s migration to the general retail sector from travel retail, Laphraoig introduces another retail exclusive this time finished in PX sherry casks rather the Oloroso casks  (as in the triple wood). PX being a much thicker and sweeter sherry, is sure to impart sweeter notes to the liquid. The triple wood was nice, but i had higher expectations for this one, even more after meeting John Campbell , distillery manager at Heathrow airport, after we both landed from Glasgow coming from Islay earlier this month. He was flying to the US to […] - [Tasting Bakery Hill peated whisky (Australia)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/11/tasting-bakery-hill-peated-whisky-australia/): Scotch whisky is wonderful, but great whisky is made worldwide as we all know. Australian whiskies are sometimes forgotten or not really available in Europe and the US, and they do not get enough PR. Most of you know Lark which is doing a great job, but Bakery Hill and others are sometimes obscure. I know I have not heard about this distillery until last year, when my good whisky friend David Ligoff (Owner of World Of Whisky shop in Sydney) came for a visit in the holy land. David, a former South African has family in Israel, and was kind […] - [SMWS 93.50–Glen Scotia 20yo–“Hot embers at the gate of hell”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/08/smws-93-50%e2%80%93glen-scotia-20yo%e2%80%93%e2%80%9chot-embers-at-the-gate-of-hell%e2%80%9d/): Another SMWS bottling this time from the Region of Campbletown which once was one of the biggest whisky regions and is now reduced to only 3 operating distilleries (Springbank, Kilkerran and G.Scotia). I’ve tasted a few GS’s in recent months (Indie bottling by Kintra of NL and another 19 year old I’ve yet to review, and will do soon). I quite like the smoky, but very unusual profile of those, which differ quite a bit from any other from the region. What i came to notice is that some Glen Scotias are amazing, and some are best described as “funky”. Let’s […] - [Tasting Talisker 25 yo OB, vintage 2007 release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/05/tasting-talisker-25-yo-ob-vintage-2007-release/): Talisker 10 is a cornerstone of my whisky bar, and I know only a few whisky drinkers who do not consider it to be one of the better OB that offers amazing bang for the buck and solid quality through the years.Talisker’s Peppery “signature” is well known, and while the 10 and 18 year olds are easy to get hold of (and have reasonable pricing) the 25 is released only in small quantities and sells quite fast. This 25 year old ,released in 2007 at 58.1%. I’ve heard some rumors that the next releases will not be at Cask strength, and […] - [SMWS 33.109 (Ardbeg 11 yo) – Delightful intensity of sherry and smoke](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/03/smws-33-109-ardbeg-11-yo-%e2%80%93-delightful-intensity-of-sherry-and-smoke/): Well, time to kick start some SMWS bottling tasting notes. All those are part of the SMWS bottle share organized earlier this year by my good whisky friend (and blogger) Sjoerd. It’s really a treat to be able to try some of those SMWS as they do not ship over here, and it’s really hard getting hold of a bottle in Israel.  I decided to start with this Ardbeg, as I really dig Sherried Ardbegs (and non sherried as well), and I felt like trying some Delightful sherry Yes, this is the name given to this one by SMWS and it’s […] - [Quick Dram : Cragganmore 19 yo (Bladnoch Forum bottling)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/07/02/quick-dram-cragganmore-19-yo-bladnoch-forum-bottling/): Continuing my Bladnoch tastings notes (from a very old bottle share, I don’t even remember when it took place). This Cragganmore was distilled on the 8th March 1991 and aged for 19 years in a single hogshead before bottling on the 12th July 2010, by the Bladnoch Forum, as a release of 281 bottles. Until now I’ve not been overwhelmed by the quality of those bottling and I sure do hope this one will stand out… Cragganmore 19 Year Old 1991 , 53.80%ABV  , £55. Nose: Sharp entry on the nose with some  alcohol bite, then vanilla ,dough  apples and malt. […] - [Macallan Revamp of basic range to NAS–good or bad?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/28/macallan-revamp-of-basic-range-to-nasgood-or-bad/): Two days ago The Macallan announced it would be revamping it’s basic range : Removal of 10-15 sherry oak and “Fine Oak”, and replacing them with 3 NAS expression called : Gold, Sienna and Ruby (named after their colors). You do not have to worry as the older and beloved expression 18 and up will continue to be sold as before. A bold move? a silly move? a colossal mistake? What do YOU think about it? [polldaddy poll=6349956] - [Tasting Bowmore 100 Degrees Proof](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/27/tasting-bowmore-100-degrees-proof/): Originally produced for the Travel Retail market (duty free shops) this is a cask strength NCF Bowmore NAS, and comes in a 1 Litre bottle. I’m not a Huge Bowmore fan but I do think they are really trying to make better whiskies in recent 1-2 years, and we definitely can see a change there, which is great news for Islay fans and Bowmore fans in particular. for those wondering about 100 proof being 57% ABV and not 50%, it’s a thing that often confuse people, but UK proof and US proof differ, and 100 proof UK wise means 57%, while […] - [Springbank Sherry cask 1997 / Potstill Austria](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/26/springbank-sherry-cask-1997-potstill-austria/): Always interesting to taste Springbanks, especially cask strength and single sherry casks ones. This was bottled for Potstill Austria  from cask #296 yielding 216 bottles at 57.1 % ABV. Springbank 1997 single cask #296  for Potstill Austria,  57.1 % ABV , 216 btl Nose:  A very nice mixture of both sweet sherry notes, and salty briny seaweed sort of notes you can expect from a Springbank… leather, and then some exotic fruit (papaya and ripe melon). grass, wet hay, a bit on the on the farmy side too. palate:  Very rich, at first woody and drying , then sweeter with the […] - [The Benriach ‘Generations’ 1988 Gaja barolo Cask #4423 (Singapore)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/25/the-benriach-generations-1988-single-cask-gaja-barolo-cask-4423-singapore/): Earlier this year I posted my notes for a younger single cask expressions bottled for the Singapore market. Unlike the other cask, this one is a wine cask , and a Gaja barolo to be more exact, rather than a classic sherry cask.  It’s time to check out the older expression and see how we like it over here, right? I remember when i first tried those two H2H i immediately like this one better not just because it’s older (you know me, age is not everything), but it felt richer and the wine cask was not ‘too much’ , if […] - [The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #3](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/21/the-balvenie-tun-1401-batch-3/): After the success of batches 1&2 (see my notes on the 2nd) , comes the third batch (actually there’s a fourth batch already in some duty free shops worldwide, I’ve seen one on my way back from Heathrow a few months ago. If you are not familiar with the term, Tun 1401 : basically it’s a special vatting of hand picked casks by the Balvenie malt master David Stewart, which are then all poured manually into a big tun made of wood, and then given a few months to blend and “marry” as we like to call it, before bottling it. […] - [More Men o’Quaich–Glen Grant 1974 36 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/19/more-men-oquaichglen-grant-1974-36-yo/): After a lovely Mortlach, a great Caperdonich comes the best of the three (so i think) – this Glen Grant. Again, a distillery that is not well known to me, and a chance to taste a dram that is older than me by one year (as times goes by, it’s getting harder and harder, and ever more expensive to experience such drams).  This one was finished in a fresh Octave cask for 5 more months before being bottled.So, how will this do compared to the other two? let’s dram and see. Glen Grant 1974 , 36 yo , 50.7% ABV , […] - [Men o’Quiach Collection Take II : Mortlach 1993 , 18yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/18/men-o%e2%80%99quiach-collection-take-ii-mortlach-1993-18yo/): Ok, Men o’Quaich take II. this time we’re off to the lovely Mortlach distillery located in the town of Dufftown. I’ve had quite a few of those (Mortlachs)  And i am a fan. so, high expectations! Another expression from this lovely collection, and this time a Mortlach. this was poured into a fresh sherry Octave cask, and spent another 8 months inside before being bottled at Cask Strength. Only 72 such bottles, at 51.2%. Let’s try, shall we? will this be a meaty Mortlachas we are sometimes accustomed to? Mortlach 1993  , 18yo , 51.2 % ABV , distilled 9/1993 bottled […] - [Tasting ‘Men o’Quiach’ – 1972 Caperdonich 38yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/18/tasting-men-o-quiach-1972-caperdonich-38yo/): Men o’Quaich is an IB label created by a group of Russian single malt whisky aficionados (Timothy, Paul, Vladislav, Alexis and Mikhail). It consists of old and older casks which are then transferred into an octave sherry cask of small dimensions (and volume) for a few months to ‘finish’ the liquid than bottled at cask strength with the help of Duncan Taylor the famous Independent bottler. basically those cask were chosen by the group (Led by Timothy so i am told) and then bottled in few numbers. My whisky friend and blogger (he blogs in Russian so i guess only a […] - [Whisky Guy Rob (Rob Gard) features Whisky Israel (and me)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/17/whisky-guy-rob-rob-gard-features-whisky-israel-and-me/): Last week i got a very surprising email from Rob Gard, a writer and lover of whisky, he has been living whisky for the past years, and writing whisky for longer than I have even enjoyed whisky. Rob asked me if i am willing to be interviewed for his blog, which is now being resurrected (after a long time not being updated). I was really honoured by the suggestion and later that day we spoke on the phone, where he poses questions and I tell him about my whisky journey, how it all began, and we discuss the social media and […] - [My First Whisky Tasting: A Night with the Boys (or the first Anglo Israeli whisky tweetup)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/14/my-first-whisky-tasting-a-night-with-the-boys-or-the-first-anglo-israeli-whisky-tweetup/): I’m very happy to present to you , our first ever female guest post on the blog. Women also dig whisky, and their voice should be heard loud and clear, so please welcome our guest blogger Ruth, and first, a short intro: Usually dabbling in the hotel and tourism arena, Ruth has learned to admire fine single malts. Hailing from the UK, her father is responsible for her initial introduction to whisky and is still a firm supporter of her ongoing appreciation. Ruth now resides in Tel Aviv and when not sampling Scottish delights (no not the kilted kind), can be […] - [Littlemill 1989 - 22 Year Old by Single Malts of Scotland](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/12/littlemill-1989-22-year-old-by-single-malts-of-scotland/): Not a lot Littlemill bottles out there I am afraid, and every single one is something to cherish. The last one I had was another IB (Kintra) which was nice. This was was getting raving report from fellow bloggers, and seemed something worth a try. Luckily I was given a sample by my good whisk friend Billy (thank you!), while visiting London about 2 months ago. Littlemill, 1989, 22 yo, 55.7%, cask 3120, 183 bottles, £99.95 (TWE) Nose: Rich and sweet,With chocolate , Raisins , wood spices, rum soaked dried fruit , some wood resin, complemented by fruit cake and spicy […] - [Chichibu The First – Ichiro’s Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/11/chichibu-the-first-%e2%80%93-ichiro%e2%80%99s-malt/): Today we’re about to taste the first dram from Japan’s youngest distillery which has been distilling since 2008 – Chichibu. Only in 2011 the spirit was old enough to be called “whisky” and this is the first such expression that is released. Aged in 200-litre Bourbon barrels and vatted from 31 barrels. I’ve come to understand that the big difference between night and day temperature at the distillery warehouse, is responsible for quick maturation. I’ve tasted the “new born” Chichibu in the past, and it was well, surprisingly nice for such a youngster, let’s see how the elder brother fairs. I’ve […] - [Whisky Round Table #24 - What makes for a positive distillery tour experience?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/07/whisky-round-table-24-what-makes-for-a-positive-distillery-tour-experience/): This month’s whisky RT hosted by Peter from “the casks” blog deals with distillery tours and what makes them fun enjoyable and memorable. the question was  : What makes for a positive distillery tour experience? How much of a role does the visitor centre play in the experience? The access to the facility? The distillery manager or tour guide? Having just returned from my first trip to Scotland to visit distilleries…it’s safe to say visiting distilleries is on my mind. I’m guessing we’ve all done a bit of distillery visiting, be it to Scotch behemoths or small American craft distillers, what […] - [The English Whisky Co. twitter tasting event–#EWCTT](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/06/the-english-whisky-co-twitter-tasting-event/): The English whisky company has been around a few years, and been distilling since 2006. i only tasted a few of their whiskies before (chapter 11 heavily peated ) and was really thrilled when I was told  by Steve Rush, organizer of this event and chief whisky man at The Whiky wire Blog I’m participating in this twitter tasting. The English whisky is very active on twitter and David Fitt their distiller (@distiller) tweets quite a lot about his work, and distiller’s life, which is very cool. This tasting as opposed to others was done blind : meaning we each got […] - [Quick Dram: Wemyss Malts Rum ‘n’ Raisin 1989](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/05/wemyss-malts-rum-and-raisin-1989-tullibardine/): Time for a quick dram, this time with yet another Wemyss malts, I’m on a mission to review them all, and I’m getting there, aren’t I? This one is a 1989 single cask Tullibardine (not had many of those at all!), which is another reason to be merry – a new distillery on the whisky Israel list. Lately Master of malt added quite a few of their whiskies (Wemyss) and also the TWE, so it’s widely available. This cask is again watered down to 46% ABV, I wonder when we’ll see Wemyss single casks at CS. Let’s get dramming then: Wemyss […] - [The AnCnoc Peter Arkle Twitter tasting](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/06/04/the-ancnoc-peter-arkle-twitter-tasting/): Just not long ago I posted news about the release of this dram from AnCnoc (april) , and here we are tasting the latest release (if you do not count the 35 year old which was long due). I really wanted to taste this one, and as it was not sold anywhere near me (and RMW do not ship to Israel), I was so glad to have noticed Lucksz twitting about an Arkle twitter tasting, and hopped on the bandwagon, as to speak. It had been quite a few months since the last AnCnoc twasting, and every release form this lovely […] - [Tasting ‘Ardbeg Day’ 2012 Release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/31/tasting-ardbeg-day-2012-release/): After the long intro post, It’s high time to taste this lovely new expressions everyone is waiting to put their hands on. It will be available starting June 2nd, at selected Ardbeg ‘Embassies’ worldwide, so check out where you can get you hands on a bottle. Sadly as there is no such embassy in Israel, this is maybe the closest i can get to a full bottle, and a wee sample is as good as any (thank you for the official sample , Ardbeg!) . A bit of information about this one: This one is a limited edition of ~12,000 bottles […] - [Tasting Glenglassaugh 26 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/30/tasting-glenglassaugh-26-year-old/): A few weeks ago I reviewed the latest addition to the GG range the “Revival”, and this week it’s a much older whisky we’re trying from Glenglassaugh. This dram is part of the old stock left to mature in the GG warehouses prior to the purchase and revival of the distillery. It was released in 2010, and has been quite successful , and is out of stock in most online sites I’ve looked at. (I’ve seen a few bottles on RMW). It’s interesting to see how this older stock differs from the new “Revival” . And one more observation : Cool […] - [Ardbeg Day–Let’s go!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/29/ardbeg-daylets-go/): Are you ready for some Ardbeg day action? June 2nd is the official International Ardbeg day (and is also the birth day of my eldest Raviv who will be 5! – how time flies). This week also marks Feis Ile, the Islay festival of malt and whisky, where Islay ad peat lovers unite, and head to the island for a week of fun fun fun and a lot of whisky at the 8 distilleries on the Island. Ardbeg has outdone itself, and declared June 2nd as a day to celebrate the distillery and it’s whisky worldwide. Worldwide Ardbeg has set up […] - [Whisky iPhone App review#1 : Malt Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/25/whisky-iphone-app-report-malt-whisky/): In addition to being a whisky geek, i am an iPhone geek too, and love my iPhone, and pretty much rely on it for almost everything. One aspect is of course my whisky collection,whisky info and more. In the next few weeks I will try reviewing a few iPhone whisky apps, that were created to make the life of the whisky lover easier and more fun. The first application i will review is the called “Malt Whisky”. It was created by John Blackburn and a new version (1.3.1) is now available on the app store. This application basically enables you to […] - [Glenglassaugh ‘Revival’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/24/glenglassaugh-revival/): I’m really happy to be reviewing my first GG malt on the blog today. I’ve heard many good things about the new distillery (which was revived after a long mothballing period), and it’s high time to get and know their malts. Glenglassaugh was founded in 1875 by a local entrepreneur and his two nephews. In 1892 the distillery was sold to the Highland Distilleries Company who owned and operated it for many years. In 1960 the distillery was rebuilt and enlarged with the aim of producing a refined and delicate spirit which subsequently proved capable of long aging. In 1986, following […] - [Bruichladdich Octomore 4.2 : Comus](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/23/bruichladdich-octomore-4-2-comus/): Mirror Mirror on the wall, who’s the peatiest of them all? We’re back in the peat wars, and the newest addition of Bruichladdich is this Octomore 4.2 “Comus”, rated at a whopping 167 ppm.As you know I’ve passed the “Bring all the peat you an to me” stage, many of whisky lovers go through at some time or other in their whisky journey, but I’m a big fan of the Octomore. Having really liked the 2.2 “Orpheus”, I have  soft spot for Octomores finished in wine casks, they just turn out better than their “unfinished” counterparts. Comus is the son of […] - [Tasting the oldest Glenfarclas to date -The 1953 Vintage 58 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/21/tasting-the-oldest-glenfarclas-to-date-the-1953-vintage-58-yo/): You know the story: how much I Love Glenfarclas, and how much I love surprises, right? So imagine how happy I felt when I learnt that a wee sample bottle containing whisky made in 1953, and just bottled by Glenfarclas, is on its way here to the holy land! It’s not everyday that such a treasure is released (in fact this is the oldest Glenfarclas EVER to be released). Before we dive into this miracle of a dram, a few more facts about this very special whisky. Cask #1674 containing the whisky filled on the 20th November 1953 was chosen by […] - [Whisky news : AnCnoc 35 yo is released](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/17/whisky-news-ancnoc-35-yo-is-released/): The oldest ever expression of AnCnoc (distilled at the Knockdhu distillery) , has finally been  released. The bottling is a mix of Sherry and Bourbon casks, bottled at Cask Strength of 44.3%, unchill-filtered, not coloured, RRP in the UK is  £200. This one is already available for pre order from Royal Mile Whiskies. Last year i was fortunate enough to have sampled this one, during a twitter tasting, and as i am told, our tasting notes from that event will be featured (in some way or another) on the label of this bottle. Here are my notes from back then: AnCnoc […] - [Cutty Sark time–Tasting a quartet of Sarks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/16/cutty-sark-timetasting-a-quartet-of-sarks/): A  few weeks ago I was supposed to be taking part in a twitter tasting event featuring Cutty Sark. This event was hosted by my friend Steve of the Whisky Wire blog, who’s in the habit of organizing such twitter tasting fu n events. I was all ready and psyched for the event, but sadly thanks to the infamous Israeli mail services (or was it Cutty Sark who posted the samples too late) I only got the samples the day AFTER the event. Rather annoying, but things happen. I am not a guy that will give up an opportunity of tasting […] - [Tasting Fredericia Golf & Whisky Club Springbank Sherry cask 332 vintage 1999](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/15/tasting-fredericia-golf-whisky-club-springbank-sherry-cask-332-vintage-1999/): It’s always nice meeting a good whisky friend, especially Jorn who’s a real whisky lover and a good friend. Last time he visited Israel, we could not meet due to schedule issues, but this time we arranged to meet and share some beer and drams. We set to meet at one of Israel’s best pubs (in my opinion) and Israel’s #1 whisky bar, by far. We had a couple of Israeli boutique beers, and then shared a Balvenie 17 peated cask, and then an unusual Bruichladdich finished in “Kosher” Carmel wine barrels, offered to us by the barman. Jorn brought over […] - [Quick Dram : Bladnoch Forum Inchgower 28 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/14/quick-dram-bladnoch-forum-inchgower-28-yo/): A long due tasting note from an almost forgotten bottle share arranged by my good whisky friend from the NL, Sjoerd.  This Inchgower was distilled on the 20th June 1982 and aged for 28 years in hogshead number 6966 before bottling at cask strength on the 5th August 2010 for the Bladnoch forum. Total of 222 bottles. I have not tasted many Inchgowers, so this one got me curious. Not a bad price for a 28 year old, at CS. Inchgower 28 Year Old 1982 Cask 6966 (Bladnoch) , 50.70% ABV , £60 Nose: Light,  malty, with some sweetness, nuts and […] - [Visiting the Isle of Jura distillery–Part I of II](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/10/visiting-isle-of-jura-distillerypart-i-of-ii/): Almost two months ago I received an invitation from the guys at W&M , the father company of Jura distillery to come and visit the Island for a day or two. I didn’t take me too long to accept as you can imagine, and after a few weeks I found myself on a plane headed to the UK. In order to get to Jura you need to first to transfer via Heathrow, then take a connecting flight to Glasgow and then by air, to Islay Airport, and yes, That inevitable ferry from Port Askaig to Jura across the sound of Islay. […] - [Whisky Round Table–May 2012 edition - Is Age Wasted on the Old?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/09/whisky-round-tablemay-2012-edition-is-age-wasted-on-the-old/): It’s time for this month’s Round table, and are host for this month is Mike C, from the Whisky Party blog. This month the format is changed, and the fellow knights are commenting below the post, this gives you also the possibility to join in the discussion , cool. This month’s question is related to the old and great whisky: The Parting of the Sensory: Scotch has long been thought of as a drink for rich old men.  Although that’s changed over the last decade, scotch is still something of an older man’s drink.  However, as humans get older our senses […] - [Quick Dram : The Whisky Barrel , Bunnahabhain Jubilee malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/07/quick-dram-the-whisky-barrel-bunnahabhain-jubilee-malt/): In honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee (1952-2012) TheWhiskyBarrel.com presents a limited edition Islay Malt matured in a single fresh sherry butt cask #35. This dram was Distilled on the 24th December 1990 and bottled 10th February 2012 with an outrun of Just 90 bottles. The Whisky Barrel , Bunnahabhain 21 Years Old , 1990 , 54.4% Nose: Big and deep thick sherry. Nutmeg. Dried fruits. Prunes. Raisins. Fig. And gunpowder / matchsticks. I always enjoy a bit of firecrackers / gunpowder in a sherry, especially if it has wee smoke too. Lovely. Palate: Oh!, What a string […] - [Clan Speyburn Cask–1975 Vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/03/clan-speyburn-cask1975-vintage/): Speyburn Casks in Warehouse (Photo: Tommy Deile) Good things are happening at Speyburn. Last year when we visited the distillery (thanks tommy for providing me with this lovely shot he made of me and fellow Swedes Johan and Hakan on location at speyburn) , it had only to offer a few not very interesting drams (the NAS, and the 10yo), and as it seems things are a changing… A week ago I posted news about Speyburn launching a new fan club by the name of “Clan Speyburn” which will offer some perks, one of which will be special bottling for club […] - [Quick Dram: Wemyss Malts Lemon Grove–Cragganmore 1989](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/05/02/wemyss-malts-lemon-grove-1989/): After this week’s Caribbean fruit comes the Lemon Grove, a whole different animal, and coming from the distillery of Cragganmore. Distilled in 1989 and bottled in 2011 from an ex-Bourbon Hogshead. Wemyss Malts Lemon Grove, Cragganmore 1989 , 46% , £68 Nose:  Very fresh:  Lemon sherbet with some  malty undertone mixed with lemon gummy bears. wet grass, and a touch of spice. Palate: Lemon merengue with a cocoa powder topping (I know this sounds bizarre, but it’s really nice). Ginger and spices, on top of Some vanilla and wood. Finish: Bitter sweet, Medium length with Chocolate and distant malty notes. All […] - [Single Malts of Scotland (TWE) Ardmore 1992 , 19 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/30/single-malts-of-scotland-twe-ardmore-1992-19-yo/): When I was visiting London last month, for Whisky Live, I carried home a few samples I got from Billy my good whisky friend (and a great guy and a true whisky lover). one of them was this lovely Ardmore. I did hear good stuff about this one, and having read Stuart’s tasting notes , I had really high hopes for this one. This is a 19 year old bottled by Specialty Drinks which is a subsidiary of the whisky exchange. This one got great reviews by Serge, Dave Broom and Ruben of whisky notes, so here’s my 2 cents worth: […] - [Quick Dram: Wemyss Malts Carribean Fruit–Glencadam 1990](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/04/29/quick-dram-wemyss-malts-carribean-fruit%e2%80%93glencadam-1990/): Yet another single cask from Wemyss. As you can remember from the last batch of single casks I reviewed a few month ago, those come at  rather low ABV%. This one is a Glencadam 1990, and should be yummy and fruity if taking its name literally. If past experience serves as a guide, Wemyss naming are usually on the spot when it comes to the tasting notes. Let’s see for ourselves. shall we? Wemyss  Malts Caribbean Fruits Single Cask, Vintage 1990,46% , £85 Nose: vanilla , with a citrusy edge. Fruity ( melon , unripe guava and mango) , wood and […] - [C is for Cutty Sark–CaskStrength.net style](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/03/c-is-for-cutty-sark%e2%80%93caskstrength-net-style/): Joel and Neil, are a lovely duo , funny wacky, and very much into whisky. Having met them on a few occasions, I can say they really love doing what they do which is writing about and drinking whisky. As you well know they have embarked on a mission to bottle whisky from A-Z, and each year they release a special bottling from a distillery / whisky company with that letter. So far we’ve had the Arran single cask and a lovely Benriach Single cask (which I have and enjoyed). This year they chose a different way of attacking the letter […] - [#12blends Day 2 – Nikka All Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/03/12blends-day-2-nikka-all-malt/): Day 2. yes. This dram was sent courtesy of Sandy Gould (@sjjgo on twitter) who sent a very interesting and delicious dram over :  Nikka All Malt.  I’ve Never had this one myself, but from the nose it was evident to me this is malt whisky and not blended whisky. But which? I had no idea this was Japanese, and although i pondered if it could be Nikka From The Barrel (not this one , but in general among the 12), I never thought of this Nikka when nosing (and how could I?, i never tried it). I did a bit […] - [#12 blends – day 1 – JW Gold Label Reserve](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/02/12-blends-day-jw-gold-label-reserve/): So what is #12blends?, you ask? It’s really a fun idea and the brainchild of Tom Thomson (check out his blog). Tom is a great guy, and another whisky geek and lover I’ve met online. He thought of this idea where 12 members worldwide (most in the UK, but me Sean from the US) swap different samples of blended whisky / malt. Each of us poured 11 samples and sent them to the other 11 members, so by the end of March we all had a set of 12 blended whiskies. Starting April 1st (which was yesterday), each of us opens […] - [Hakushu Heavily Peated](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/02/hakushu-heavily-peated/): After a week long vacation due to the Passover holiday,  I am back with new tasting notes and it’s fun to be back. What can be nicer than start the week with a nice Japanese whisky, heavily peat too. yup. This one has been sitting around for a few months, ever since my sample swap with Dave A. a fellow Whisky lover with a liking to Japanese malts (fine fellow), check out his very unique blog. Anyways, i was feeling like heaving a new whisky I never tried, and as a peat head this one popped into my mind. I’ve tried […] - [Breaking! : New SWA regulations that will change the whisky scene (for the better)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/01/breaking-new-swa-regulations-that-will-change-the-whisky-scene-for-the-better/): Finally, the SWA is doing something we all have been waiting for (at least us, hard-core whisky geeks), and thus changing the whisky scene, for the better. If you have been following this blog (and some others) you must have noticed i am always advocating higher ABV% for whiskies, No chill filtration, and no colouring, right? So I was really  excited when I was tipped the essence of a few new regulations originating from the SWA after they have been getting a lot of such requests by email, fax etc. from whisky fans throughout the globe. here are the main points […] - [Two interesting new and limited releases (Cutty Sark , Balblair Peated)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/28/two-interesting-new-and-limited-releases/): When it rains, it pours, and it seems that all interesting bottles are released the same week. Two fine limited editions (only few 100’s of each) are what we have this week. so be quick about it, if you fancy any… Caskstrength Creative Release a Limited Edition of Cutty Sark Online retailer Master of Malt announces the release of limited edition blended whisky from drinks writers Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley: Caskstrength and Carry On Cutty Sark. The third instalment in the growing alphabet range of spirits from Caskstrength founders Neil Ridley and Joel Harrison, Caskstrength and Carry On Cutty Sark […] - [Today : Internatinal (World?) Whisky Day , March 27th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/27/today-world-whisky-day-march-27th/): Today is the International World Whisky Day, in which we remember MICHAEL JACKSON , the renowned whisky writer, and pioneer who wrote some very influential books on whisky, and sadly died of Parkinson’s disease. As you well know, there has been quite some fuss and discussion in whisky circles after some semi-commercial attempts to use this day for commercial purposes, registering a trade marks and abusing Michael’s memory for purposes which are not clear enough, or rather shady. Let’s try to remember Michael today, and raise a wee dram for his memory (be it malt whisky, or other non barley distillate […] - [Passover 2013 or a week without drams???](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/26/passover-2013-or-a-week-without-drams/): Not a regular post today, but rather a wee post about a Jewish holiday I am not sure everyone is aware of. It all started yesterday. Millions of Jews, are going to stop eating bread,cakes, and everything made from ordinary flour and fermented flour, and yeast. Yes, No beer, no Whisky (OMG) and nothing of the like for a week. It all has to do with the holiday named “Passover”. Basically it’s a long story, but you know the drill, The Jews were slaves in Egypt, and then saved by Moses with the help of G-od, and here we are after […] - [A new Dalmore (duty free) named Valour](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/25/a-new-dalmore-duty-free-named-valour/): A few weeks ago The Dalmore released this new expression, intended for Duty Free shops worldwide. Why Valour? It’s  named after the Clan Mackenzie’s act of bravery in 1263 when an ancestor of the Mackenzie Clan bravely saved King Alexander III from a charging stag. The grateful King granted the Mackenzies with a ‘Royal’ 12-pointer stag in their coat of arms. The Dalmore distillery was long owned by The Mackenzie family and every bottle of The Dalmore single malt whisky is adorned with this proud emblem, symbolising the distillery’s royal pedigree. This is a blend of quite a few different cask […] - [Arran The Eagle](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/21/arran-the-eagle/): I have been wanting to try this one for ages, and thanks to my mate Dave (check his blog) I got a wee sample just the other week.This whisky was drawn from a combination of 14 bourbon barrels and 7 sherry Hogsheads, all selected by Master Distiller James MacTaggart from the 1999 distillation. The Arran Eagle has been named after and dedicated to the pair of Golden Eagles who nest behind the distillery in the mountain above Lochranza. A limited edition of 6,000 bottles, sadly all sold out.  If you can get hold of a bottle, get it. It’s very good […] - [Alberta Permium Dark Horse (Canadian) Whiskey](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/19/alberta-permium-dark-horse-canadian-whiskey/): So, Canadian whisky. Yes. They have been producing some amazing stuff, and not telling anyone about it, then came Davin De Kergommeaux , who knows everything there is to know (almost) about Canadian whisky, and wrote this lovely book of his (if you have not read this book, READ IT! its well written, and no wonder it has won a few awards). So after reading this book, and learning a bit more about Canadian Whiskey, i decided i needed to expand my Canadian whiskey education by tasting it, and lots of it as this is the only way you can learn […] - [Bruichladdich The Organic (Multi Vintage)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/18/bruichladdich-the-organic-multi-vintage/): Been quite some time since I reviewed any OB Bruichladdich , and this young Laddie is something i have been meaning to try for some time. It’s basically quite young NAS (But should be something between 6 and 8 years old). This Organic started me thinking about the importance of Barley and variations of barley in the whisky making process: It seems that distillers put a lot of information on labels about the maturation, and cask types, but less information related to barley, and this is a bit odd in my opinion.A good effort here by the laddie. One thing i […] - [Tasting Bushmills Black Bush - It’s Saint Paddy!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/17/tasting-bushmills-black-bush-its-saint-paddy/): Well, yes today March 17th is Saint Patrick’s day, and what better day than to review this long missing classic Irish blend. When i started my whisky journey I was quite keen on this whisky, and still think it offers a good price/ quality ration, and although it’s not the best and most complex dram I have ever had, it’s very pleasant, and worth your while if you have not tried it yet. Basically this is a vatting of Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks aged up to 7 years and some ex-bourbon casks, where the malt percentage is about 80% which is […] - [This week’s Whisky news (March 17th)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/17/this-weeks-whisky-news/): AUCHENTOSHAN SWITCH It’s Europe vs. North America in this second AUCHENTOSHAN SWITCH, a bartender talent search presented by Auchentoshan® Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland’s only triple distilled single malt whisky. The Auchentoshan Switch is a trans-continental bartender swap like no other that will name two outstanding mixologists as winners who will literally “switch” continents for two weeks to work in the top bars in the world – one bar in London and one in New York City. The London host bar is confirmed as highly acclaimed ‘The Nightjar’ in Old Street, London which was recently voted one of the best […] - [Tasting the new Johnnie Walker ‘Gold Route’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/13/tasting-the-new-johnnie-walker-gold-route/): My beloved whisky geeks, this is a blend. Yes, i know. It’s not a single cask from a long gone Japanese distillery, or bottled at cask strength after being matured in an obscure wine cask touched by the queen of Sheba, but I bet more people will ever be drinking this whisky than any of the past 20 I have reviewed in the past month. You can not hide from it, JW is a best selling whisky, and as such, i am very happy to be reviewing this new release today, only a few day after it’s official release to duty […] - [Bunnahabhain 23 yo 1989 (Abbey Whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/12/bunnahabhain-23-yo-1989-abbey-whisky/): After the lovely 17 year old Caperdonich which was bottle #1 in the ‘Rare Casks’ series, comes the 2nd bottling of an older 23 year old Bunnahabhain. Unlike younger versions from the 1990’s which are heavily peated and smoky on the nose, this one is gentler and packs some punch but you will have to wait for the palate to fully enjoy the smoke. As time goes by, i learn to appreciate and love Bunna more and more, having tasted some lovely drams. One can say it’s a good distillery, but in the shadow of bigger and ‘sexier’ distilleries on Islay, […] - [Tasting Isle of Jura 1977](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/11/tasting-isle-of-jura-1977/): So, another new expression from Jura. Quite limited This vintage takes its name from the Gaelic word for the Yew tree, which once sprawled across the entire island of Jura. Translated as ‘Juar’, the Yew tree has long been associated with immortality and regeneration, with some even believing it gives access to the “otherworld”. Filled to cask in 1977, this vintage release was originally matured in three first fill bourbon casks before being finished in a ruby port pipe for 12 months. Only 498 bottles are available, and the price is a hefty £600 a pop, which is totally beyond mortals […] - [Things I would like to see on the whisky scene](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/10/things-id-like-to-see-on-the-whiske-scene/): It has been too long since I complained about what’s going on in the whisky scene, and i think as 2013 is already in it’s 2nd Quarter it’s time to put it down. So, what do I want to see in the whisky scene, for the next few months. I am not sure the whisky industry will agree, but I do hope you whisky folk / lovers / geeks / aficionados will find them worthwhile: 1. NAS bottling above standard ABV % Yes, i know complaining about the current “trend” in releasing a lot of NAS bottling by many distilleries is […] - [Wemyss Malts “Mellow Mariner” Ardmore 1992](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/07/wemyss-malts-mellow-mariner-ardmore-1992/): If you remember well, the last batch from Wemyss Malts included 4 expressions 3 of which i have reviewed so far (here, and here) , and with the food (or drink) comes the appetite, and I am very happy to review the last, but certainly not the least: This 20 year old Ardmore single cask. now Ardmore is usually thought of as very smoky and peaty among the Speysiders , while this one is really very gentle in this respect. Do not expect something like the Ardmore Traditional, which is major peaty or other much peatier casks used for the Peat […] - [Boxes Blend](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/06/boxes-blend/): So today, a new blended whisky, from the Master of Malt, but with a special story behind it, and a special blending method. Boxes Blend is a whisky put together by bassist Carey Willets of Athlete band. The blend is named after his new solo project, an electro pop adventure. here’ a wee video that will make it clearer: Boxes Anyways, that is how boxes blend came into existence, with some help of Ben of Master of Malt, and Joel (the better half of the Casttrength.net dou – no hard feeling Neil eh?). At first i didn’t quite know how to […] - [Tasting the new Talisker Storm](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/05/tasting-the-new-talisker-storm/): So, at last. my nose is almost back to normal, and I get a chance to sample this new Talisker everybody has been speaking about in the last week or two. Released in February 2013, this is a new expression that came with very high hopes, as the younger brother of the ever so popular 10 year old. Continuing the NAS trend (or The Ageless Revolution , as coined by Oliver in his excellent wee post),this one also comes as NAS, but is priced higher than the 10 year old and lower than the DE edition that has been around for […] - [Longmorn 20 Year Old - Single Cask (Master of Malt)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/04/longmorn-20-1996-master-of-malt/): Time for another wee single cask tasting note and today : A Longmorn. Not enough of those i am afraid on the blog, and each addition to the category does make me feel happier. This one is a 20 year old cask, bottled NCF, no colour and at 55,5% abv, and not long ago won the Malt Maniacs awards bronze medal, which is a good sign, as those maniacs know their liquor. Took my some time to post notes for this one, and naturally it’s all gone (good single casks do not stay for long as we’re learned in the past). […] - [Some whisky news for the weekend](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/03/whisky-news-for-the-weekend-march-2013/): Glenmorangie lets you design your own dram (sort of ) In a world first Glenmorangie is asking its own fans to create their own perfect dram.It means those who enjoy Scotland’s favourite malt will be able to vote online on the taste, design and launch of a new whisky.The Cask Masters online programme is launched today (1 March) and will run for 18 months. Anyone can take part by logging on to www.glenmorangie.com/caskmasters Last year Glenmorangie was crowned Distiller of the Year at the IWSC Awards, and this initiative is a new way of interacting with the brand’s enthusiasts.Whisky fans from […] - [Happy St David’s Day–Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/03/01/happy-st-davids-daydydd-gwyl-dewi-hapus/): Today march 1st is St David’s day, and i would like to wish a happy one to our Welsh readers (there are quite a few). So whether you are Welsh or not, It’s the perfect excuse (as if you needed one) to enjoy some Welsh whisky, so we hope you’ll join me in a toast of iechyd da – (“cheers” in Welsh!). Iechyd Da! - [Even more Whisky Geekery : Talisker 10 vs. Redistilled Talisker](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/28/even-more-geekery-talisker-10-vs-redistilled-talisker/): With my tasting faculties still out of order ( i could not tell a coke from an ardbeg supernova by sniffing or tasting. i can guarantee  you this. So better not try) with this damn flu , It’s a good time to indulge in some whisky geekery for part III of “distilled or the original, which is better”. This time with one of the better known and widely liked and revered Talisker 10. It has a huge follower base, with it’s signature peppery and earthy peat, being quite rough (in a good way), Definetly one of my go to drams, and […] - [Port Charlotte 2002 (Malts of Scotland) cask 1172](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/27/port-charlotte-2002-malts-of-scotland-cask-1172/): Having a bad nose week , and a bad week all together after catching the flu. Good i have some tasting notes waiting i Queue, as it seems no tasting is happening this week at whisky Israel towers. This one is really overdue, and was a part of a MOS bottle share organized by the one and only Sjoerd (NL). I love me some PC and those heavily peated malts produced by the Laddie are often excellent, especially relatively young and kicking. This came Au naturel from Bourbon Hogshead, no bizarre finishes or sherry, just plain old ex-bourbon. 306 bottles in […] - [Arran 16 Year Old - Single Cask (Master of Malt)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/26/arran-16-year-old-single-cask-master-of-malt/): Not all single casks are created equal, and although most of this batch of single casks from MoM were really good (with some excellent ones as well), here is an example of one that IMHO missed a little. The relatively Isle of Arran produced some fine malt, and I have previously reviewed both OBs and single casks which were rather delicious. This one is a little bizarre in its DNA, displaying some peppery notes i have not grown accustomed to with Arrans, but hey – it’s me. Some will probably like those.. In addition i have begun sounding like a broken […] - [Wemyss Malts Summer Orchard](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/21/wemyss-malts-summer-orchard/): Time for the third and final single cask from the last batch of casks released by Wemyss only recently (see notes for the other 2). This one is called Summer Orchard and is a 12 year old from Linkwood distillery, located in Speyside. Not sure why, but this is the first EVER Linkwood that gets reviewed on the blog, so strike out another “to do” on my list. great. Wemyss Summer Orchard , 12 yo , Linkwood, 46% abv Nose: Soft vanilla. Wood. Fruit. Pears and apples, which make this dram feel very youthful and young (not in a bad way). […] - [Tobermory 17 Year Old – Single Cask (Master of Malt)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/20/tobermory-17-master-of-malt/): Yet another single cask from the latest batch of MoM (this will be over soon , I promise, but man they released so many, and most are just good). I know many whisky lovers who do not think highly of the Tobermory distillery from the Island of Mull (Home to 2 malt lines : Tobermory, and the peated Ledaig). I can not blame them, as Tobermory has produced some mediocre malt in the past, but current releases (all at a higher strength and NCF) by Burn Stewart are much better, and also in nicer looking bottles. This one however is a […] - [Tasting The new anCnoc 22 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/19/tasting-the-new-ancnoc-22-yo/): anCnoc was hard at work in recent months with quite a few releases (the 35 year old, a few Peter Arkle even one for Duty free), and now this brand new 22 year old. So, what’s different in this one? anCnoc 22 Year Old was matured predominantly in American ex-bourbon casks but some Spanish casks seasoned for two years with Oloroso sherry were also used, to add a further dimension. Usually i find the bourbon cask anCnocs better (like the duty free Arkle which is lovely), but a nice sherry kick might be interesting here. having heard only good things about […] - [Tasting Bowmore 1991 Port wood , 16 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/18/tasting-bowmore-1991-port-wood-16-yo/): Not a bottling i was aware of, but got a nice sample from my good friend Phil, who has bought this bottle for his father and liked it so much he kindly gave me a wee taster. Bottled un-chill filtered at cask strength and matured in port casks. 18,000 bottles all in all.  You can find some of these on the Whisky Exchange, if you feel like one. most other web shops are sold out. let’s dive in: Bowmore 1991 16 yo , Port wood , 53.1% abv, £66 Nose: Big winey notes  and tannins. Sweet. Fruity as in  marmalade:  Think […] - [Bally Delicious 23 Year Old - Single Cask (Master of Malt)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/14/bally-delicious-23-year-old-single-cask-master-of-malt/): A new distillery by that ridiculous name? (single cask after all) . Not quite. but more of a little funny name for a superb dram. The name is the outcome of a spooning procedure this cask has undergone. I was not really aware of this, but when I asked around, it seems it’s not something out of the ordinary. Say you are a distillery and you sell a cask to an Indie bottler but want to make sure he can not sell it as distillery X single malt , ok? What you do is taker a wee portion of another single […] - [Invergordon - Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/13/invergordon-batch-1-that-boutique-y-whisky-company/): Yet another Boutique-y release, but this time it’s no single malt, but single GRAIN. yes, grain whisky, the stuff most whisky snobs would never care to drink since it’s “the cheap stuff they put into blends” or some other nonsense. If you are a whisky lover, you know better than that, and we have tasted some lovely single Grains in the past (for example the lovely Hedomism and more). As you can see Grain can be lovely, and when you find a good bottling of that, they are usually not very expensive, and yummy. That said, this one is also a […] - [Tasting Braes o’ Glenlivet 21 Year Old – Single Cask (MoM)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/12/tasting-braes-o-glenlivet-21-year-old-single-cask-mom/): Braes of Glenlivet or better known as Braeval is the highest distillery in Scotland and we seldom get single casks bottled from there, which is a real reason to be merry. As I have tasted almost No Braevals , i was not sure what to expect, but this one turned out to be a lovely creamy and sweet dram, with a lot of exotic fruit going on. I am not sure if this is the distillery style, but either way I love this one. Braes o’ Glenlivet 21 Year Old , 47.40% , £64 [Mom] Nose: Quite sweet fruit and exotic […] - [Glendronach 1990 , 20 Year Old ,PX Cask #3059](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/11/glendronach-1990-20-year-old-px-cask-3059/): A few weeks ago a few whisky friends met for a Bruichladdich night (a post is in the making, so hopefully more about that soon), and i was lucky enough to swap samples with a good whisky friends of mine, who brought this lovely sample. You all know i have a weak spot for sherried GD’s and this was just something I knew I would like. Cold winter nights are perfect for those sherry beauties, and Israeli winters are not very cold, but ideal for whisky sipping on the porch.  This baby was bottled in 2010 as a 20 year old […] - [Springbank Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/07/springbank-batch-1-that-boutique-y-whisky-company/): Another lovely bottling from this series, with ingenious are work. If you look closer you might recognize a couple of the most colourful whisky Dou namely, Neil and Joel from Caskstrength.Net . A lovely couple , I’ve met on a couple of occasions on which we had a jolly good time, so guys, well done on making this label. fab. Now for the whisky itself which is not shabby as well. a springer, can you go wrong with one? Probably not, and this one is delicious as well. Springbank Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) , 50cl, 54.60%, £61 Nose: Starting […] - [A couple of new Wemyss malts single casks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/06/a-couple-of-new-wemyss-malts-single-casks/): Just last week Wemyss have release their first batch of new single casks for 2013, consisting of 4 new casks: “Summer Orchard” – a 12 year old from Linkwood distillery, Speyside “Billowing Embers” – a  15 year old from Bunnahabhain distillery, Islay “Mellow Mariner” – a  20 year old from Ardmore distillery, Speyside “Fruit Bonbons” – a  23 year old from Glen Garioch distillery, Highland before we go on, I am sure you have heard that Wemyss are going to set up a new distillery at Kingsbarns, which is very exciting. Here’s a wee news item from STV about that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KUXH4wSlya0 […] - [Bowmore – Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/05/bowmore-%e2%80%93-batch-1-that-boutique-y-whisky-company/): Another of Boutique-y batch samples has arrived and as always, it’s good stuff. After a nice weekend without much whisky (but wine and beer) i decided to start checking those out with this Bowmore. I was not a Bowmore fan in recent years, but i have started liking this distillery more and more in recent months, and this sherried Bowmore looked promising.Again this one is NAS, and only 263 bottles available (still). Bowmore – Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) , NAS, £52 Nose: A rather bizarre nose at first.This one needs time in the glass methinks. whiffs of peat. Some […] - [The #Mackmyra2013 twitter tasting](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/02/04/the-mackmyra2013-twitter-tasting/): This is the 600th post on the blog, and i can not think of a better way to celebrate it , than with 5 Swedish drams. so here’s to another 600! Almost one year passed since the last Mackmyra blind tasting on twitter organized by Colin (the scots dreamer) and Angela D’orazio, Master Blender At Mack. How time flies. This tasting should have taken place sometime in December but was postponed after a lot of samples did not arrive in time (well, we all know that. mail sucks). Mine did arrive very surprisingly, and were very cool. they were more like urine samples […] - [Compass Box Great King Street–New York Blend](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/31/compass-box-great-king-street%e2%80%93new-york-blend/): Time for another Compass Box whisky review : this time a limited edition of the GKS, but a completely different animal… this baby contains 20%  Lowland grain whisky and 80%  Malt whisky from the regions of Islay, the Highlands and Speyside. But, (and a big but) A quarter of the recipe is from heavy-peated single malts, mostly from Islay, meaning we’re dealing with a lot of peat and smoke. Now i did not know that prior to tasting. I did not read any tasting notes or PR about this one, and was very very surprised by the profile as compared to […] - [New release : anCnoc 22 Year Old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/31/new-release-ancnoc-22-year-old/): Today anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is releasing an addition to its core range, anCnoc 22 Year Old. The new member of the anCnoc family follows the launch anCnoc 35 Year Old in 2012 and coincides with the award-winning anCnoc 16 Year Old being made available again in various markets around the world. All anCnoc Single Malt is distilled using traditional methods and aged on site at the Knockdhu Distillery in the village of Knock, Aberdeenshire. anCnoc 22 Year Old was matured predominantly in top quality American ex-bourbon casks but some Spanish casks seasoned for two years with Oloroso sherry […] - [More Whisky Geekery : Lagavulin 16 Vs. Redistilled 16](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/30/more-whisky-geekery-lagavulin-16-vs-redistilled-16/): Time for another H2H dramming session, this time i chose two staple drams (i guess no one would argue the Talisker 10, and Laga 16 are not essential whisky bar bottles eh?) that any whisky lover should have handy: Talisker 10 and Lagavulin 16. Let’s start with the Lagavulin. Lagavulin 16, 43% abv , £42 Nose: Smoke. Pepper. BBQ. Salt and brine. Peat and  leather. Cereals. Iodine. a  Perfect nose, no more and no less. Islay on a tray. and no wonder this is a favourite of so many whisky aficionados. Palate: Peppery peat with sweet BBQ smoke. Leather and gum. […] - [Tasting ‘Single Cask Nation’ Arran 1999 12yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/28/single-cask-nation-arran-1999-12yo/): Time for the third tasting notes from the first batch of Single Cask nation, after a very nice start with the Kilchoman and the BenRiach which left me wanting more. The Isle of Arran distillery is shaping up to be one of the better new distilleries, and although i think their malt profile shines out when aged in Bourbon casks, it would be very interesting tasting a single cask finsihed (or partly aged) in a wine cask. This cask bottling, distilled in September 1999, spent eight years aging in first fill ex-bourbon before maturing for an additional four years in ex-pinot […] - [A new Blended whisky “Boxes Blend” created by MoM is released.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/26/a-new-blended-whisky-boxes-blend-created-by-mom-is-released/): Master of Malt Announces the Release of ‘Boxes Blend’ from Athlete bassist Carey Willetts Online retailer Master of Malt announces the launch of a new blended whisky – Boxes Blend – produced in conjunction with Carey Willetts to celebrate Mr Willetts’ solo music project, Boxes. Master of Malt, in collaboration with Carey Willetts (bassist for the British band, Athlete), has released a new blended whisky to celebrate Mr Willetts’ solo music project and debut album, Boxes: Stickers. Mr Willetts was introduced to Master of Malt through ex-A&R man Joel Harrison, now founding director of Caskstrength Creative, a whisky consulting firm. Their […] - [Arran 14–The Maltman](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/24/arran-14the-maltman/): Last week I reviewed a nice Bowmore 21 from this label, and today a younger 14 year old arran. I have tasted quite a few arrans in recent months, and found that the older they are the better i like them (see this Arran vertical from quite some time ago.) So , at 14 i was looking forward to a very enjoyable arrran, and it was just that. Isle of Arran 14 yo 1997 46%, The Maltman , cask #747 Nose:  Very nice and classic, buttered apples, pears, malt sweetness with some wood to spice things up. some cinnamon too, and […] - [Mackinlays (Shackleton) take II : “The Journey”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/21/mackinlays-shackleton-take-ii-%e2%80%9cthe-journey%e2%80%9d/): I reviewed the original Shackleton whisky back in 2011, and really like it, from the amazing story and history, to the lovely blending work done by “The nose” Richard Paterson. And here we are one year or so later, with another Shckleton expression, this time called “The Journey”. I will not trouble you with much history this time, as I am pretty sure you know the story (and i you dont, just click here). The Journey Edition of Mackinlay’s takes the same base of single malts used to create the original Discovery Edition and, still inspired by the original recipe, builds […] - [Whisky Idiocy or International Scotch Whisky Shipping Regulations 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/17/whisky-idiocy-or-international-scotch-whisky-shipping-regulations-2013/): Sometimes It seems that every single Authority out there is trying to make whisky drinkers feel bad. be it taxation , customs, silly regulations (750ml bottles in the USA!?). joy. The latest bit of idiocy is happening as we speak and is changing the reality of online whisky shops, and making the life of whisky lovers worldwide a little (or a lot) more tough. If you are a whisky lover / geek / aficionado, i am sure you could have not missed the latest  : whiskey is now being categorised under new Civil Aviation Authority regulations as ‘dangerous goods’, yes you […] - [BenRiach - Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/17/benriach-batch-1-that-boutique-y-whisky-company/): Time for another lovely Boutique-y bottling and of one of my Favourite distilleries out there : The BenRiach. as always, with Boutique-y bottlings the hand drawn labels are cool, this one features a monkey in the malting room. as you well know BenRiach is one of the very few distilleries who still malt a  small proportion of their own barley. In the olden days , the workers whose job was to turn the barley over all day long would get a hunchback as a result of the labour intensive work, this hunch became known as a Monkey Shoulder. Only 140 bottles […] - [Glenfarclas Family Cask 1995 Usquebaugh society NL](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/16/glenfarclas-family-cask-1995-usquebaugh-society-nl/): Image by : Gert-Jan De Ruiter While at maltstock, back in September 2012, I sat at a table with few good whisky friends (Sjoerd, and Tom) and some others, and started tasting some samples each brought. Tom had brought quite a few excellent samples, and one of which was this one. Of course, with so much to taste and drink some were left unopened, and i was given a few samples to try at home (Thank you Tom!). Only last week when it was a bit wet and colder than usual here (not to worry, still nothing like EU weather), i […] - [The MaltMan Bowmore 1989 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/15/the-maltman-bowmore-1989-21-yo/): Thrilled to feature a brand new Indie bottler today , The Maltman. This label is bottled by the Meadowside blending Co. located in Glasgow. I have to admit this is the first time I’ve tasted their single casks, and find them rather nice. One downside is that all of them are watered down to about 46% rather than CS, which is a downer for us whisky geeks who like it “as is” from the cask at Cask strength (more flavour, and bang). But, since ABV is not everything, and having read good things about them, let’s give those a try. The […] - [Tasting Whiskey : Powers John's Lane 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/13/tasting-whiskey-powers-johns-lane-12-yo/): Time for a bit of a change with a lovely Irish pot still beauty that is the Powers 12. named after the distillery where it was first made, and aged in a combination of bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks for at least 12 years. This is the first Irish Whiskey review of 2013, and quite a few are in the queue (2012 expressions).Let’s dram. but before that a joke. Can’t have an irish dram without and Englishman, Scotsman, and Irishman , can we? An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman were sitting in a bar, drinking, and discussing how stupid their wives were. […] - [Single Cask Nation Benriach 17 yo Peated](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/10/single-cask-nation-benriach-17-yo-peated/): Another cask from the lovely gang at JewMalt, this time a Benriach. Who doesn’t like one. I was not really aware it was a peated cask, until i sniffed the bottle, and boy, there was no dispute. This is some nice Peated stuff. I like those! This cask bottling, distilled in June 1995, spent 17 years maturing in a second fill ex-bourbon barrel.  It was bottled last summer at 53.2% ABV.  Cask #2522 yielded 225 bottles BenRiach 17, Peated, Bourbon Cask , 53.2% ABV , cask # 2522 , 225 btl Nose: Peat reek with some tar , which gives way […] - [Breaking news: Wemyss family to build new distillery in Fife](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/09/breaking-news-wemyss-family-to-build-new-distillery-in-fife/): The Wemyss family has  announced that it will shortly begin building a new single malt whisky distillery and visitor centre by Kingsbarns, Fife, Scotland. Approximately 6 miles from St. Andrews, The Kingsbarns Distillery will be built within sight of the world-famous Kingsbarns championship golf course on land which will be leased from Sir Peter Erskine of the Cambo Estate. The site of the distillery will be the historic and charming East Newhall Farm steading. The Wemyss family is being supported in this exciting new development with a grant from the Scottish Government. It is expected that development of the existing listed […] - [The New Kid on the Block : Glenglassaugh Evolution](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/08/the-new-kid-on-the-block-glenglassaugh-evolution/): If you remember i reviewed the young GG “Revival” a few months ago. It was a nice young malt with a lot of promise, and this one is the next step in the ‘revival’ or so to speak of the GG distillery (after the re-opening in 2008). This lovely dram was aged in Ex-Tennessee whisky barrels from George Dickel distillery then Bottled on site at natural strength, natural colour and without the use of chill-filtration . This one is a NAS but it should be about 3-4 years of age . Lovely. let’s see how the Dickel barrels altered the liquid […] - [Some Whisky Geekery take I :Redistilled Ardbeg 10 vs. Original 10 yo [MoM]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/07/some-whisky-geekery-take-i-redistilled-ardbeg-10-vs-original-10-yo-mom/): Ben & Co (the guys behind Master of Malt) are partly genius partly mad, and Geeks 24/7 when it comes to whisky. What haven’t they tried? : Besmoked vodka, chilly vodka, Bathtub Gin,Rumbullion, you name it , they have tried it. Their latest whisky geek idea was to take a few well known malts, and re-distil them in their wee cold still, and produce some kind of new whisky. They have done so to Arbeg 10, Talisker 10,  Glenfarclas Movember edition, Lagavulin 16, and Glenmo Nectar d’Or. A rather interesting experiment (and not commercially available), for every whisky geek (read: me) […] - [Chin Chin, a Toast and a Gem](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/06/chin-chin-a-toast-and-a-gem/): Richard Barr is a member of the Whisky Israel tasting society , a blog correspondent at times,  and a good whisky friend and big whisky lover. From time to time he posts his notes and adventures on our blog. Have you ever heard a friend say Chin-Chin as you were all about to slam back a cold one? In the “pigeon English” of Anglo-Chinese ports in yesteryear, this was a greeting. However it’s now used as slang for Cheers, Bottoms Up, or Slainte. It is also the perfect bar in Hong Kong to practice saying Chin Chin, all the while sampling […] - [2012 - The year that was –Whisky Israel (stats)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/02/2012-the-year-that-was-whisky-israel-stats/): I know i already posted my top 5 and top 10 drams for last year (yes ,2012), but I thought I’d share a few more details about the blog , and some stats for 2012. First of all let me thank each and everyone of you, readers, whether you stumbled upon the site by mistake, or you have been following us for some time. It would not have been possible without you. This year saw a Spectacular growth in number of readers, and also diversification of our reader base, from countries you would not even imagine (more info later). Also, i […] - [Tasting The Arran Malt Orkney Bere](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/01/02/tasting-arran-malt-orkney-bere/): Orkney? Bere? In an Arran island malt? how come? I bet you are asking yourselves the same questions. So a little explaining is needed here:  Bere is Scotland’s oldest cultivated barley and was commonly used until the 20th century for the production of whisky. This Single Malt Scotch whisky was produced in 2004 as a collaboration between the Agronomy Institute of Orkney College (University of the Highland & Islands), hence the Orkney in the name, and the Isle of Arran Distillery. The Bere barley for this Arran whisky was grown on Orkney before being malted in Inverness and subsequently distilled and […] - [Top 10 drams for 2012 (that do not require selling an organ)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/30/top-10-drams-for-2012-that-do-not-require-selling-an-organ/): I’ve gotten quite a few requests after posing my earlier post summing 2012, about posting a “mere mortals” version, or an under $150 / not requiring sale of organs / etc. version, and I although I did not mean to post a buyer’s guide or best of 2012 buys, I hear you friends and blog readers, and as they say “Vox populi, vox Dei”, I see that there is a demand. so here we go. A few points on who entered the list: All drams are widely available in shops, and not obscure Indie bottlings All Price has to be under […] - [Summing up 2012 - My whisky year top 5](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/30/summing-2012-my-whisky-year-top-5/): Yes, i am not very unique and I guess you will see a lot of those “best of  2012” , so here is mine. You did not have to suffer through “my Xmas shopping list or 12 drams of Xmas” so, this is acceptable, right? OK, this year was a year full of amazing drams, and it’s really hard to choose the BEST, so here are 5 i really enjoyed for various reasons. Glenfarclas Norse Cask 1964 “Rechlerich” It may not be the oldest Farclas I’ve tasted this year, but hell it is the best Glenfarclas i have EVER tasted (only […] - [Caperdonich 17 Year Old (Abbey Whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/27/caperdonich-17-year-old-abbey-whisky/): My First ever Abbey Whisky review, and very happy to add another Indie bottler. Always makes me happy to get a wee sample i never tried (cheers guys!) , and this one was no exception, with the growing crowd of Caperdonich whisky lovers, We see more and more Indie bottlings from this lost distillery. Some of which were lovely and reviewed here in the past. how will this one fare? let’s see. Caperdonich 17 Year Old, 57.8% , 1995 , 17 yo , 96 btl ,£59 Nose: Starting very fruity and beguiling with notes of exotic fruit salad : pineapple, papaya […] - [Springbank Calvados wood 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/25/springbank-calvados-wood-12-yo/): I’m always up to trying new expressions from Springbank, those are rarely below the very good mark. They have been toying with quite some wood finishes over there : Barolo, Shiraz, Marsala, and more, but Calvados is a finish I’ve almost never tried, not in SB’s and not elsewhere, and it was really interesting to see what this one might bring other than the  “notes of apples” ,that would be my first guess. A bit of info on this one : Aged 12 years: six years in refill Bourbon casks then six years in fresh Calvados casks. Bottled at a nice […] - [Wishing you all a Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/22/wishing-you-all-a-merry-xmas-and-happy-holidays/): Xmas is almost upon us, and although we do not celebrate XMAS here in Israel, I know the entire world is in a festive mood. I would like to take a moment and wish you all a merry Xmas, happy festivities (If you celebrate it alternatively) and a happy new year. May you be merry and close to the ones you love, enjoying good food, good whisky and great atmosphere. What drams / whiskies will you open / share this holiday? comment below and let us know. Merry Xmas. Gal - [Tasting Old Pulteney 40 year old–Oldest OB yet](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/19/tasting-old-pulteney-40-year-oldoldest-ob-yet/): if you recall I featured this new release of OP a few weeks ago on one of the weekend whisky news. Just a small reminder (if you have not read that, or need a refresher)  : This is the Oldest OB Old Pulteney to have been released until this date, consisting of 3 Spanish ex-sherry hogsheads and one American oak ex-bourbon barrel. The casks yielded 493 bottles of whisky at a natural strength of 51.3% ABV , and the bottle is priced at a whopping £1,490. It’s clearly not a bottle that most will buy, and i fear a lot of […] - [Aberlour – Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/19/aberlour-batch-1-that-boutique-y-whisky-company/): Another little bottle (0,5l)  with a lovely label, this time the Mash Tun in Aberlour a wonderful place with amazing Glenfarclas family casks shelf (and many others). Aberlour is well known for its sherried expressions, and winner of several awards, including the latest MMA (for it’s A’bunadh NAS which many of us love). Aberlour – Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) , 54.60% , £43 Nose: Sweet and serried but not very much so I guess we’re talking mixed casks or refill sherry casks as the colour is rather dark. Very vanilla like and with quite a bit of butterscotch as […] - [Tasting Single Cask Nation Kilchoman 2007](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/18/tasting-single-cask-nation-kilchoman-2007/): Single Cask Nation is a range of single cask bottlings by the Jewish Whisky Company , set up by  Joshua Hatton, Jason J.Yellin and  (two well known bloggers at Guid Scotch Drink and Jewmalt Whisky) and Seth who is a more silent member of the team and not a blogger. It’s not a secret that Josh and I are old whisky friends and have been in contact for the past few years, and this makes me all the more eager and happy to be able to review their offerings, and to watch another whisky friend peresue his dream. They have chosen […] - [Berry’s own selection Isle of Jura 1976](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/17/berrys-own-selection-isle-of-jura-1976/): A few weeks ago I was to participate in a Berry Bros. & Rudd twitter tasting organized by Steve of the whisky Wire, but because of many factors mainly incompetence of TNT international, and their Israeli branch (Never use TNT for sending samples , never!) i got the samples only a few days AFTER the event took place. And here i am sampling it out of context, but it sure sounded too yummy not to include in one of my impromptu tasting sessions. The Isle of jura is a wee little place, I’ve written about in length in the past after […] - [Wemyss Malts lemon Smoke– Caol Ila](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/13/wemyss-malts-lemon-smoke%e2%80%93caol-ila/): Another one from the latest batch of single casks from Wemyss this time an Islay, from Caol Ila, 16 year old, and from the name you can expect it to be lemony and smoky, and so it is… Lemon Smoke, 16 yo Caol Ila , vintage 1996 , 46% ABV,£68.95 Nose:  Lemon pie, mixed with peat reek, leather, smoke, sweet peat and fruit (apple, pear) , some tar too. very typical Caol ila, on the citrusy side. Palate: the citrus is quite pronounced here, with bitter ash, smoke, and sugar, with bitter earthy peat on the background. quite fruity too. text […] - [Benrinnes – Batch 1 by That Boutique-y Whisky Company [MoM]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/12/benrinnes-%e2%80%93-batch-1-by-that-boutique-y-whisky-company-mom/): Time for yet another review of this lovely series of NAS bottlings by Master of Malt, under the label of That Boutique-y Whisky Company. This is the first Benrinnes bottled in the series. In addition to top class whisky, this series features lovely whisky labels filled with humour and good artwork : this time the label features Pete McPeat and Jack Washback from the most visited whisky blog  whiskyfun.com, having a one-sided conversation about the distillation process at Benrinnes up until 2007/2008. Only 202 bottles of this batch were produced, so be quick if you fancy this one. Benrinnes – Batch […] - [Tasting McAfee’s Benchmark Old # 8](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/11/tasting-mcafees-benchmark-old-8/): Before we begin let’s get over with the jokes about this being distilled by an Anti-virus software company and all  (quite a few remarks i got online when i posted about trying this one).  this Whiskey is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (meaning it has more than 50% corn content in it’s mash bill), but is also meant to contain quite a bit of rye too. Aged for 4 years i am told (do not get mixed up by the #8 in its name, it has nothing to do with maturation time) in fresh oak barrels, and is made by Buffalo […] - [Tasting the new Glendronach Cask Strength](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/10/tasting-the-new-glendronach-cask-strength/): I heard about this new CS version quite some time ago, and waited to be released. GD is one of my favourites with a lovely OB of 12,15,18,21 and older expressions all sherried, and very well made, in addition to single casks which appear here and there, and are even lovelier. But it’s a first they release a NAS Cask strength sherried expression similar in fashion to the Glenfarclas 105 and the  (Award winning ) Aberlour A’bunadh. Certainly something worth waiting for. This Cask Strength expression  has been matured in a combination of the finest Spanish Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso Sherry […] - [Whisky news for week #49 – 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/07/whisky-news-for-week-49-%e2%80%93-2012/): Ian Macleod Distillers Unveils New Look for Isle of Skye Blended Scotch Whisky Independent bottlers and distillers, Ian Macleod Distillers, has revealed a new design for the core expressions of its award-winning Isle of Skye Blended Scotch Whisky range. Reconnecting the brand with its historic home, the new packaging for Isle of Skye 8 Years Old and 12 Years Old takes direct inspiration from the majestic scenery and romance of Scotland’s famous ‘Misty Isle’. With a new standout colour palette on the label and bottle top that reflects the Red and Black Hills of the Cuillin Mountains, the new label design […] - [Longrow 10 yo Shiraz cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/06/longrow-10-yo-shiraz-cask/): it all started with a wee sample swap with fellow whisky lover and blogger David Carson of ‘glenuntitled’. i fancies this one immediately, as a big Longrow / SB fan, and quite keen on the wine finishes. I remember one very good Longrow Gaja Barolo i reviewed long ago, and their peat and wine combo works very well in my opinion. This one is a aged 10 yo, at 58.9%, distilled 19-10-01 and is not sold other than at the distillery. too bad. Longrow 10 yo Shiraz, 58.9% , not available commercially Nose: Starts very sweet, and fruity, with sweet red […] - [anCnoc Peter Arkle Travel Retail Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/05/ancnoc-peter-arkle-travel-retail-edition/): This sample arrived very late (thank you Royal mail, and Israeli mail, you suck!) and too late for an online Facebook tasting session in which both this travel retail and the batch #2 of the ‘regular’ Arkle anCnoc (see my earlier notes here)  were to be tasted. As we say better later then never… This Travel Retail only version was matured in Ex-Bourbon casks, bottled at 46%, NAS , and the packaging designed again by that lovely Peter Arkle , to resemble old vintage suitcases. Pretty stuff. Now let’s see what’s on the inside. anCnoc Peter Arkle travel retail exclusive 46%, […] - [Tasting Highland park 15](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/04/tasting-highland-park-15/): Considering i am a big fan of HP whisky and tasted all their OB’s (but the 50 year old which is too expensive) most reviewed here it’s funny this is the first time I am really tasting the 15 year old. I’ve had a sip of that on previous occasions but never sat down and wrote proper notes like a good whisky geek like me should. wink! The 15 year old was first released as a UK exclusive in 2003 but is now globally available. as opposed to the 12 and 18 year olds, this one is predominantly matured in American […] - [Malt Maniacs Awards 2012 – Results are announced](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/03/malt-maniacs-awards-2012-results-are-announced/): This year’s MMA are upon us , like they are every year. I am not a huge fan of awards, but the MMA are conducted blind, and by members of a non profit organization not affiliated with any whisky company, so i tend to appreciate their awards more than others. this year’s Big winners are: Ultra Premium Category (whiskies have a typical price greater than €150) Supreme Winner: Glendronach 40yo 1972/2012 (50.2%, OB for LMDW, D2/3/’72 B3/’12, C#713, oloroso sherry butt, 476 Bts.) Best Sherried Whisky: Glengoyne 1972/2012 (55.5%, Malts of Scotland, D9/’72 B9/’12, C#12044, sherry hogshead, 254 Bts.) Best Peated […] - [The all new Master of malt 30 Speyside Batch 5](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/03/the-all-new-master-of-malt-30-speyside-batch-5/): This is the fifth edition of our thirty year old Speyside Scotch Single Malt Whisky. and a new bottle and label design whilst the distillery remains secret and the whisky sherried (by the colour of it). Now, how does this compare with previous  batches? I Loved the 3rd and 4th batches (both scored 88/100), and so wanted to do a H2H with this one, when i found out i already drunk my samples, and “only” had the previous batch of the 50 yo. oh well, i set to taste this one alone. About the %ABV, i asked Ben from MoM , […] - [Whisky newsflash December 2nd](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/12/02/whisky-newsflash-december-2nd/): Here are some news that arrived in our inbox this week. Master of Malt Announces A New Competition Online retailer Master of Malt announces a new competition to win a VIP trip to the Highland Park Distillery. Master of Malt have teamed up with Highland Park to give away a VIP trip to the Orkney Islands in Scotland. One lucky winner will have a chance to tour the Highland Park Distillery and experience an exclusive whisky tasting of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The trip also features dinner and accommodation at the Lynnfield Hotel, a visit to the Italian Chapel […] - [Two more Kintras : Bladnoch and Bowmore](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/29/two-more-kintras-bladnoch-and-bowmore/): Some more Single cask kintras after that lovely Glen keith we sampled earlier this week. the first is a Bowmore , 13y, cask No. 80030  (bourbon), 51.1%, distilled in 1998 and bottled 2012. Kintra Whisky, Bowmore 13 yo , € 66.99 Nose: Soap, wee peat smoke, wood and liquorice candy , fennel. Palate: Much more smoke than you would expect only from the nose, chilly, spices, bitter sweet wood, peat, with a sweet and spicy middle, then developing into ash, salt.getting very earthy and bitter. Finish : Bitter wood, earth, spice,  salt and smoke. It’s like a bitter ashtray finish. a […] - [Master of Malt Ardbeg 18 year old Single Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/28/master-of-malt-ardbeg-18-year-old-single-cask/): Ben of Master of Malt has been promising s nice Ardbeg Bottling for some time, and tweeting about it, announcing it is near. Then one Thursday afternoon i saw him tweet about it being released tomorrow 1200 am GMT for under 90 quid. I was debating weather to get it or not (after spending a bit too much on drams lately, like most of you i am sure). The day after an email was sent to MOM Subscribers. I was keeping an eye on the situation, and what began as a 250 bottle release soon became one of the fastest selling […] - [Tasting Karuizawa 1984 cask # 3692](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/27/tasting-karuizawa-1984-cask-3692/): Another wee cracker from #1 drinks, this time a 1984 , which i see is mainly sold in Sweden (Systembolaget), but i am afraid is mostly gone by now. this one is obviously a sherry cask (first fill i would guess), and is lovely stuff. was able to find a bottle at a French online shop I never heard of so…  let’s dive in.   Karuizawa  1984 cask # 3692 , 57,2 % , 260.00 € Nose: This one is all about big,  big sherry. A few whiffs of vinegar up front, which is not something extraordinary in those big sherry […] - [Kintra Whisky Glen Keith 19 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/26/kintra-whisky-glen-keith-19-yo/): Always Nice taste new Kintra Whisky new bottlings. Erik M usually has a good nose for intersting casks to bottle, and this one is no exception. I think this is the first Glen Keith bottle I review on the blog, and that is more than welcome!  This bottle comes from a Bourbon Hogshead # 120587 with a total of 156 bottles, and is still available on the whisky base shop for around € 84 which is a good price. Glen Keith is a mothballed distillery since the early 2000’s and that explains why there are not a lot of Indie bottlings.Let’s […] - [It’s Movmber! Donate!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/25/its-movmber-donate/): It’s Movember again, Almost the end of it, and i’ve been growing my tache for thr last 25 days or so, for this just cause. Fighting Prostate cancer. If you are familiar with it, no need to explain, and if you are not, head over to Movember.co.uk (or movember in your area) and read all about it. it’s the third year in a row i am supporting this cause by Growing a mo (moustache)  for the entire month of November, and gathering donation for Movember fund to fight Prostate Cancer, and help mankind. So, what are you waiting? help me in […] - [Tasting Two very different Aultmores (MoM, Wemyss)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/23/tasting-two-very-different-aultmores-mom-wemyss/): I recently received to very different samples of Aultmore single cask, the first is a very young CS Aultmore bottled by the chaps at Master of Malt for their proprietary single casks, and the other a much older 30 yo Aultmore bottled by Wemyss Malts, at their regular 46%. A kicking youngster Vs. an older gentleman, could be a very interesting experience p , don’t you think? I figured out i should start with the 30 year old, since it was only a 46% bottling while the 5 year old was bottled at a whipping 66.8% ! anything after tasting that […] - [Tasting Littlemill 1988 , 23yo – “Archives”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/22/tasting-littlemill-1988-23y-archives/): Littlemill whisky Distillery was established in 1772 to the west of Bowling by the north shore of the River Clyde and on the main road into Glasgow. Subsequent modifications during the 1930s resulted in a number of novel features including double ventilation towers which sat over a single drying kiln and pot stills with rectifiers rather than the more traditional swan necks. The combination of pot and column stills in Littlemill was designed to produce malt whisky which was expected to mature quickly. At the time of closure in 1994 Littlemill Distillery was the oldest working malt whisky distillery in Scotland. […] - [Announcing the winner of our Jura 30 competition!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/21/announcing-the-winner-of-our-jura-30-competition/): So, the time to announce the big winner has come… 100’s of emails from around the world arrived at our mailbox, and I thank you very much for participating and taking the time to tell us about your favourite Jura, and favourite post. but, there is only one winner… and the winner is: *drumroll* : Johnny Houlind Berggreen , from Denmark! Congratulations Johnny, You will receive your bottle as soon as it released (Start of December). Enjoy! Thank you all, and keep your eyes peeled for future competitions, we have some nice stuff planned for the coming year. Gal - [Tasting Greatness : Karuizawa 1983 Noh Cask #7576](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/20/tasting-greatness-karuizawa-1983-noh-cask-7576/): The big K : Karuizawa. Highly estimated and not easy to get hold of, since they disappear so fast, and also because they are not cheap, but boy, they are oh so very good. period. this one is no exception : bottled by #1 Drinks (cheers chaps for the sample) , this one is bottled at CS of 57.2% clearly from a sherry cask, 571 bottles all in all, which are all gone. sadly. If you were wise enough to grab one, then bless you. the bottle is gorgeous too and those Noah masks. very cool. Karuizawa 1983 / 28 Year […] - [Book Review: 101 World Whiskies to try before you die](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/17/book-review-101-world-whiskies-to-try-before-you-die/): Before i dive into the book, I just wanted to share a lovely inscription that i found on the first page of this book (sent to me by Ian Buxton the Author) : “Stop at 100, live forever” – lovely isn’t it? Now, this is yet another interesting book, that is a sequel to the very successful 101 whiskies to try before you die, written by the same author (Ian Buxton, which needs no introduction i think, one of the premier league whisky writers , at the top of his game) , and very similar to the original one, with a […] - [Whisky Newsflash for Nov 16th 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/16/whisky-newsflash-for-nov-16th-2012/): Today’s newsflash is totally Master of Malt oriented. You may have noticed Ben & Co. are very creative and I guess Xmas is near and many new products are under way. If you read last week’s newsflash you remember the Gin Advent Calendar, and now a new Whisky Calendar is announced: Whisky Advent Calendar Online retailer Master of Malt announces the release of The Whisky Advent Calendar from Drinks by the Dram. Using the traditional Advent Calendar format of a surprise treat behind a door for each day leading up to Christmas, Drinks by the Dram has produced an Advent Calendar […] - [Wemyss malts Twitter tasting – November 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/15/wemyss-malts-twitter-tasting/): Wemyss Malts, one of my favourite affordable Indie bottlers, always bottling fine casks, at reasonable prices. I’ve reviewed most of their range in recent years , and was delighted to participate in another one of Steve’s excellent twitter tasting events. This time we were to taste 4 expressions from Wemyss : One blended malt (the hive 12) , one blended whisky (Lord Elcho 15) and two single casks from the new range just released a few weeks ago. Bliss. The evening was led by Steve (the whisky wire) and the lovely Karen of Wemyss malts , who I been in contact […] - [A cracking Benrinnes 14 Single cask from MoM (or why do you need to think fast!)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/14/a-cracking-benrinnes-14-single-cask-from-mom-or-why-do-you-need-to-think-fast/): Single casks come and go, and they are oh so limited. That’s their allure on the one hand, and that’s also the downer. If a cask is good, it flies of the shelves faster than lightning (literally).  That was exactly what happened with this wee 14 year old BenRinnes. I got the sample from MOM (Ta muchly!) the same day as the 2 springers I’ve written about yesterday, and thought I’d give it a go fast, since my mate Sjoerd, enjoyed it  so much, and I might like to pick a bottle. Happily I sat and poured this wee wonder into […] - [A Tale of two (Master of Malt) Springbanks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/13/a-tale-of-two-master-of-malt-springbanks/): A week ago I got a letter from Ben of Master of Malt (the brain behind many great whisky things that are going on at MoM) asking me for my help in tasting two different springbank samples. They are looking to bottle a single cask, and they got some nice samples from 2 such casks they wanted to share and let a few whisky geeks/ bloggers to try and say what they think should be bottled. All the information they divulged was that they were both 1993 casks, and only one can be bottled because of certain machinations of the bottling […] - [More Archives action :Clynelish 1997 & Glen Garioch 1990](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/12/more-archives-action-clynelish-1997-glen-garioch-1990/): Two more from the Indie Archives label brought to you by Whisky Base. This time two quite different whiskies From Clynelish and GG. Let’s start with the younger Clynelish , This blog has not seen a lot of Clynelish action and it’s a good start for a new week: Clynelish 1997 Archives ,53.9 % , € 64.95 Nose: waxy lemony and a quite fresh. Green apple as in Granny Smith, and a slight cucumber note as well. Palate: Cereal bowl with chocolate chips and lemon peel shreds. Malty and alcoholic. A bit metallic. Wee salt. Finish : salted butter over burnt […] - [Breaking news : first commercial artisan Whisky Distillery in Israel is launched today.–“The Milk & Honey Distillery”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/07/breaking-news-first-commercial-artisan-whisky-distillery-in-israel-is-launched-today-the-milk-honey-distillery/): Just got this press release from the guys who have been long at work, planning and getting initial investment to create Israel’s first artisan whisky distillery on a commercial scale, they will go by the name of “The Milk & Honey Distillery”. here is the PR: The Milk & Honey Distillery The first artisan whisky distillery in the land of Israel In the beginning… The seeds of The Milk & Honey Distillery were sown late in 2011. A group of friends were sitting in the Shishko bar in Tel Aviv working their way through some fine whiskies. Conversation moved to how […] - [Oban Distiller’s Edition 1995 – Montilla Fino Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/07/oban-distiller%e2%80%99s-edition-1995-montilla-fino-finish/): After quite a few single casks, something more widely available (or was available at the time). Diageo do have some lovely malts at their disposal, and some Distiller’s editions are really nice and add a certain depth to well known staple drams such as the Caol Ila, Lagavulin etc. I have not had many Obans and I think this one will be the very first tasting note for an Oban I’ve ever written here. There’s a first for everything as they say. I did have the OB Oban a few months ago, but did not take notes, gladly I did take […] - [Whisky Base Archives Caol Ila 2000](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/06/whisky-base-archives-caol-ila-2000/): one more single casks bottled for the “Archives” single casks collection by whisky base ,the younger brother of the 1982 vintage, I have yet to try but have heard great things about… let’s give this one a try, shall we? Caol Ila 2000, 59.1 %, € 59.95 “Twin Peat” so, a young CI, what can one expect? a lot of peat reek, smoke, punch. but wait, there is much more here… Nose: Big peat. Young sweet sugars. Lemony and ashy. A bit farmy. Manure. BBQ on a sandy beach. Palate: Yummy. Avalanche of peat , chilly. Smoke on second wave of […] - [Master of Malt That ‘That Boutique-y Whisky Company’ Highland park x 3](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/05/master-of-malt-that-that-boutique-y-whisky-company-highland-park-x-3/): If you remember my Maltstock post, regarding the That Boutique-y Whisky Company tasting, the highland park samples did not arrive for the tasting and we were all to get samples in the mail and then vote on the favorite which will then be bottled with our group photo on the bottle. so, a few weeks went by, and as promised a wee package with 3 sample bottles from MoM arrived for me (and other to try). I sat down and tried those all in one sitting, here are my notes: Sample #1 , 42.3% abv ,(£74.95) Nose: sweet with big sherry. […] - [Whisky news for the weekend](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/02/whisky-news-for-the-weekend/): Master of Malt Announces the Release of a New Advent Calendar for those of you who like Gin : Online Retailer Master of Malt announces the release of The Ginvent Calendar for Christmas 2012. In anticipation of this year’s festive season, Drinks by the Dram have teamed up with The Gin Blog to create The Ginvent Calendar. The Gin Blog installed a life-size version of The Ginvent Calendar—standing 1.5 metres tall and using full size bottles of gin—in Soho’s Graphic Bar during December 2011.  Subscribers to The Gin Blog’s Twitter feed could then win a bottle from the Calendar by correctly […] - [A new specialist whisky shop in SA–Whisky Brother](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/11/01/a-new-specialist-whisky-shop-in-sawhisky-brother/): I woke up and read my email today when I came across a a lovely email from my good whisky friend Marc from SA who just announced he’s opening a new whisky shop in Johannesburg, SA. Marc is a lovely fella , and we’ve met and shared a few drams when he was visiting Israel a few months back, he’s a true whisky lover, and I am very happy he’s been able to combine his love for whisky, and business, and open that place. I don’t normally do this kind of thing publicizing a certain shop, but since mark is a […] - [Tasting Springbank 21 year old–1990s edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2012/10/31/tasting-springbank-21-year-old%e2%80%931990s-edition/): This dram and those notes are all in honor of a fellow whisky blogger and mensch who recently stopped blogging about this favorite drop of liquor : whisky. I guess those of you who are / were a part of his whisky fabric, know who I am talking about. Whisky connected people all over the globe and I am lucky to have made his acquaintance, and sure he’ll be back with a vengeance soon. here’s to you mate! Now, this wee dram was part of a sample swap we conducted a few months ago, and I need not tell you that […] - [Some more Canadian: Masterson’s 10 yo straight Rye](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/11/some-more-canadian-mastersons-10-yo-straight-rye/): So, I’m back from a few whisky loaded days over at Maltstock. it was amazing as ever, and you can expect some posts detailing the more interesting stuff that went over there, but until I gather enough willpower and energy to write a long post, here are notes from a long due Canadian whisky. Thanks to DDK I was able to taste yet another fine example of Canadian goodness. if you want to read more history and in depth information about Masterson’s check out Davin’s excellent site. Masterson’s 10 yo straight Rye  , 45%, $109(LCBO) Nose: Thick rye, very perfumed. Linseed. […] - [Diageo Special Releases for 2013–official release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/03/diageo-special-releases-for-2013official-release/): So after much speculation and rumours here comes the official 2013 special releases info from Diageo. as you can see, it’s not going to be cheap… (not that we thought it would). The highlights are of course, Brora 35, Port Ellen, and Lagavulin 37 yo which is the most expensive at almost 2,000 quid. feast your eyes, as most likely, none of us would be able to afford any of those three. Of course the most interesting for us mere mortals are the CI unpeated, and the Lagavulin 12… the bottles that are released are as follows: Brora™ 35 year old  […] - [Heading to Maltstock 2013!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/03/heading-to-maltstock-2013/): So, that time of year has come, and I am really looking forward to visiting the NL and attending maltstock. It will be lovely to come and meet some old, and new friends (and many social media friends in the flesh for the first time). So, don’t be a stranger! Come and say Hi, whether I recognize you or not. I am easy to find, the only one wearing an Israeli Flag on his tag … See you all in a short while, and those who are unable to attend, I will certainly blog about that in coming weeks. Slainte! - [Two Young(er) Glendronach single casks from batch 8](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/02/glendronach-single-casks-from-batch-8-1988-199/): Batch 8 of Glendronach has been released with batch 10 of BenRiach (Its sister distillery) a short while ago. I chose to start with the BRs then enter Glendronach sherry land, and here we are. GlenDronach indeed is synonymous with sherry casks, and indeed their entire range is heavily sherried, and very much loved by sherry heads. I chose to start with the youngest of casks and then continue with older casks until we reach the oldest 1971 cask. Glendronach 2002 cask #1988,10 Yo, PX Sherry Puncheon , 55.6% vol Nose: Really not a sherry monster, and quite lighter and more […] - [Whisky PR Corner : New Compass Box Delilah](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/29/whisky-pr-corner-new-compass-box-delilah/): Through a shared vision that a great whisky should be enjoyable to all, boutique Scotch whisky maker and craft blender, Compass Box Whisky Co., and Delilah’s, Chicago’s legendary punk rock bar have collaborated to create DELILAH’S – a limited edition Compass Box whisky to celebrate the bar’s 20thanniversary. Only 6,000 bottles of this eponymous craft Scotch whisky will be available in select markets worldwide – 4,800 of them in the US – following its debut in Delilah’s bar in Chicago on 29th August 2013. DELILAH’s is a combination of single malt and single grain whiskies aged in a mix of experimental […] - [Quick Dram : Douglas Laing young & feisty Provenance Caol Ila](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/28/quick-dram-douglas-laing-young-feisty-provenance-caol-ila/): Caol Ila “Young & Feisty” – Provenance (Douglas Laing) , 46% , £53 Sometimes whisky has to be whisky. nothing more. sometimes you reach for the “peat” shelf, in search for a young feisty Islay. This is what you might expect: Nose: Sweet peat with pear drops , salt,  cinnamon tar and malt. Some kerosene. A young Caol Ila. Classic nose. Don’t expect wonders or exotic fruit over here. but you get what you pay for. Palate: New leather , candy peat and salt. Fried Bacon chips. Hot cinnamon. Chilly. Finish: Smoked bacon. Chilly. Lovely classic Islay. With sweat, peat smoke […] - [Two more New Wemyss Malts–Linkwood & Clynelish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/27/two-more-new-wemyss-malts-linkwood-clynelish/): Time for two more lovely single casks from Wemyss (recently reviewed another lovely dram from that release : The Salted Caramels Glen Scotia 1991 which i really liked). So,how will those 2 fare? let’s dram! Wemyss Apple Pastry Linkwood , 1991 Nose: Apple strudel with blackberries , aniseed, vanilla and some pear tart. Palate: Nice sweet woody touch with baked apples filled with sultana and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and vanilla. Doughnut dough. Finish: Sweet dough. sultana. Apple crumble. Score: 85/100 Wemyss Spiced Chocolate Cup – Clynelish ,1997 Nose: Rather floral to start with. Then opens up to reveal many spices […] - [Oldies Goldies : Caol Ila 27yo, 1984, 56.1% – Signatory for LMDW](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/25/caol-ila-27yo-1984-lmdw/): Caol Ila. Most thing of them as “that boring, newbies peated malt from Diageo”. While they are big, there are CI’s and there are CIs. the 12 yo is a staple dram, and ANY peat head has to go through that one at some part of his peat journey, but boy o boy, if you’re missing out on older aged CI’s you’re making a real mistake. This is not the first older CI I’ve had (some on the blog too), but it’s definably one of the better ones. Peat dies with age, but you loose some bite and gain a whole […] - [Whisky PR corner August 25th 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/25/whisky-pr-corner-august-25th-2013/): We get lots of PRs and try to publish those we think are the most interesting to our readers once a week. IRISH DISTILLERS RELEASE THE 2013 EDITION OF MIDLETON VERY RARE Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, makers of Jameson, the world’s No.1 Irish whiskey, has unveiled the latest release of its prestigious blended whiskey, Midleton Very Rare. Regarded as one of the ultimate expressions of Irish Whiskey, Midleton Very Rare is made from hand-selected whiskeys chosen by the Master Distiller from the renowned Midleton Distillery. Blended from only the finest single pot still and grain distillates of the year, the whiskey […] - [Glentauchers 30 yo Artist Series for LMDW](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/22/glentauchers-30-yo-artist-series-for-lmdw/): This is another one from Shai’s sample bomb. After the lovely Wigle wheat whiskey, time for an older Speysider. Glentauchers is owned by Pernod Ricard, and does not really bottle any of its malt as OBs, and you can find quite a few IBs. I don’t think I’ve tasted one until today, so another distillery off the “Need to taste” list. yippee. I always have great expectations from 30 year old Cask strength , single cask bottles, since I love the palate and nose of old wood , but they better not  be too woody… Glentauchers 30YO Artist Series for LMDW […] - [Wigle Organic Wheat Whiskey](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/21/wigle-organic-wheat-whiskey/): Wigle? yep. Wigle (pronounced Viggle). I am not sure you have heard about this new distillery located in Pennsylvania  (I know I have not before i got sent a sample). But I’m always keen to get to know a new interesting distillery, and this one is pretty nice. First of all, I should thank Shai (@dsappl) whos recently wrote his first guest blog here (cigar review, check it out if you missed it for some reason). Shai is a whisk(e)y lover, and does quite some dramming, and he was fortunate enough to visit this distillery when he visited family in the […] - [Two 1970’s Single Cask Benriachs [Batch 10]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/20/two-1970s-single-cask-benriachs-batch-10/): After we tried two younger single casks from the latest batch it’s time for the real deal : Two single casks from the 70’s. Mind you, i was only a baby when those two were filled (boy, I am getting older). 1976 casks have quite a reputation for being amazing, and I do wonder how those would stand up to that… Let’s start with the younger, which was finished in a Moscatel wine cask. The PR does not indicate the period of time for the finish, but it sure was quite influenced by the cask. BenRiach 1977 cask # 1031  36 […] - [Auchentoshan Silver Oak 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/19/auchentoshan-silver-oak-21-yo/): Auchentoshan is indeed one of the most underrated single malt distilleries out there. I am not sure why, but most people do think of this Lowland distillery as a producer of uninteresting , light bodied malts. I know I have shown it’s not exactly true, with the help of the Toshan man Mark D, and a few samples we swapped a year and more ago. While some new Auchentoshans (the Valinch for example, and hopefully the new Virgin oak) display a rather interesting profile with lots of flavours, the entry level ones are indeed somewhat , boring.. But, not this one. […] - [Some fun with Douglas Laing & co.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/12/some-fun-with-douglas-laing-co/): The nice guys over at D.Laing sent over a few samples of their peaty whiskies among them a Caol Ila, Laphroaig, and Bunnahabhain. What can be nicer for a peat-head like myself than to try those lovely ones in one session. Summer or winter (as long as you keep your house cool enough) it’s always a grand time for some Islay dramming. Starting with the least peaty (the bunny) then Douglas Laing Provenance Bunnahabhain (Young & Feisty) 46% abv Colour: Wow this one is so light, almost new makeish light. probably very young and 2nd fill casks… Nose: very gentle. Pear […] - [Benriach 1998 cask 7633 PX puncheon finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/07/benriach-1998-cask-7633-px-puncheon-finish/): Time for another of the latest BR single casks just released. Not a peated cask this time but equally interesting : this one is triple distilled (yes, you read that right T-r-i-p-l-e) which is quite unusual for the Benriach as only a small fraction of the spirit distilled annualy is triple distilled there. It has been matured for 15 years then finished in a Pedro Ximénez sherry puncheon to be bottled at 56.10% abv only recently. Only 630 bottles are available. BenRiach 15 Year Old 1998 (cask 7633) Triple distilled/PX Finish,£60.99 Nose: Thick sherry but with some fruity aromas besides the […] - [Kilchoman Machir Bay 2013 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/06/kilchoman-machir-bay-2013/): Time for some more Kilchoman fun this time the 2013 edition of the Machir Bay. It’s a bit different than the 100% Islay (it’s not 100% Islay duh!) in cask composition : bine a vatting of five year old bourbon-matured whisky, and four year old bourbon-matured and Oloroso-finished malt, which should  give it a sweeter fruitier profile. It’s bottled at 46% and after the previous edition  was very successful, this should also be a cracker. Kilchoman Machir Bay 2013, 46% abv  , £38 Nose: Young and sweet. With lovely stewed fruits and sweet peat, with medicinal aromas such as spent bandages. […] - [Wemyss Malts Salted Caramels – Glen Scotia 1991](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/05/wemyss-malts-salted-caramels-glen-scotia-1991/): Campbeltown whiskies are quite rare, as there are only 3 distilleries operating (if you count GlenGyle as one). Glen Scotia is rarely seen in OB, and I’ve had quite a few nice Indies distilled there which I really enjoyed (this Kintra for example). The latest batch from Wemyss consists of 6 single casks, and three will be reviewed on the blog shortly, and guess which one I’ve chosen to start with, well yea…  As always Wemyss bottle casks at around 46% abv, and not at CS (in order to reduce prices, and increase volume so I am told), and this one […] - [Whisky PR Corner–Thursday August 2nd 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/02/whisky-pr-cornerthursday-august-2nd-2013/): Don’t worry I am not going to bore you with those IWSC award PR releases, so here are a few PR news items which hit the blog in recent days: Bowmore releases a 23 year old port cask matured 1989 Bowmore, Islay’s first Single Malt whisky, has announced the launch of Bowmore 23 Years Old – a deliciously rich, smoky and complex dram that has been matured exclusively in port casks for 23 years giving it a deliciously dark colour and remarkably rich flavour. This non-chill filtered Single Malt Scotch is a whisky to warm the coldest Islay night. A delicious […] - [Kilchoman 100% Islay 3rd edition , 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/08/01/kilchoman-100-percentislay-3rd-edition-2013/): This is the latest release in the 100% Islay range, which is a quite unique Islay peated malt as it is the only Single Malt in Scotland where every stage of the whisky making process, from the barley grown in the surrounding fields to the malting, distillation, maturation and bottling, takes place at the distillery, as it should be in a ‘Farm’ distillery, just like in the olden days. Nice, right?! This 3rd edition is a vatting of four and five year old fresh bourbon barrels and bottled at a nice 50% abv , just like we prefer! Only 10,000 bottles […] - [Dark N’ Stormy? – Talisker Dark Storm](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/31/talisker-dark-storm/): It’s time to taste the latest expression released by Talisker a few weeks ago (travel retail only- remember?) . The Dark storm is matured in deep charred oak casks for extra spice and smoke and is bottled at 45.8% ABV (like most other Taliskers). So basically it’s supposed to be a bolder version of the Storm, with bigger and more powerful flavours. So how does it compare? let’s crack it open. Talisker Dark Storm, NAS, 45.8% abv , £42 (US$64.60) [travel retail only] Nose: Very peaty. Not medicinal but hell –  it’s earthy. Some vanilla and pepper. This is indeed a […] - [Cigar Review : Alec Bradley Black Market Robusto](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/30/cigar-review-alec-bradley-black-market-robusto/): Shai has been a cigar and whisky lover since way before he could legally purchase either.  He also brews, distills, and posts the same picture of his porch over and over with different smokes and drinks on Twitter (@dsappl) Yes, this is indeed a whisky blog, but as you might know I’m also a bit into cigars as well. I was offered to try a cigar by the Cigar Club, to write about it, and I thought it was a really good idea. In fact my friend Shai (who’s a cigar and whisky lover and worshiper, one might say) agreed to […] - [BenRiach Single Casks batch 10: BenRiach 2005 Peated cask 3782](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/29/benriach-single-casks-batch-10-benriach-2005-peated-cask-3782/): almost two weeks ago Benriach has released  its eagerly-anticipated single cask bottlings. Selected by Master Blender Billy Walker, the twelve-expression batch from the Elgin distillery was bottled last month and all bottlings are available now in specialist shops. Batch 10 comprises sublime Speyside vintages ranging from 1976 to 2005. Cask types vary from Moscatel and Virgin American Oak Hogsheads to Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheons and Barrels. included in the new batch is an intriguing young 8 year old, vintage 2005 cask # 3782 The one I’ve chosen to start my tasting notes with (I will be visiting 10 other BenRiach and […] - [Laphroaig 10 CS– original edition (red band)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/25/laphroaig-10-cs-original-edition-red-band/): Long ago, when I was making my first steps in the whisky world, I was very keen on MONSTER peat drams. The higher  the PPM, the better, or so I thought. As time went by, my palate did change, and I realised it’s the delicate aromas and Complexity is what I prefer, Peat or not peat. Mega peat is nice at time, when you need that “peat fix”. And in recent months I’ve found myself reaching to my extreme peat shelf (Octomore,Supernova, PCx, etc) less and less. But, I never ceased to love those beasts, and from time to time when […] - [Gibson’s 18 Finest Rare](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/23/gibsons-18-finest-rare/): Time for another cracking Canadian whiskey (many thanks to Johanne and Davin D.K for the introduction and their help with samples) . If you do want more information and background on this one , you need to check out Davin’s Excellent site, which is indeed the best resource for any Canadian whiskey. Gibson’s 18 Finest Rare , 40% , $ 74.95 (LCBO) Nose: Sweet yet spicy. Rye. A dollop of  Vanilla , caramel and toffee. Some wood shavings. With sweet dried fruit; think : prunes. Palate: Quite spicy with lots of hot cinnamon, rye spiciness with pepper, toffee and vanilla custard. […] - [Blended whisky time: Ballantine’s 12](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/22/ballantines-12-blended-whisky/): After the Irish pot stills it’s time to get back to some scotch, and what better than to try a widely available whisky, one you can get hold of anywhere in the world : Ballantine’s 12 year old. Ballantine’s 12 year old , 40% , £31.17 Nose: Some smoke comes to mind at first sniff, then tones down to reveal butterscotch, vanilla, fruit (apple, pear and banana sweetness too) , almond and nuts with a few notes of vanilla and honey. Palate: Spices, and quite some smoke, very nice stuff. then off to the fruitier notes with vanilla, sherry influence is […] - [Millstone Peated](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/21/millstone-peated/): Yoav is a whisky lover for the last 2.5 years trying to catch up for lost time and recently also a blogger and a software geek by profession. He lives with his family in northern Israel and can be easily found on twitter (@yoavgel) and Facebook. When Gal offered me to sample a dram and guest blog it, I was very excited. come on! to write a guest post for one of the premiere whisky blogs in the world? Who would refuse? Gal asked me if I have any preference and I asked him to surprise me. And he didn’t disappoint […] - [Whisky PR Corner–Thursday July 18th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/18/whisky-pr-cornerthursday-july-18th/): this has been a very busy week with lots of interesting releases from the ultra expensive (some say too expensive) Dalmore bottles selling for almost 1 million pounds, to Wemyss single cask release, a new Kilchoman , Hankey Bannister , and also very old and expensive releases from Glendornach and The Benriach Wemyss Malts release 6 new single casks Edinburgh based boutique Spirits Company Wemyss Malts is delighted to announce the release of their latest single cask single malt Scotch whiskies. Of the 6 casks released this month, 2 of them were distilled in 1991 – the year which saw the […] - [More Irish Single Pot Still : Redbreast 15 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/16/more-irish-single-pot-still-redbreast-15-yo/): Yesterday’s 3 pot still guest post made me long for more Irish gems, and what better than Redbreast one of the better known Single Pot still. It’s the first time I get to sample the 15 year old , and having loved the 12 yo, this one promises to be a treat.  At over £60 , It’s about 20 quid more than its younger sibling, and is bottled at a higher abv% of 46%, which is always nicer. Redbreast 15 Year Old , 46% , £66.22 (at Master of malt) Nose: Thick caramel and toffee. Vanilla with Creme brûlée and citrus. […] - [Three Irish Single Pot Still](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/15/three-irish-single-pot-still/): Assaf Erell is a whisky enthusiast, and likes to explore new aromas and flavours. Assaf lives in Tel Aviv, and is about to start his M.Sc. in Physics. He can also be found hanging around at the Tapuz.co.il Wine and Alcohol Forum. When Gal offered me the chance to write a guest post for Whisky Israel I was happy to step up. I don’t have enough spare time to start my own blog yet, but I do like the opportunity to write the occasional post. Gal came up with the idea of an Irish whiskey post, and we decided to narrow […] - [Glengoyne 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/11/glengoyne-18-yo/): This 18 yo dram is replacing the 17 year old which I reviewed a long time ago (my notes are here). Bottled at a standard 43%, It’s priced at around £70. Nose: Starts with some wood, old wood furniture, lacquer, yet also fruity, with some red fruit tart, orange peel, sugar, and also a bit of vanilla goodness. rather interesting. some spices too : ginger and Bergamot(reminds me of earl grey). Palate: Lovely mouth feel over here, with some fruit, and dry wood, spices. Also spicy with quite a bit of pepper and ginger too. Wood is rather dominant here, and […] - [Springbank 14 yo Burns Malt [The Whisky Barrel]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/10/springbank-14-yo-burns-malt-the-whisky-barrel/): Another indie bottling sold by TWB (which bears a cunning similarity to the Whisky Broker bottlings). Every springer is welcome at WI towers, and especially cask strength &  single cask ones. always something to look forward too, and this one did not disappoint. Springbank 14 yo Burns Malt  , 54.3% abv , £61.30 (TWB) Nose: This one is lovely to start with as it displays a dirty sort if malty side. Got to love this, these moments are what make scotch so interesting and enticing. Add a   Some apples and damp wood, sprinkle some cinnamon and waxy notes, and you’ve got […] - [Flaviar Peat Pack take 1 – Connemara Cask Strength](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/09/flaviar-peat-pack-take-1-connemara-cask-strength/): As whisky geeks we’re always on the look for new drams and there are so many expressions out there it’s really impossible to buy every bottles that comes out. One way of trying those expressions and still be on a budget is ordering samples. Now, there are a lot of sample sites I’ve reviewed in the past (Master of Malt with their awesome drinks by the dram programme, Whisky samples , and a few more). Apparently there is a new player in the game called “Flaviar”. They approached me and suggested I try one of their many sample kits, and why […] - [A summer Storm - Cutty Sark style](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/07/a-summer-storm-cutty-sark/): Been meaning to write about the (relatively) new Cutty Sark Storm for quite a while, but somehow never got to it. A few months ago I was lucky enough to receive a bottle of that lovely blend and I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit.The name ‘Storm’ can be a bit misleading as one might think it’s really a stormy kind of dram with lots of peat smoke etc (maybe more like the Talisker Storm, and Dark Storm which was just released). In two words: It Isn’t. At any rate, this expression is said to feature a higher proportion of older […] - [PR corner–Sunday June 7th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/07/pr-cornersunday-june-7t-h/): I get quite a few PR emails and will make a habit of sharing the ones I think will be of interest to the blog readers. This week, a spanking new Ardbeg luxury self-catering home and some rare Dalmore on sale in the Marcliffe hotel. Ardbeg Distillery opens stunning luxury self-catering home Ardbeg Distillery, home of the Ultimate Islay Malt, can now offer the definitive getaway for any whisky fan after restoring a 19thCentury cottage at its iconic distillery on Islay. Seaview Cottage offers stunning views, a location steeped in history, and every modern day luxury you would expect allowing visitors […] - [Happy 4th of July](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/04/happy-4th-of-july-2/): Today is the 4th of July, and what better than celebrate the independence day of a great nation with a few drams of good old American Whiskey. God bless America! May you continue to produce Democracy (sort of) and good whiskey! Gal - [Glenmorangie Ealanta 1993 , 19 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/03/glenmorangie-ealanta-1993-19-yo/): This very interesting expression was released in the beginning of 2013, but I have not been able to source a sample. With a little help from my friend Phil, This became possible. This wee dram was fully matured in specially sourced, heavily toasted new white oak casks from Missouri’s Ozark mountains. “Ealanta” stands for for “skilled” and “ingenious in Gaelic. As we may know, a little Gaelic can not hurt, and this is a trend I quite like (especially as I don’t understand Gaelic ). Limited to about 5K bottles, this one is all but gone from whisky store shelves, so […] - [Bruichladdich First Growth Cuvée D: Pessac Leognan (Chateau Haut-Brion) 16 Year Old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/02/bruichladdich-first-growth-cuve-d-pessac-leognan-chateau-haut-brion-16-year-old/): Longest name EVER for a dram? Probably. (and thank to PS for the idea and dram). This is the fourth in the Laddie First Growth series, aged for 16 years in ex-bourbon casks, then finished in Pessac-Léognan(Chateau Haut-Brion) [ex wine] casks. Another experiment from the Laddie in esoteric wine cask finished, and frankly? It’s rather nice. You never know with those finishes, but here it turns out just fine … Bruichladdich First Growth Cuvée D ,16 yo  (sold out) Nose: definitelya  Laddie, and absolutely winey on the nose. quite sweet, with some fruit (fig, over ripe oranges) , a bit of […] - [Chivas Regal 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/07/01/chivas-regal-18-yo/): From time to time I get emails or comments from people asking why I am reviewing mostly “limited editions” or other special editions of malts, and not more widely available blends or malts. The truth is that I try to reviews those too (and have done so quite a few times), but there is always room for more. I am going to be visiting a few well known blends in the coming weeks, starting today with the 18 year old Chivas Regal, followed by the 12 year old,and maybe a few others. So there you go dear readers, hope you find […] - [Tasting Glengoyne Cask Strength](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/27/tasting-glengoyne-cask-strength/): I’ve reviewed three Glengoyne expressions in the past, but that was a long time ago, before GG released this new Cask Strength expressions. I’ve heard many good things about it, and since it’s NAS I decided to start my little GG series of tasting notes with this (expect the 15yo and 18 yo to follow soon).  The Glengoyne line-up was also repackaged and sports nicer labels and looks. The CS version is made of about 30% 1st fill ex sherry cask 70% refill ex sherry cask, and bottled at a nice 58.7% abv. Glengoyne Cask Strength Batch 1 , NAS, 58.70% […] - [Laphroaig Feis Ile 2013 – Cairdeas Port Wood Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/25/laphroaig-feis-ile-2013-cairdeas-port-wood-edition/): Again not been able to make it to Islay for Feis Ile (there is always next year, yes?) , and I’ve bought the last few years Cairdeas’s from the Laphroaig site and liked them (one was stolen from my home the 2010 edition – inside job) a lot, but for some reason i was not sure I wanted to buy one this year. and by the time I’ve decided i might, they were all gone from the site. As it happens quite a lot of people bought more than one bottle, and the entire stock disappeared in 7 hours , which […] - [Bowmore Laimrig 15 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/24/bowmore-laimrig-15-yo/): Been trying to source a sample of this for a long time, and thanks to my whisky friend E.S who was kind enough to mail me one (and so quick)  – mission was accomplished. For those of you who have not heard about this ‘limited edition’: Laimrig is Scottish Gaelic for ‘pier’, and is named after Bowmore’s ancient stone pier. It’s 15 years old, and finished in sherry casks and bottled at Cask strength of 53.7%. Bowmore Laimrig 15 yo , 54.4% , bottle 14457/15000 Nose: Lovely sherry notes. Dates. Sultanas. Brine. Thick fig. Smoke. Salt. Palate: yumm. Lots of smoke […] - [Ruby, My Dear](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/20/ruby-my-dear/): Thelonious Monk, one of the greatest jazz artists to have lived (so I and many others think), wrote this lovely piece about his first love,Rubie Richardson, and first recorded it in 1947, one of jazz most well known pieces. When I first heard the Macallan are going to bottle an expression named “Ruby”, this was the first thing that popped into my mind. And what better setting to taste the last of the 1824 series than to this lovely music. Ruby,My Dear The Macallan Ruby – 1824 Series , 43% , £118 (at Master of Malt) This is the oldest, richest, […] - [Some more Macallan : Amber & Sienna](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/19/macallan-amber-sienna-1824/): Ok, the Gold was nice, but I was still looking for something a bit more , how shall I put it ? : Bigger. Bolder . Better.  and here comes Amber and Sienna. Will they deliver? The Macallan Amber – 1824 Series , 40% abv , £44.55 (at Master of Malt) Amber  consists of a vatting of a combination of European and American oak casks, most of which are re-fill sherry puncheons and butts, and more first fill casks than the Gold, so flavours should be ‘bigger’ here. It’s bottled at a rather boring 40%, which is ok, and costs around […] - [The Macallan Gold](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/18/the-macallan-gold/): I’ve been meaning to try the new 1824 series for some time now, and fortunately been able to score a wee sample of each. I suggest you have a look at Phil’s guest post about the launch event of this series of whiskies, where you can find some more background info. So this first one is the cheapest of all four and is said to contain malts aged 9-15 years which were all aged in sherry casks of some sort (no more info is provided). As such it’s supposed to replace the 10 yo expression, as an entry level Macallan. The […] - [Angel’s Envy Rye](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/15/angels-envy-rye/): Last year I reviewed the “regular” Angel’s envy Bourbon and it was very nice, and when I heard Lincoln Henderson has created a new Rye under the Angel’s envy brand, I knew I had to try this one too. This Rye is really special in the sense that it’s finished in Rum barrels which were used to age French Cognac, for up to 18 months after being aged for 6 years in fresh oak barrels. Henderson concocted a 95% Rye mash bill where the rest of the 5% is malted barley.  The end result is bottled at a cool 50% abv, […] - [Karuizawa Spirit of Asama–55% abv](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/13/karuizawa-spirit-of-asama55-abv/): So an affordable Karuizawa? what a grand idea! This was the intention of the lovely guys at Number one drinks, and the folks at TWE when they set to vat 77 casks distilled in 1999 / 2000 together to create a NAS Karuizawa that everyone can afford without selling a body organ or a family member to slavery. But how does this compare to the older and much more expensive K’s? The spirit of Asama comes in two forms: one bottled at 46% abv and this one comes at a nicer 55 % abv. This expression is called after Mount Asama […] - [Imperial 1995 , Whiskybase Archives](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/12/imperial-1995-whiskybase-archives/): My first ever Imperial, and since i knew pretty nothing about this distillery, I tried googling it up. Seems it was bought by Chivas Bros. in 2005, and is no longer operational, and was supposed to be demolished in 2005 and be used as grounds for a new housing project, or something. I’ve seen some “news” talking about new plans for a distillery to be built at the same place, by Chivas bros. but currently it’s closed down .Imperial was equipped with one stainless steel mash tun with traditional mixing gear, six larch wood washbacks and two pairs of copper pot […] - [The Whisky Barrel Bunnahabhain 23 - 1989](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/11/the-whisky-barrel-bunnahabhain-23-1989/): I will be visiting some of the latest whiskies bottled exclusively for TWB in the coming weeks (there are 6 such ‘Burns malt’), but I chose to start with this little Bunny 23 year old, 1989 vintage bottled last March (2013). Bunnahabhain is really not the most well known of Islay distilleries, and really lies in the shadows of more hyped (or over hyped some would say) distilleries such as Ardbeg, Kilchoman, Lagavulin , Laphroaig, etc, but IMO they do offer a lovely array of drams, and some Indie bottlings such as this are really lovely, so make sure not to […] - [Wemyss malts Candied Fruit–1998 Auchentoshan](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/10/wemyss-malts-candied-fruit1998-auchentoshan/): Another fine example of Wemyss single casks, this time Lowlander Auchentoshan from 1998, total of 294 bottles available at 46% abv (yes yes, i know. we want more). Quite a nice dram actually, from an underrated (some would say, rightfully so) distillery and the second dram from the latest batch of single casks released by Wemyss malts  in 2013. Wemyss malts Candied Fruit–1998 Auchentoshan , 46% abv Nose: A nice walk down memory lane, old school candy shops like the ones we had when I was a wee kid, with all those Gummy bears and other boiled candy with all sorts […] - [Tamdhu 10 yo–Relaunch–tasting notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/07/tamdhu-10-yo-relaunch-tasting-notes/): Not long ago I featured this new relaunch (by Ian Macleod Distillers) in the whisky news, and It’s time to taste this quite uniquely packaged whisky. The bottle as you can see is a bit how shall we say “special”. Some like it, and some hate it, but no one is indifferent to it. When i first saw it I must admit it was not something I liked immediatly. I thought it looked too much like  a soda bottle, and what do Tamdhu want to say about this whisky? That it’s good only with soda? But after seeing the bottle on […] - [Whisky news–June 6th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/06/whisky-newsjune-5th/): Auchentoshan Single Malt Whisky Refreshes Packaging for Core Brands This June (2013) Auchentoshan, Scotland’s only triple distilled Single Malt Scotch whisky, will reveal exciting new packaging for its iconic core brands – Auchentoshan Three Wood and 12 Years Old. The refresh, which takes inspiration from the hugely successful travel retail range launched in 2012, will highlight Auchentoshan’s premium qualities and increase stand out on shelf. The new pack will also educate the consumer about Auchentoshan’s unique triple distillation process, wood maturation and tasting notes. All three sides of the pack are maximised in the new design and illustrations are used to […] - [Strathmill 21 yo (The Maltman)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/05/strathmill-21-yo-the-maltman/): Strathmill single malt? when have you seen a bottle of that on a whisky shelf recently? Odds are you you have not, since this distillery (owned by Diageo) is not really into selling single malt , but rather distils malt for use in the various Diageo blends, or something of the like. I’ve googled it, and found out it has a 1,700,000 Litres / year capacity, doing that with 2 wash stills and 2 spirit stills. It’s definitely my first Strathmill, so you can tick off another distillery from the “distilleries i have not yet tried anything from”. This is a […] - [The Macallan 1824 Series launch event @ London](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/04/the-macallan-1824-series-launch-event-london/): This is the first Guest post from our friend Phil S. : Originally from London, Phil now lives in Israel with his family – when he doesn’t find himself on an aeroplane. Since sampling his first “proper” whisky at age 16 (it was a 12yo Strathisla), there was no turning back. Willing to try anything once, Phil is no snob when it comes to his favourite drink, housing an eclectic collection of the world’s whiskies, singles and blends among them, and the odd bottle to pay for his retirement. Last week, thanks to our host finding himself in the wrong country […] - [Back to Jura–the Jura 50 Twitter tasting [#Jura50TT]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/06/03/back-to-jurathe-jura-50-twitter-tasting/): Back to Jura then, in the spirit – that is, and no better timing than Feis Ile which is happening right now , and Jura distillery taking part in it as usual. I’ve written in length about my visit to the Isle of Jura in the past – that magical place which hosts about 188 people and over 6,000 deer, where you have one pub, one hotel, one shop and one distillery, that’s pretty much there is on the island, apart from the amazing wildlife, and nature. So here we were 50 people from around the world, celebrating the 50th year […] - [Tomintoul Twitter tasting–#Tom1981](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/30/tomintoul-twitter-tasting-tom1981-21-1981/): I’m rather ashamed to write that I am almost a Tomintoul virgin, having tasted so little of their line. But as it happens a few weeks ago I saw them twitting about a twitter tasting event featuring the 1981 vintage, and quickly registered on their Facebook page, to participate in the event. A few days later I got an email confirming that I’m indeed in, nice! The tasting was about to take place May 29th 1900 GMT, and the samples have been mailed about two weeks ago, but as those things go, you never know when mail is going to actually […] - [Tasting Glenlivet Alpha (and learning about Lilt)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/29/tasting-glenlivet-alpha-and-learning-about-lilt/): A riddle wrapped up in an enigma – I can’t think of a better way to describe this whisky. Would you agree? I’m an Israeli, born and bred and until two days ago I had never heard about the wonderful (or not quite so) soft drink by the name of Lilt. As it happens i was a wee kid growing up in Israel in the 80’s and 90’s and have not tasted this one, but as soon as i was twitting about tasting the Alpha, I immediately got a reply about the Liltish character it possesses. We learn new things every […] - [It’s Ardbeg day! – Tasting Ardbeg Ardbog](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/28/ardbeg-ardbog-tasting-notes-ardbeg-day-2013/): It’s this time of year again, and Ardbeg day is upon us. This year Ardbeg is releasing a special bottling by the name of Ardbog (a nice word game combining ardbeg and the peat bogs into one word). Being an iconic distillery with a huge following , every new Ardbeg release causes quite a stir, and a lot of people are wondering how the new release is, so here is my take on it. I’m sure you’ve seen quite a few reviews out there (or rather previews). first of all a bit of information about this new one : Ardbog is […] - [anCnoc Peter Arkle #3 “Bricks” Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/26/ancnoc-peter-arkle-3-%e2%80%9cbricks%e2%80%9d-edition/): If you read last week’s news you know pretty much all about this new expression released only recently by anCnoc. Besides the lovely Art work by Arkle, this whisky is also very tasty, having been matured in Spanish ex-sherry butts as well as American ex bourbon barrels. Like most anCnocs The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, non chill-filtered and presented at its natural colour which we, whisky geeks like. The whisky is being launched this week at the Whisky Stramash show in Edinburgh, where you can have a try, if you’re lucky enough to have bought a ticket. To mark […] - [Quick dram : Balvenie 12 single barrel 2013 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/26/quite-dram-balvenie-12-single-barrel-2013-edition/): Just like its 15 older brother this one is a small batch single cask release, each cask is a bit different, naturally, but they will be close in profile. This time they have chosen to use only first fill bourbon barrels. Balvenie 12 Year Old ,Single Barrel First Fill , 47.8%, Cask 12736, £44.50 Nose: gentle and quite light. Fresh Green apples, wet hay. Damp oak. Butter. Fresh ginger. Cereal and grape peel and hints of vanilla. Palate: light and lovely with cereals biscuit-y. Vanilla on top of baked apples sweet honey and a touch of sultanas. Then getting zingy with citrus […] - [Glenfarclas 2003 – Nickolls & Perks Cask#1448](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/23/glenfarclas-2003-%e2%80%93-nickolls-perks-cask1448/): Glenfarclas distillery believes in doing one thing great : distilling and aging whisky in Sherry casks, and as such are in the habit of releasing very good to excellent whiskies all the time. I’ve been trying to think of a Glenfarclas I’ve tried (and I’ve tried A lot) and did not like, and I think there isn’t. Clearly i was expecting another lovely dram this time, and at 57.5%, it surely promised to be a nice one.  This is a 2003 vintage ‘family cask’ bottled to celebrate N&P’s 215th Trading Anniversary. I really would love to thank the guys over at […] - [Wemyss Malts Chocolate honeycomb–Bunnahabhain 2001](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/23/wemyss-malts-chocolate-honeycomb%e2%80%93bunnahabhain-2001/): This is the first of the new batch just released by Wemyss I am about to review, as i was feeling like and Islay, then I realised this one is not going to give me a peat boost, but the colour was very enticing, and Bunna’s are lovely as well, so here it is. Vintage 2001 making it 13 years old, and by the colour of it, a sherry cask. Wemyss malts Chocolate Honeycomb, 2001, 46% abv, £52.95 (here) Nose: lovely sherry influence with hints of tobacco , brine and sea salt. A bit of sulphur. Very nice. Sweet thick and […] - [Big Peat small batch – Limited Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/22/big-peat-small-batch-limited-editio/): I guess you all know Big Peat whisky, a rather excellent blended malt which has been around for a couple of years, and the brainchild of Douglas Laing. Initially they release a standard edition that includes a bit Ardbeg,Caol Ila, Bowmore and some Port Ellen, and later that year released a Xmas edition of the same blend at cask strength, which is even more brilliant. I’ve gone through a bottle of each, and quite like this blending (vatting), as it’s Islay enough, but is rather “wide” in its flavour profiles, and offers a really good BFYB factor. They have recently got […] - [Diageo announces 2 new expressions released for Feis Ile 2013–Lagavulin & Caol Ila](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/21/diageo-announces-2-new-expressions-released-for-feis-ile-2013-lagavulin-caol-ila/): 18-year old Lagavulin from European Oak The LAGAVULIN™ 2013 special festival bottling, from whisky distilled in 1995, has been aged in ex European Oak Sherry Butts, and was personally selected by Lagavulin warehouseman Iain McArthur. Triple-matured Caol Ila 12 yo This year’s CAOL ILA™ special festival bottling  is a little special and unusual, explains distillery manager Billy Stitchell, who personally selected the whisky: “Spirit distilled in 1998 has been triple-cask matured. For 12 years it rested in a combination of Refill Butts, Hogsheads and Barrels. The vatted whisky was then allowed to mature for several months in active hogshead casks to […] - [Tasting the Tweeddale blend batch #3](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/21/tasting-the-tweeddale-blend-batch-3/): Every time a new batch of Tweeddale blend is out it’s a reason to be merry. It is one of the nicest, yummiest blends out there, done with care, and simply a belter of a blend. Forget all those boring JWs and mass marketed blends, it’s nothing of the sort. You do not believe me? try one. So batch #3 is upon us, and after tasting Batch #2 and Batch #1 Tasting #3 was inevitable right? Batches in this case do vary quite a bit and i was wondering how would #3 turn out. As for cask used for the blending: […] - [Global competition launched to celebrate the release of anCnoc Peter Arkle Limited Edition No.3 ‘Bricks’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/20/global-competition-launched-to-celebrate-the-release-of-ancnoc-peter-arkle-limited-edition-no-3-bricks/): Global competition launched to celebrate the release of anCnoc Peter Arkle Limited Edition No.3 ‘Bricks’ anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is announcing a new chapter in the collaboration between the whisky brand and a renowned Scottish illustrator based in New York – Peter Arkle. The partnership was launched in April 2012 and involves a series of limited anCnoc expressions presented in packaging designed by the artist. So far the range included two global releases – anCnoc Peter Arkle No.1 ‘Ingredients’ and anCnoc Peter Arkle No.2 ‘Casks’. Today the brand unveiled anCnoc Peter Arkle No.3 ‘Bricks’ and revealed details of a […] - [The Vikings are coming again: Highland Park Loki](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/20/the-vikings-are-coming-again-highland-park-loki/): So, Highland park Loki. Been waiting quite a long time to get to taste this one. Quite a lot has been said about this edition on social media  , mostly regarding its “box” or that Viking long ship, and mostly also about its price. I really do not like those extravagant packagings with the wooden Viking boats, and would rather it was packaged in a cardboard or other cheap packaging, while keeping it’s price more affordable. But as for sheer quality, I know HP are not the ones to release such bottling if they are not crackers. Viking ship of no […] - [Whisky News–May 19th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/19/whisky-newsmay-19th/): So more news that hit WHISKY ISRAEL towers this week. Tribal Gathering Award winning whisky writer and former rock journalist Dominic Roskrow is set to combine the two great loves of his life when he launches a new whisky and music event later this year.Called TRIBE 2013, the first event is set to take place in Leicester in November, with a second planned for Norwich in late February. Four events in total are planned for 2014. TRIBE 2013 will bring a whisky festival to established music pubs and venues. It will consist of a two hour whisky festival followed by a […] - [SMWS 4.167 Flapjacks & OJ's cereal [Highland Park]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/16/smws-4-167-flapjacks-ojs-cereal-highland-park/): So how awesome is twitter? It’s pretty awesome, and it’s great for whisky geeks who are able to talk, chat and engage with whisky Pros. That was exactly what I was doing with John mccheyne (A.K.A : @SMWSambassador). John is a great guy, and the Brand ambassador for the ever so lovely SMWS. I’ve met him last year, and been exchanging tweets with him for quite some time. I noticed he was talking with people about a certain SMWS Highland park (Flapjacks and OJ’s Cereal), and I asked for a wee sample to try this one myself, since It’s very hard […] - [New Jura : Turas-Mara](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/14/new-jura-tasted-turas-mara/): This new expression was featured in last week’s whisky news, and now it’s time for my tasting notes, with the help of the whisky fairy (which was quite quick this time – hooray!) i was able to get a cheeky little sample and try it last night. basically it’s a NAS bottled at 42% (not 43% but 42%…) and no cask type is indicated although from the tasting notes, it is rather obvious there are some ex-sherry / ex-port casks involved in the vatting. The name is Gaelic for long journey, Turas-Mara is inspired by the travels of the many Diurachs […] - [Glendronach Cask Strength Batch #2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/12/glendronach-cask-strength-batch-2/): Every new release from the GlenDronach is a time to be merry, and especially a new batch of this yummy cask strength dram which got a hearty welcome a few months ago when batch #1 was out, and I loved it (see my notes). Batch #2 has just been announced, and It shall be interesting to see if it delivers the same quality, and how batch variation will differ. The second batch has been personally selected once again by Master Blender Billy Walker. At 55.2% vol, non chill-filtered and bottled at its natural colour, it has been matured as before in […] - [Lot No. 40 and the Canadian whisky Twitter event #DavintTT (Part I)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/12/lot-no-40-and-the-canadian-whisky-twitter-event-davinttt-part-i/): Before I start one quick question to you all : Did you know that Canadian distilleries are forbidden by US regulations to let visitors inside ,and take a tour of the distilling process? I bet you did not know that. But as it seems the US forbids any food and drink company  that ships to the US via land transportation to let anybody come in contact with their manufacturing facilities, due to some silly 9/11 security regulations. Amazing, and so sad. This is why even if you wanted you could not see the stills, and distillation process in any Canadian distillery […] - [Whisky news Friday March 10th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/10/whisky-news-friday-march-10th/): Jura Launches Travel Retail Exclusive – Turas-Mara Jura distillery has released a new expression – Turas-Mara – for sale exclusively through travel retail. Gaelic for long journey, Turas-Mara is inspired by the travels of the many Diurachs who were forced to emigrate during the 18th and 19th centuries, in what became known as “The Clearances”, to countries including the US and Canada. Turas-Mara is an expression that honours those who carried Jura in their hearts, as they travelled and migrated across the globe. Jura Turas-Mara allows travellers to experience a little bit of Jura as they embark on their own journeys. […] - [Highland Park 1994 18 yo [Glenkeir Treasure Selection]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/09/highland-park-1994-18-yo-glenkeir-treasure-selection/): This HP was bottled by the Whisky shop in their Glenkeir treasure series (previously reviewed the Jura) and kindly sent to me by my whisky mate Tom (thank you!). I quite like HP whiskies as you all know, and this one is a fine example. Highland Park 1994 18 yo [Glenkeir Treasure Selection]  , £54.00 (0,5 L) Nose: Nice sweetness and earthy notes at the same time. Gentle smoke and heathery peat. Highland park. No doubt. Raisins. Not as woody and not as sweet and perfumed as OB HP 18 goes. A little time in the glass opens it up to […] - [Balblair 1990 Islay Cask 1466](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/08/balblair-1990-islay-cask-1466/): The second dram we tasted on the lovely #balblair twitter tasting event last week was this 1990 peated cask which is an exclusive bottling by Master of Malt. This indeed is a sister cask to this one (bottled for the Balblair fan’s club called The Gathering place), which I’ve tasted and liked so much as to buy a bottle (It was UK only, so i had to be sneaky). It’s nice to compare the two, and i will do just that.  This one is pricier than the other one which sold for 90 quid only a few months ago. Balblair 1990 […] - [Amrut Greedy Angels](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/05/amrut-greedy-angels/): A new Amrut single malt is always good news, This Indian distillery has produced some super drams in recent years, all very young relative to Scotch whisky due to the dry and hot climate in Bangalore, which boosts maturation and causes the liquid to evaporate and aged at a super fast pace. What’s new in this one is that it’s their oldest EVER malt to be bottled : and after 8 years of maturation the angels share was so large that only  a little remained from two casks enough to make only 142 bottles (274 litres of spirit were lost in […] - [Balblair 1997 (2012 edition) at the #Balblair tweet tasting](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/03/balblair-1997-2012-edition-at-the-balblair-tweet-tasting/): When Lukasz of Alembic comms who does the media magic for Balblair (and some other Interbev brands) calls for a twitter tasting I am the first to join in, and with good reasons. Those events are always a treat, and Balblair is one of my favourite distilleries ever since I’ve visited a couple of years ago, and was very impressed with the distillery and its whiskies, Super place, and super drams all high quality, NCF, no colouring and a joy to the palate. I think Balblair does not get the attention it should get, and hope people who read this will […] - [Whisky News Friday May 3rd](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/03/whisky-news-friday-may-3rd/): Well well, this week is loaded with whisky news from Ardbeg, Old Pulteney, Douglas & Laing, and more . wow. Ardbeg announces its next Limited Edition – Ardbog Ardbeg Islay Single Malt Scotch whisky, the Ultimate Islay Malt, has announced that its latest Limited Edition whisky will be called Ardbog, to bring attention to the famed peat bogs of Ardbeg’s island home and to celebrate their vital part in the whisky making process. Each year Ardbeg throws an open invitation to all fans and island visitors to visit the distillery on ‘Ardbeg Day’, traditionally the last day of the Islay Festival […] - [The Glory of the grain tweet tasting - #GrainWhiskyTT](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/05/02/the-glory-of-the-grain-tweet-tasting/): So, Grain whisky. It’s a well kept secret, but Single Grain whisky can be amazingly good. I’ve been advocating single grain for some time now, reviewed a few samples but I still felt i needed to try more, and what a better opportunity than to try it at one of Steve’s Twitter tastings and Arkwrights Whisky and Wines , who were kind enough to send everyone 4 samples of lovely grain whiskies (blind of course), to try last Wednesday. We started off with #1, which felt quite young and spirit-y to me, yet was rather nice as a sipping whisky, i […] - [Tasting the new Laphroaig QA cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/30/tasting-the-new-laphroaig-qa-cask/): Quite a funny name to this one, if you’re a software engineer when you hear QA you immediately think about Quality assurance, and not about Quercus Alba (which is what Laphroaig had in mind ok?) . When i first saw the press release about this one, I really thought it was some kind of April fool’s day thing, but after reading into it, I realised this is a real whisky and not a joke.  So, Quercus Alba, or in English:  American Oak. Indeed the whisky industry is using a lot of wood related names recently (read Oliver’s excellent post about it […] - [Sweet 16 Arran style](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/29/sweet-16-arran-style/): I love British films almost as much as I love whisky, and when I read about the Arran malt releasing their first EVER 16 year old (OB), Immediately this movie by the genius Ken Loach came into mind. It’s brilliant, so if you haven’t yet checked it out, go and do yourself a favour. pour a dram and watch this one. It’s not an easy film to watch, but it’s brilliant. Now Arran founded only in 1995 is a pretty young distillery but they sure make lovely whisky, and as far as I am concerned the older their whisky (so far) […] - [A different sort of Talisker : Talisker Port Ruighe](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/29/a-different-sort-of-talisker-talisker-port-ruighe/): Unless you have been living in outer space or totally without internet access in the last week or so, you must have heard about the new release from Talisker : the Port finished ‘Port Ruighe’. Basically it’s a NAS whisky finished for a certain time in barrels which previously held port wine, which are also known as “port pipes”. I recently tasted the other NAS released only recently by Talisker , the “Storm” and quite liked it, yet this one from what I’ve read is quite different, and it’s always interesting to see what effect this port finish has on the […] - [On The Other Side – A New Experience at Whisky Live London](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/24/on-the-other-side-%e2%80%93-a-new-experience-at-whisky-live-london/): Richard Barr is a member of the Whisky Israel tasting society , a blog correspondent at times,  and a good whisky friend and big whisky lover. From time to time he posts his notes and adventures on our blog. Having attended Whisky Live shows in London & Madrid, and thoroughly enjoying both, I wanted to experience the show from a different angle. But how do I accomplish that? I could attend the show as a member of the Press since I write for Whisky Israel. It would get me some extra time at the show but aside from that, it wouldn’t […] - [Tobermory - Batch 1 (That Boutique-y W. Co)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/24/tobermory-batch-1-that-boutique-y-w-co/): Tobermory is a lesser known distillery located on the Island of Mull. It recently made the whisky news when it’s stopped distilling due to shortage of water after a dry spell. Currently it’s owner by Burn Stewart (who were just recently bought by the south African Distell company) . The wee town of Tobermory is know for it’s colourful houses by the port. Tobermory distillery makes a peated version of its malt known by the name of Ledaig. While quality of Tobermory in the past has not been very high, current bottling are better while the 15 yo OB is very […] - [Glenrothes 18 single cask (The Maltman)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/23/glenrothes-18-single-cask-the-maltman/): I quite like the Glenrothes, but sadly they have been bottling their OBs at low ABV, using Caramel, and it’s rather sad to see their splendid malt ending its life that way. Of course older vintages are nicer,but also quite expensive. Here’s a fine example of how good an 18 Cask sample (at CS) indie can be. This one was bottled by the Maltman and was waiting patiently for a few months now, and it’s about time it made its entrance. so here we go: Glenrothes 18 (The Maltman), 50.7%,cask  7608 , ~85 Eur , 336 btl Nose: Quite floral with […] - [Two very different Jura](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/22/two-very-different-jura/): I received two very different samples of Indie Jura whiskies from two whisky buddies, one from the UK (Cheers Tom) and another one from Glenn (Ta!) and thought it would be nice to post them together. Jura whisky is often considered a ‘lesser’ distillery, but they have really improved in recent years, and some of their stuff is really nice (OB that is), it’s always nice to get and sample some IB’s as well. The first one is an expression from the single casks bottle for the whisky shop, all 0.5l bottles, bottled at 40% (sadly) and known as the Glenkeir […] - [Master of Malt Tormore 28 yo single cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/21/master-of-malt-tormore-28-yo-single-cask/): Tormore is a relatively young distillery (only founded in the 1950’s) and is another of those distilleries you rarely see any bottling of (owned by Chivas Bros.). But guess what, the chaps at MoM have scored a 28 year old cask, and they were kind enough to share a sample. So here goes, Tormore tasting note #1 on the blog: Tormore 28 Year Old (Master of Malt) , 60.20% , £99.95 Nose: A rather sweet dough kind of nose here. Lots of sugar and vanilla and quite a few woody notes. Like polished oak and rum drenched wood casks. Not bad. […] - [Whisky News , April 19th–A new Port finished Talisker is released](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/19/whisky-news-april-19tha-new-port-finished-talisker-is-released/): Talisker Launches a new Port finished expression : PORT RUIGHE Talisker have been busy lately, and after quite some time with no new releases this is the 2nd release in less than 2 months after the lovely Storm (see my review here). I know a lot of you are fans of Talisker so, it’s really an interesting addition to the family. and now to the PR: Following the successful launch of TALISKER STORM™ in March, the famous Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Isle of Skye is now acquiring another new family member, this time enriched by double maturation in port […] - [Tasting Malts of Scotland Laphroaig 1988](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/17/tasting-malts-of-scotland-laphroaig-1988/): It took me ages (but better later than never, right?) to get to those lovely MoS single casks from Sjoerd’s bottle share which was sent over almost 1.5 years ago (I have a big backlog , i know). I was feeling like a nice peaty malt, and this popped into mind, and It definitely didn’t let me down. A young Laphraoig at almost 60% ABV is bound to be a delight for any peat head, right? Laphroaig 1998 ,59,6% (MoS), bourbon hogshead 700272, 152 btl Nose: smoke and used bandages. Antiseptic. Very medicinal. Sweet cough syrup. It’s like visiting the Islay […] - [Master of Malt Deanston 19 yo single cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/17/master-of-malt-deanston-19-yo-single-cask/): Deanston. Not a distillery I am very familiar with, but I have had a few drams here and there, and quite liked their “virgin oak” expression whish is well priced even here in Israel. I did not quite what to expect by this single cask, but man, was I in for a real treat. This beauty was distilled at the Deanston distillery on the 16th December 1992. It then spent 19 full years in a single refill hogshead before MOM bottled it on the 20th November 2012. 260 bottles all in all. Deanston 19 Year Old – Single Cask (Master of […] - [An Israeli distilled ‘whisky’ for Independence day](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/16/an-israeli-distilled-whisky-for-independence-day/): Today is Israel’s independence day  (only 65 years ago Israel was one of Britain’s colonies ,and all Israelis British citizens sort of ) and what more fitting than publish a tasting note of whisky distilled in Israel, by the Rosenblatt brothers. The Rosenblatt brothers are two young alcohol fanatics who live and operate from Israel. They have a passion for everything related to spirits. They distil everything, and produce an amazing array of spirits from homemade beers using ancient recipes, to wine, rum, and liqueurs, all 100 per cent made in Israel from local ingredients. They use homemade equipment, a wee […] - [G&M Caol Ila 2000 Cask #309558-309559](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/15/gm-coal-ila-2000-cask-309558-309559/): One of the nice things about getting samples from whisky mates, is that you sometimes get additional stuff you never expected. this one is just like that. A cask strength release of 2000 vintage Caol Ila. This is a marriage of two casks which have been matured in first fill Sherry butts, before being bottled on June 2012 by G&M. Sherry Caol Ila, can’t be bad , can it? G&M Caol Ila 2000 / Cask #309558-309559, 61.4% , £58.25 Nose: Peat and sherry loveliness with lots of smoked ham marinated in sweet sauce. You get quite a lot of campfire smoke […] - [Whisky News April 13th, 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/13/whisky-news-april-13th-2013/): A few new releases this week, and some news from Talisker. New Expression from Kilchoman – Loch Gorm Islay’s independent farm distillery, Kilchoman, has added a new range to its award winning Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky collection, Loch Gorm.Named after the famously peaty loch near the distillery, the Loch Gorm range will be the only sherry cask-matured release from Kilchoman. Only 10,000 bottles of the inaugural five year-old bottling will be available worldwide and is expected to sell quickly. Aged in Oloroso sherry butts and finished in Oloroso sherry hogshead casks for six weeks, Loch Gorm adds a new dimension […] - [#12blends–Day 7 – Smokin’ Blended Scotch Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/12/12blends%e2%80%93day-7-%e2%80%93-smokin%e2%80%99-blended-scotch-whisky/): Day 7 was Dramstat’s (Danny Williamson’s) turn to post the whisky he had chosen an interesting and obscure new blended whisky from Duncan Taylor called: Smokin’, The Gentleman’s Dram. Of course, I’ve remotely heard about this one when it was released only a while ago, but never had a sip until day 7. Initially I didn’t pick up the smoke in the smokin’ and that was indeed weird (my nose is not at its best, as i have a wee cold). but after sending my guess, and being totally wrong (Grouse 18, what was i bloody thinking!?) I tried it once […] - [Bowmore Tempest Batches #3 & #4 head to head](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/11/bowmore-tempest-batches-3-4-h2h/): Something good is going on at Bowmore, after a few years of releasing OK products, but nothing spectacular (not taking into consideration the very expensive older releases), recently (and i suspect much thanks to the work done by Rachel Barrie) they have been hard at work releasing good stuff (100 proof, Darkest 15 yo, etc) and of course the Bowmore Tempest, which is essentially a 10 year old Cask Strength expression. I finished a bottle of two of Batch #1, which was very good, but not had batches #2 and on, and was really glad to be able to try those […] - [Arran - Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/10/arran-batch-1-that-boutique-y-whisky-company/): The Chaps at Master of malt, do not rest on their laurels (they have won quite a few awards recently)  and are hard at work, releasing more single casks and Boutique-y batches (expect a few notes in the coming weeks or so). Arran – Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) , 49.10%,£43.95 Nose: Lovely wood influence here, lots of oak , and spices, gingery and zingy. some soft fruit in the background , but not a lot of apples, as i have come to expect in an arran. nice variation, though. Palate: Pretty powerful, and zingy too with nice alcohol bite, […] - [#12blends Day 6 – Johnnie Walker Platinum 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/09/12blends-day-6-johnnie-walker-platinum-18-yo/): Day 6, and again my guess failed big time. Not that i have ever had this one but, still. I went for the Bailie Nicol Jarvie blend (and as it appears quite a few other mates went for the same one , and were wrong). Let’s roll: Johnnie Walker 18 Year Old Platinum Label , 40% , £63.31 Nose: Malty and semi sweet with bits of dry sherry and Smoke. A bit of spice too and then some Ginger powder. Not bad, but a bit watery Palate: Feels rather young. Malty with some white pepper. Delicate sherry sweetness. With a bit […] - [The Valinch strikes again : Auchentoshan Valinch 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/09/the-valinch-strikes-again-auchentoshan-valinch-2012/): The Auchentoshan Valinch was first released in 2011, and was one of the nicer Toshans I’ve tried last year. Its essentially a young NAS , high strength ABV (like all NAS’s should be, if you ask me..) which made me say : Wow. Auchentoshan can release good stuff(read my notes of the 2011 here) . This was back in 2011 and a new batch was released last year, and was the 2nd whisky we tasted on our personal #lovefirstfill twitter event (me and Sjoerd after missing out on the official twitter tasting due to DHL slow and faulty service – yes, […] - [Glen Garioch vintage 1995 batch #10–#lovefirstfill](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/07/glen-garioch-vintage-1995-batch-10-lovefirstfill/): Morrison Bowmore were kind enough to organize a lovely twitter tasting under the Hashtag #lovefirstfill , in which all drams were ex-bourbon cask strength beauties, to which I was invited with a few other EU based whisky lovers (most in the UK). I was very keen on trying those last Tuesday but thank to DHL which acted as complete fools and failed to deliver the package in time (They sent it to my home address, but since I was at work, they would not send it to any other address the same day, and a day after was too late) I […] - [#12blends day 4 & 5 [Ballentines 17 yo + Tweeddale blend 12 yo]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/07/12blends-day-4-5/): I do not blog over the weekend (Family time , and thus no time) just drink, but here is a recap of what happened in the last few days. After my relative success in guessing the Grants expression, It was just obviously that the next few days are going to be shite. I managed to score about 0 points in each of those days missing on everything (good i knew it was bloody whisky!), but seriously it’s really tricky. I’ve had both day 4,5 drams before but could not connect the dots, and my senile brain was of no use. It’s […] - [#12blends Day 3–Grant’s Ale Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/04/04/12blends-day-3grants-ale-cask/): Day 3 was upon us, and with it a new Blend sent by Roddy. At first sniff i was helpless, and only after some time gathered myself, and tried to guess what it was. It seemed familiar in some way, and the Grants profile jumped into my head for some reason. Learning from the JW incident (2 days ago), I trusteed my instincts and guessed it was Grant’s, 40% (which was easy, since it felt rather watered down), and NAS. I knew it could not be the 12 yo, since it wasn’t that smoky, and the sherry cask no way, but […] - [GlenDronach 1972 cask # 702 , 41 years old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/13/glendronach-1972-cask-702-41-years-old/): Back to the GlenDronach single cask release #9 with the oldest cask released in this batch, a 41 years old (older than myself) Oloroso Butt, distilled in 1972. That’s surely an interesting one (and quite expensive, as you might expect – so it’s for those of you with deep pockets, or willing to share with a few mates). After the superb 1985 and a bit disappointing 1991 I sure hope this one delivers. GlenDronach 41 Year Old 1972 (cask 702) – Batch 9 , 51.70%, £570 Nose: Aye. This is more like it. What a brilliant nose on this one: old […] - [Single Cask Nation Laphroaig 6 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/12/single-cask-nation-laphroaig-6-yo/): Time for a short interlude from the GlenDronach single casks (will continue tomorrow GD fans, so now worries , eh?) with a very different and much younger dram from Islay, and from one of the most interesting Indie bottlers : Single Cask Nation. I’ve tried a few of their earlier cask bottlings, and this is the first out of 3 new ones I am going to visit in the coming weeks (Dalmore 12 , and Glen Moray 12 to come soon , so watch this space!). This cask bottling as distilled in November 2006, was matured in a refill bourbon hogshead.  […] - [GlenDronach 1991 cask #5405 [Batch #9]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/11/glendronach-1991-cask-5405-batch-9/): I planned to taste this one later this week, but following Ruben’s review I was rather intrigued to taste it earlier and see if it’s really THAT bad (a 78 for a GD single cask is not something you often see on the blogosphere). So, here’s my take: GlenDronach 1991 cask #5405 [Batch #9], £104 Nose: A really thick nose. Almost like prune and sultana extract with a bit of spices. Die hard sherry fans would appreciate it-  sherry colossus. Sweet wine-y notes and some sulfur too. A tad too much wine effect here ( can’t believe I’m saying it, but […] - [Glendronach 1985 Cask # 1035 PX Puncheon 27 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/10/glendronach-1985-cask-1035-px-puncheon-27-yo/): This is the first cask I am tasting from Batch #9 of single casks released last December (full story here). No reason why I started with the 1985 but I had a feeling this is going to be a good one, and boy was I right (not that there are any bad GD single casks).  Distilled 13/12/85 bottled at 53.7% from cask 1035. Seems to be sold out now, so good luck trying to find one (If you do, let me know). Glendronach 1985 Cask # 1035 PX Puncheon 27 yo Nose : Lovely smoked sherry influence. Yes smoke. dried fruit […] - [Deanston 1997 ‘Archives’ (Whisky Base)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/09/deanston-1997-archives-whisktbase/): It has been silent on the whisky front in the last few days as I was enjoying the wonders of Rome, Italy. What a great place, with amazing wine, grappa and food. Now that I’m back at Whisky Israel HQ, we can continue with some new and exciting tasting notes. a lot is planned for the near future, so keep an eye. This wee dram was sent to me as a bonus sample on my last Whisky Base order. The “Archives” series from WB offers a good price/quality ratio and this is no exception. Deanston 1997 Archives, 55.8% abv , € […] - [Kintra Bunnahabhain 23 yo cask 5741](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/03/kintra-bunnahabhain-23-yo-cask-5741/): A few weeks ago I reviewed the Dailuaine 21 year old , and it set quite high expectations, a Bunna aged 23 years old, usually means fun. And this one is indeed a lovely drop of drammage. Bottled at 46,1% abv, it’s not the highest abv monster around (I wonder if this is watered down or just a really funky cask, raided by the angels). Kintra Bunnahabhain 23yo, cask #5741, 46,1% nose: A very nice and light sort of nose, hints of carbolic soap A bit flinty with  malt, vanilla, and some apple and pear in the background, certainly one of […] - [Glendroncah Cask Strength Batch #3](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/31/glendroncah-cask-strength-batch-3/): Time for a quick review of the latest batch from Glendronach CS. I really liked both Batch #1 and Batch#2 , and was keen on trying this 3rd and see how (and if ) it differs. this one comes at 54.90% abv, carrying no age, as usual. GlenDronach Cask Strength – Batch 3 , 54.90% , £56 Nose: Sweet sherry with hints of smoke,Dried fruit, apples. Fig jam. Mint. Leather and old library books. Musty. Palate: Big sherry kick. Pepper. Mint. Demerara sugar. Dark chocolate polished wood varnish , clove cinnamon and a lot of sultanas dipped in honey liquor and […] - [Compass Box Peat monster 10th Anniversary release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/29/compass-box-peat-monster-10th-anniversary-release/): Peat monster was first released 10 years ago and turned out to be Compass Box’s biggest seller, and I know many people who love that dram dearly and associate Compass Box with it. To celebrate the 10th Anniversary, CB have released a special bottling (5,700 bottles) at 48.9%, consisting of Islay single malts distilled on the south shore of the island and in the village of Port Askaig as well as smoky Highland single malt and a fruity oily malt from the village of Brora. the casks used are Primarily a mix of first-fill and refill American oak, plus  proximately 2% […] - [Kilchoman 5 Year Old 2008 – Single Cask (Master of Malt)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/26/kilchoman-5-year-old-2008-single-cask-master-of-malt/): Can’t go wrong with a young peaty Kilchoman , can you? Well, you can’t really, but I’ve had some less interesting single cask Kilchoman (and one OB I own) which were not as good, I’ve also had a cracking 4 year old single cask Indie, so I was hoping this one was going to be a cracker, and it damn should be a cracker for that price. Let’s roll Kilchoman 5 yo ,59.60% , 286 btl , £89 Nose: Youngish. New make. Banana. Cinnamon. Sweet peat. Ash. Wood smoke. Candy. Mint leather and peat reek. Palate: Lots of sweet peat. Banana […] - [Royal Lochnagar and Talisker Triple Matured – Friends of the Classic Malts Exclusive Releases](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/23/royal-lochnagar-and-talisker-triple-matured-friends-of-the-classic-malts-exclusive-releases/): A month or so ago Diageo has announced the release of the first two bottles of FOCM (Their fan club sort of) for the coming year (featured in our PR corner) , with a total of 5 such bottles from various classic malts ( malts.com ) distilleries. Why triple aged you ask? simple, they have been aged in 3 different types of casks : Their initial maturation has been, conventionally, in refill casks. Next the liquids were transferred to charred American oak hogsheads, imparting spicy notes and a touch of sweet oak. To complete the conversation between spirit and oak, the […] - [Tasting an amazing blend: Compass Box “The General”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/22/tasting-an-amazing-blend-compass-box-the-general/): So, £180 for a blended whisky? This is what I was asking myself when I saw the first PR for this one. It seems a lot. But when you taste this thing, it all changes. really. So what is this “General” whisky all about?  The story goes that Two different companies approached us Compass box with similar stories: they each had several casks of Blended Scotch that had been blended at quite young ages, then not required and put back into cask and left to age. One parcel was 33 years-old and the other was  also quite old but CB won’t […] - [Two very different Ledaig](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/21/two-very-different-ledaig/): So Ledaig (pronounced : Le-Chig), basically it’s the peated whisky made in the Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull (only distillery there). When I started drinking whisky I was quite into the young NAS Ledaig peat, but since then I’ve had only a few Ledaigs. A good opportunity to try some more, and this time two Indie bottling, one from Malts of Scotland (MOS), and one from Hunter Laing, in their Old Malt Cask range (OMC). Although they come from the same stills, they are very very different, I tell you this. We’ll start with the OMC. Ledaig 20 yo […] - [Kintra Whisky Dailuaine 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/20/kintra-whisky-dailuaine-21-yo/): It has been a while since I’ve tasted the last batch of Kintra. However, I was lucky enough to have met Erik Molenaar, the man behind the Kintra range at Maltstock last September where he had a wee stand pouring Kintra as well as other brands. I managed to sample a few Kintras I never got to try before, but took no real notes, as I was drinking quite a few drams that day (read : shitloads of whisky). This one I sampled at the comfort of my own home, giving it the attention it well deserves. Kintra Whisky Dailuaine 21 […] - [Glenturret 30 yo (The Malt Man)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/19/glenturret-30-yo-the-malt-man/): Been a while since I reviewed a single cask bottling from the Maltman which is a small IB from Glasgow. I’ve previously tasted a few of their single casks, and this has been sitting patiently for review for a few months. Now it’s time. Glenturret is not a distillery I get to taste much, and this is indeed the first GT tasting note on the blog, so basically I had no idea what to expect. Glenturret 30 yo , cask #258 , 46% ABV , €145 Nose: A funky nose. Very sweet. Knafe (a middle eastern desert with pastries, cheese and […] - [Whisky PR Corner–Friday Jan 17th 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/17/whisky-pr-cornerfriday-jan-17th-2014/): This week’s news deals with more investment from Diageo in two well known Scotch distilleries… GLEN ORD DISTILLERY GETS ITS NEW STILLS Following Diageo’s announcement earlier today (16 January) of the investment at Clynelish Distillery, Glen Ord is now seeing the delivery and installation of new stills as part of the £25 million expansion plan for the distillery, which is seeing its capacity doubled to over 10 million litres per annum.  The 10 new washbacks and 6 new stills will be housed in existing buildings at the distillery.Diageo is also doubling the capacity at the Teaninich Distillery in Alness and is […] - [Longrow 1996 , 12 yo Fino Sherry Butt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/16/longrow-1996-12-yo-fino-sherry-butt/): this is a Springbank Society bottling, Distilled in June 1996, matured for 12 years in a Fino sherry but and then bottled at cask strength in April 2009 making it a 12 year old. Happily I got a sample from Sjoerd while visiting NL last September! Longrow 1996 , 12 yo  Fino Sherry Butt , 57.6% Nose:rather meaty with a lot of wine notes. Some smoke in the background. And dried fruit: think sultana and dates. Cinnamon powder and balsamic vinegar. Palate: yes. Pretty big palate over here. Grapefruit. Meaty. Salty and caramelized at the same time. Wood smoke and lots […] - [Braeval 15 yo ‘Old malt cask’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/15/braeval-15-yo-old-malt-cask/): Quite a while ago I received a few Hunter Laing samples for review (if you remember D.Laing had split into 2 companies, and Hunter Laing took the OMC line, while D.Laing kept Big Peat and created the new Old Particular range). I don’t get to taste a lot of Braeval and this was indeed a good opportunity to try more of this distillery. I found this one on Amazon! very surprising. Braeval 15 yo ‘Old malt cask,50% abv cask 9888 , £67 Nose: Creamy vanilla and orchard fruit : peach, grape peel , sandalwood cereals and honey make for a lovely […] - [Auchentoshan 1996 Bottle your own Cask # 11030](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/14/auchentoshan-1996-bottle-your-own-cask-11030/): How does it go? oh yes: My whisky friend Yoav went to Scotland and all I got was this lousy sample … But really, this is a lovely little sample I got from Yoav who managed to fill a wee bottle (thanks mate!) and spared me a sample, which is very cool. This is a Bourbon cask, distilled 28/06/1996 and bottled 27/10/2013 , at 56% from cask #11030. Auchentoshan 1996 Bottle your own Cask # 11030 , 56% abv , [sold only on site] Nose: Thick and condensed. Dark sugar, vanilla, raisins and grape peel. Fragrant oak: almost perfume like. Some […] - [Tasting Port Charlotte PC10](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/13/tasting-port-charlotte-pc10/): It’s time for an OB Port Charlotte tasting note isnt’t it? the last time I’ve posted such a tasting note it was for the lovely PC7. Since then I’ve tasted the PC9 (no notes, just for fun) and a few indie PCs  (here and here ) which were crackers. I love this profile of highly peated Laddie, one notch before Octomore. only 6,000 bottles ever release, and this sold so fast. Port Charlotte 10 Year Old Heavily Peated , 59,8% Nose:  Aye. We’re in Islay Time zone here. Definitely. Starts of with a big load of peat, ash and some baby […] - [Whisky PR corner Jan. 10th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/10/whisky-pr-corner-jan-10th-2014/): Our first whiskt PR corner for 2014! and this week with a new expression released by Glenmorangie. Glenmorangie launches “Companta” (friendship) Glenmorangie has released its eagerly-awaited fifth annual limited edition single malt whisky: Companta. Its predecessor, Ealanta, was recently named the world’s best dram by Jim Murray, one of the world’s leading whisky experts. Created by wood management pioneer and three-time winner of Malt Advocate’s coveted Industry Leader of the Year award Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie Companta is the latest in the Private Edition range – a group of rare and intriguing single malts. Glenmorangie Companta is Scots Gaelic for friendship […] - [Compass Box Great King Street - Experimental 00-V4](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/09/compass-box-great-king-street-experimental-00-v4/): It has certainly been a long time since I reviewed a new Compass Box whisky. Some are in the queue. Gladly I have gotten a sample from a friend.  the previous GKS versions (NY blend and Artist’s Blend ) were both great blends with the former peated nicely. Compass Box Great King Street Experimental Batch #00-V4 , 43% , £32 Nose: A lovely combination of delicate sherry, some baked orchard fruit , a wee hint of smoke too but it’s in the backdrop.  Some citrus and fresh dough. Palate: Smoke is a bit more noticeable here as well as juicy barley […] - [Tasting Glen Ord 30 yo OB](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/08/tasting-glen-ord-30-yo-ob/): I’ve not had a lot of Glen Ords in the past few years, I remember the Glen Ord 12 to be a very drinkable whisky, and now I think they call them the singleton of Glen Ord or something, but not very common here… So this is indeed my first ever tasting note of GO on the blog. This sample was part of a sample swap with Dave A. , a fellow whisky enthusiast (and blogger) from the UK, and it’s damn time I taste this already (been sitting in one of my sample boxes for over a year or so). […] - [Glenfiddich 15 yo Cask strength (older bottle)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/07/glenfiddich-15-yo-cask-strength-older-bottle/): A friend of mine came over for a few drams, and brought a bottle of this 15 year old Fiddich. He had no information when it was bottled, just that he was able to find this at one of his friend’s , a guy who was not really into whisky. How he came about to own this one is a mystery. As opposed to the current 15 year old (Solera) this is not a sherry Solera cask, and is bottled at 51% which is nice. This might be a distillery only bottling or some sort, and it’s presented in the older […] - [Breath of Speyside Adelphi 15 yo 60,2% [Glenfarclas]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/06/breath-of-speyside-adelphi-15-yo-602-glenfarclas/): You know that Glenfarclas does not permit IB’s to bottle its malt and call it Glenfarclas, so they do find weird names to name their bottles. One amazing (and much older) was the Glenfarclas Norse Cask 1964 “Rechlerich” I scored at 97/100 (best ever?), This one is also a very nice indie GF, I got from my good whisky friend Tom from the NL at Maltstock last year (yes, 2012. I forgot all about it). This is a nicer 15 year old at a whopping 60.2%. shall we taste? Breath of Speyside Adelphi 15 yo 60,2% [Glenfarclas] , € 144.00 / […] - [Two Whiskeys to start 2014–Stagg Jr & High West Double Rye](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/02/two-whiskeys-to-start-2014stagg-jr-high-west-double-rye/): Again, two samples I got from Phil, this time American whiskeys I’ve yet to try. I did try the older version of the Stagg a few years ago (and a few weeks ago the latest batch), and High west Rendezvous a long time ago. These are quite different, one a very spicy Rye and the other, well, a cask proof monster. Can’t be bad, can it? Buffalo Trace Stagg Jr, 67.2% !!! ABV , $49 (USA) ,( a lot more in EU…) Well ,you can guess by the name that this is the younger sibling of the full blown Stagg. It […] - [First notes for 2014: Old Pulteney Navigator](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/01/01/first-notes-for-2014-old-pulteney-navigator/): I actually wrote down those notes sometimes last month in a very small and personal OP twitter tasting (I’ve written about before). I was not sure what to expect from this new NAS, as the previous batch of lighthouse NAS OPs were a bit disappointing , way too young and not my cuppa… Anyways, this dram consists of a mix of ex-sherry and bourbon casks in celebration of the distillery’s history with the ocean. NAS, and priced at a higher price than the 12 yo (why?). Old Pulteney Navigator , 46% , NAS , £46. Nose: Sweet, and creamy with lots […] - [Finishing 2013 with a bang : G & M Macallan Speymalt 1970](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/29/finishing-2013-with-a-bang-g-m-macallan-speymalt-1970/): I’ve posted my summary of 2013 and it was indeed a dramtastic year for me. What better than to finish it with a bang! and this dram my friends, is nothing short of that. It’s stellar. And although it’s expensive, It’s not by any means THAT expensive. So you might actually be able to buy a bottle or share one with a mate or two, and taste greatness.  A sample of that dram found its way to WI towers by means of my good friend PS who attended a G&M masterclass and liked this one that much as to bring me […] - [The best of 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/28/the-best-of-2013/): This is the very last weekend of 2013, and It’s time for summing things up. I thought about making my : best whiskies for 2013 before XMAS as a shopping list, but I did not get to it, and thought it was not that necessary. But, 2013 was a great year in terms of whisky at Whisky Israel towers. 1.A great year for whisky fans  in Israel 2013 was indeed a great year for Israeli whisky fans, in July the silly and quite insane Tax laws concerning whisky have  changed, and since then prices have been on the drop. Some whiskies […] - [Old Pulteney 1990 peated cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/24/old-pulteney-1990-peated-cask/): When I saw the PR regarding this new 1990 peated OP I was rather excited, as I remember how good was the 1990 Balblair peated cask ( a sister distillery in the same InterBen group). OP has been making some tasty whiskies (just to mention the 12,17 and lovely 21 – the 17 yo being my favourite) in recent years, and although I recently tasted 3 of their 3 new NAS which were below par, They line-up is quite excellent. I was looking forward to a better experimece this time , and this is exactly what I was in for. To […] - [Glenfarclas Makes ‘Alyah’ to Israel –Tasting Event – Part II](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/23/glenfarclas-makes-alyah-to-israel-tasting-event-part-ii/): Last week I posted the first part of this tasting, led by Mr. Ransom , which we started like you normally do , with the younger GF bottlings (the 8,10,12,and 15). So there we were after sipping on the lovely 15 yo, and ready for the heavier cannons so to speak, in terms of age, and ABV (the 105). But before more dramming was to take place, Robert poured two wee samples into two glasses, both were cask samples aged 10 yo, the only (and very evident) difference was that one was matured in an Oloroso cask while the other was […] - [Whisky PR December 20th ,2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/20/whisky-pr-december-20th-2013/): BALBLAIR PRESENTS THREE NEW VINTAGE EXPRESSIONS Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has presented three new vintage expressions – Balblair 2003, Balblair 1990 (2nd release) and Balblair 1983 (3rd release) – set to become available in time for Christmas. In line with the previous successful releases from the coveted distillery, the new bottlings are presented as single Vintages. The new Vintages will replace Balblair 2002, 1989 and 1975, and along with the 1997 Vintage they will form the brand’s core range. The rotation of Vintages is part of Balblair’s strategy to only bottle whiskies distilled in a single year, but it’s […] - [Tasting The Balvenie 17 Double wood](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/19/tasting-the-balvenie-17-double-wood/): The Balvenie 12 Double wood was one of the whiskies that got me hooked in the first place, and It is a lovely easy drinking whisky, I’ll always keep handy and drink. a 17 year version calls for a tasting note. Actually I had the first sip of this a year and a half back a t Maltstock 2012 , but it was around midnight, after a few drams (when I say a few I mean around 40! that day, and yes my liver says: hi), and I was in no condition to really keep notes or “nose” and taste this […] - [Cragganmore 1996 Port Wood Finish - Distillers Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/18/cragganmore-1996-port-wood-finish-distillers-edition/): We met last night, a few whisky friends and lovers for our “monthly” tasting that takes place ever few months (we suck, yeah). This time the “theme” was BYOB Speyside. We started the evening with this Crag DE, which I have not tasted in a long time, It was the lightest in terms of ABV I think (and non peated) so sounded like a nice start to “warm the engines”. I quite like some of the DE, but they seem like random finishes to malts, not always complementing them. Lagavulin DE is nice, so is Coal Ila, and Talisker, some can […] - [Springbank 14 yo [1995-2010] Fresh Sherry pipe (Springbank Soc.)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/17/springbank-14-yo-1995-2010-fresh-sherry-pipe-springbank-soc/): When I read a review of this one by my good friend Sjoerd (here) I was intrigued, as I’ve never heard that combination “Sherry” and “Pipe”. We mostly hear pipes next to “port”. Pipes in this context mean tall barrels in which Port is usually aged. But we live and learn and apparently sherry is also sometimes aged in those pipes. Happily when I visited the NL last September , Sjoerd was kind enough to pour me a few samples and this one one of them. So let’s get busy,  nosing: Springbank 14, 1995-2010, Fresh Sherry Pipe, 57.1% , €100 Nose: […] - [Glenfarclas Makes ‘Alyah’ to Israel –Tasting Event – Part I/II](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/16/glenfarclas-israel-tasting-event-part-1/): It’s not a secret Israel is undergoing a renaissance period when it comes to whisky in recent months, all due to the (timely) change of Taxation laws on Spirits that took place 6 months ago, and changed taxation for the better for High end whiskies at the expense of local cheapo drinks. Before the reform a bottle would have been taxed at 90% and then some VAT. Now, the tax is only on the alcohol contents (meaning a certain amount of $$$ per litre o pure alcohol) which makes whiskies about 30-50% cheaper. A year ago we could only dream of […] - [#DavinTT2 - Scavenger Hunt Question #25](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/15/davintt2-scavenger-hunt-question-25/): I’m happy to present to you dear scavenge hunters question #25 in the #DavinTT2 series of twitter online events: What prevents Canadian distilleries from being seen as lucrative an investment as Scottish and American distilleries? a. The high level of taxation leading to low profit margins. b. Unpredictable grain yields due to inclement weather. c. With large distillery plants owned by large multinationals there is no room for competition. d. Investors don’t like the cold. Happy dramming, and happy hunting. Gal. - [The Glenlivet Guardians Chapter–Tasting notes and thoughts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/13/the-glenlivet-guardians-chaptertasting-notes-and-thoughts/): It’s very hip these days for whisky brands to let us the consumers be more involved in the whisky creation process. A few distilleries (such as Glenmorangie – who even went further with this letting the consumers choose the name, cask profile and even packaging of their new Tagtha expression) have done so in the past, and The Glenlivet have decided to involve us Glenlivet whisky drinkers in choosing their new whisky. They have created 3 versions of the whisky : Classic, Revival and Exotic, and have arranged many tasting events worldwide for their “Guardians” to choose their favourite from those […] - [Cutty Sark Prohibition edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/11/cutty-sark-prohibition-edition/): So, Prohibition. Yes, that stupid period in American (and world) history when the government thought they know better… We all know how this ended. Prohibition was a time when Cutty Sark established itself in the US and this  new blend is a tribute to the notorious Captain William McCoy,  who smuggled the brand into the country and whose reputation for fairness and supplying unadulterated liquor gave rise to Cutty Sark being referred to as ‘the real McCoy’. This is a new bottling meant mainly for the US market, bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof), in a brand new bottle (retro) black […] - [Aberlour Twitter Tasting–Tasting 5 Aberlour–#AberlourTT](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/09/aberlour-twitter-tasting%e2%80%93tasting-5-aberlour%e2%80%93aberlourtt/): Aberlour A’bunadh is indeed one of my all time favourite ‘affordable’ whiskies, through many batches, and I know very well It is also a favourite of many whisky friends , But Aberlour distillery is much more than A’bunadh. I was very keen on trying a few more Aberlour I have not tried, and some I’ve had but not recently. What a better opportunity than one of those lovely twitter tastings run by Steve Rush of the whisky wire. So, here we were, myself and a nice bunch of fellow twitter whisky lovers and geeks ready to try some Aberlour. We started […] - [Whisky News December 6th 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/06/whisky-news-december-6th-2013/): This has been a very busy week in terms of whisky news and new PR.  so let’s go. Amrut releases three Single Cask Single Malt Whiskies Three stunning new single malts are released this month by the innovative Indian distillery, Amrut Distilleries. Carrying on in its much admired tradition of taking its single malt whisky and aging it in particular wood, Amrut Distilleries, the award-winning Bangalore whisky maker has created three single cask malts. The malt whisky from the Bourbon and Sherry casks is made with Indian barley, while the spirit from the Port pipes is made from Scottish barley malted […] - [Four Reserve Mackmyra whiskies (online tasting)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/05/four-reserve-mackmyra-whiskies-online-tasting/): The Internatioal whisky community is indeed not that big and one meets interesting people from all over on social media, and also in real life. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting  Anki Ulvmåne in real life , for the first time a year and a half ago, at Maltstock 2012, and even a better chance this year at the same event where we shared some drams (yes, some mackmyra too!) and conversation. Anki is indeed a great ambassador of Swedish whisky and a true whisky lover, quite passionate about it, and it shows. So, when i got a message form her […] - [Tasting 3 new Amrut Single Casks!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/03/tasting-3-new-amrut-single-casks/): Three new lovely single cask Amruts are being released this month (just in time for Xmas eh?) . A Bourbon, Sherry and Peated ex-Port pipes single cask. The malt whisky from the Bourbon and Sherry casks is made with Indian barley, while the spirit from the Port pipes is made from Scottish barley malted in peat. I had the privilege of tasting those three excellent whiskies a few months ago (very thankful to Ashok for giving me that sneak peek)  and I am very excited to have my tasting notes on the official PR coming out today. For those of you […] - [Tasting Pappy Van Winkle 15 and Corner Creek](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/12/01/tasting-pappy-van-winkle-15-and-corner-creek/): Post Thanksgiving, two drops of liquid Americana. One is dirt cheap ($20 in the USA) and the other one a much hyped and sought after Pappy Van Winkle 15 which costs, well a lot, that is if you can buy it (Demand and Supply. and it’s in bloody crazy demand). Those two lovely drams were part of a 3 sample bomb given to me by Shai (@dsappl) who’s a good friend of the blog (and mine) and a lover of all things whisky (and whiskey). Of course those two were blind samples, marked #1, #2, and I had no idea what […] - [Whisky PR corner November 29th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/29/whisky-pr-corner-november-29th/): Ballantine’s Launches 2013 Christmas Reserve Limited Edition Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve doubles in volume since 2010 launch Ballantine’s, the world’s No.2 Scotch whisky, has announced the launch of its fourth Christmas Reserve Limited Edition, with 2013 sales volumes standing at double those of 2010 and the festive blend available in 15 markets worldwide. Ballantine’s is supporting the launch of the 2013 Limited Edition with its biggest-ever integrated marketing campaign. ‘The Taste of Christmas’ aims to maximise awareness and boost sales in countries where Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve has previously been available, as well as helping to create demand in new markets, educating customers […] - [Wemyss Malts 'Tarte au Citron' - Auchentoshan 1998](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/28/wemyss-malts-tarte-au-citron-auchentoshan-1998/): This is the last sample I have left untried from the latest batch of 12 single casks released earlier this year by Wemyss. I do love me a good tarte au citron, so This sounded delicious from the start. Tarte au Citron 1998 – Wemyss Malts (Auchentoshan) , 46% , £77 Nose: Starts very nice with dough and lots of crème de citron. They sure know how to name them. A bit of vanilla and bits of candied fruit English cake style, summery , light and crispy. Palate: Malty and sweeter with bits of wood dough and spice. Lemon rind and […] - [Arik Einstein RIP](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/27/arik-einstein-rip/): Today I’m not going to publish any notes, just pay my respect to one of Israel’s greatest Singers of all time who passed away last night at the age of 74. For those of you who are not familiar with Mr Einstein’s work, here’s a great post written by an Israeli that pretty much summarizes all. Arik Einstein was not only a singer, but an actor, a performer (although he did not perform live for many years.) He’s responsible of many golden Israeli songs that will be with us forever. Tonight’s dram shall be in his honor. I hope he enjoys […] - [Tasting Balblair 1969](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/26/tasting-balblair-1969/): 1969. I wasn’t to be born for another 7 years but those were interesting times; the first ever Concorde test flight is conducted, Apollo 10 returns to earth after a mission well done, Monty Python’s ‘Flying circus’ first airs on BBC One (gotta love that EPIC show) and somewhere in the Scottish Highlands on the misty shores of the Dornoch Firth quite a bit of of malted barley is mashed, fermented and then distilled into beautiful spirit that will sit and wait patiently in the casks for the very right moment. The 1969 Vintage Balblair. That’s pretty awesome in my view. […] - [Abbey Whisky Twitter Tasting–#abbeywhisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/25/abbey-whisky-twitter-tasting%e2%80%93abbeywhisky/): Twitter tastings, they are a really cool way to get to know new whiskies, and the last one I’ve attended was just that, this time hosted (yet again) by Steve of the Whisky Wire and Mike from Abbey whisky. Now, Mike was generous enough to have shared some of his lovely single casks in the past two of which as it happens were going to be tasted that very night.  Those were the Excellent Bunnahabhain 23 year old (which I liked the first time around, and even more during this tweet tasting – check out my notes), and the Caperdonich 17 […] - [Boom!–‘The Bomb’ Oloroso finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/24/boom-the-bomb-oloroso-finish-whisky-lounge/): What happens when the guys at Whisky Lounge take some 15 year-old ex-Bourbon hogshead matured Westport (a blended malt containing Glenmorangie with a teaspoon of Glen Moray added ) and put it into an Octave (50l) barrel that previously held rich Oloroso sherry. You get the bomb! I got to taste this as a wee sample sent to me by my good and quite generous friend Phil (thank you mate!). I did not know what to even expect, as I’ve not even heard about it previously.. I then liked it quite a lot, as to buy a wee bottle for myself […] - [Whisky News November 22nd 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/22/whisky-news-november-22nd-2013/): Old Pulteney releases a new peated 1990 vintage Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky proudly presents the latest limited addition to its award-winning range – the 1990 vintage. The new whisky from the Northern Highland distillery follows a string of recent highly successful releases, including Old Pulteney 40 Year Old and the travel-retail-exclusive Lighthouse Collection. Old Pulteney 1990 Vintage Old Pulteney 1990 Vintage is a mature and full-flavoured addition to the portfolio. It’s bursting with the coastal maritime character, the depth and the complexity found in other expressions, while offering an interesting twist which is sure to excite and delight single […] - [Wemyss malts Coconut and Sandalwood - Longmorn 1992](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/21/wemyss-malts-coconut-and-sandalwood-longmorn-1992/): Another cask from the latest batch of Wemyss, This one is a Longmorn (not had one of those for some time!!) vintage 1992, and bottled at 46% like the rest of them. Wemyss malts Coconut and Sandalwood  , 46% abv Nose: Mega coconut notes here. Really thick. Vanilla and quite a bit of wood of sandalwood if you wish. It’s very fragrant. Big and sweet. Ex bourbon to the max. Some morning cereal too. Palate: Starts with the vanilla ice dream then develops into sweet sandalwood and lots if milk chocolate icicle. Some cocoa powder too. Finish: Long and chocolaty. Wood […] - [Douglas Laing Old Particular Auchroisk 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/20/douglas-laing-old-particular-auchroisk-18-yo/): Auchroisk is not very common to find as an OB (except Flor & Fauna) and most of its whisky goes into Diageo Blends… However there are quite a few Indie bottlings out there, although I doubt I’ve tried more than one or two… It is indeed a mystery to me, and I was glad to try the latest offering in the OP range from D.Laing. bottled at 48.4% as an 18 yo It indeed intrigued me. Let’s see how it is… Auchroisk 18 Year Old 1994 (cask 9899) – Old Particular , 48.40% , £82 Nose: This one starts very sweet […] - [4th blog Birthday and Wemyss Malts giveaway Winner !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/19/4th-blog-birthday-and-wemyss-malts-giveaway-winner/): So, time has come to reveal the winner of our 4h blog birthday giveaway sponsored by Wemyss Malts… First, I’d like to thank all of those who sent emails with answers and birthday wishes, you’ve made us very happy. But only one person can win. And the winner is: Raviv Marom  from Israel.   Congratulations Raviv, Please send over your mailing address so we can send you the prize.   Gal & Co. - [Wemyss Malts Glen Scotia 1991 “Merchant’s Mahogany Chest”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/19/wemyss-malts-glen-scotia-1991-merchants-mahogany-chest/): This is another single cask from the latest batch of 12 casks released by Wemyss just recently. If you remember, I’ve reviewed another Glen Scotia 1991 by Wemyss a few months ago –  the “Salted Caramels”, but these two apart from the same vintage, are really very different, quite excellent each in its special way. It’s so very interesting to see two sister casks from the same year, display so many differences. Got to love single malt whisky for that! Merchant’s Mahogany Chest 1991 (Glen Scotia), 46% , £105 Nose: Flinty lovely  Sherry with lots of  Tobacco : think Cigar chest. […] - [Caskstrength and Carry On – 3D Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/18/caskstrength-and-carry-on-3d-whisky/): So there you have it, a whisky in 3D. sounds intriguing? Well, it is. And it comes from non other than the 2 chaps from Caskstrength.net Joel and Neil. They are on a mission to release whiskies from A-Z each year another letter, and this is their 4th year (after Arran,Benriach,Cutty Sark). But this year they chose not one distillery that starts with a “D”, but three such distilleries, and three times the fun. What they’ve done is blended 3 malts from Dailuaine, Dalwhinnie and Dufftown to produce 504 signed an numbered bottles at 56.40% priced at £49.99 (and available ONLY […] - [Tasting The Highland Park Warrior series](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/14/tasting-highland-park-warrior-series/): Highland park is one of my top three scotch distilleries and this is no secret, I’ve tasted most of their OB starting from the 10 CS, Hjarta, 12,15,17,18,21,25,30,end even tasted  the wonderful 40 yo (when the blog was celebrating 500 posts!). You can understand how keen I was to be able to taste the new Travel Retail line of expressions online, and was delighted to know I was going to take part in this EPIC tasting of all 6 Warriors in this series, with the help of Steve (The whisky wire, who is well-known for organizing those tastings) and Daryl Haldane […] - [Tasting The Arran Millennium Casks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/12/tasting-the-arran-millennium-casks/): Two weeks ago The Arran Whisky distillery has unveiled a new Charity whisky, which was produced on a very special date: 31st of December 1999. What is also special about this whisky is that it’s intended for charity: and a donation out of each bottle sold of those 7,800 bottles will go to the Arran Trust,a conservation charity which funds projects that look after the beautiful landscapes and environment of Arran One such project is that which helps to maintain the footpaths on the island which lead to Loch na Davie – the pure water source which is an essential ingredient […] - [Whisky Israel 4 year old birthday GIVEAWAY](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/11/whisky-israel-4-year-old-birthday-giveaway/): Another year goes by, with amazing drams and whisky galore, and Whisky Israel turns 4 years old! As we’re approaching an EPIC 800 posts, we’d like to celebrate with you, loyal blog readers, and new blog readers alike. For that we’ve teamed up with one of our favourite Indie bottler :Wemyss Malts! and we’re giving away a full sized bottle of one of their best blends (and the one I like the best from all their blended whisky offerings ) : *THE HIVE! What do you have to do to win this bottle you ask? Answer 5 simple questions and send […] - [Douglas Laing’s new vatted malt–Scallywag](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/10/douglas-laings-new-vatted-malt-scallywag/): Douglas Laing is one of the better known Indie bottlers, and have enjoyed quite a success with their much appreciated and loved vatted Islay whisky – Big peat. Now they have released another Vatted malt, but this time A 100% Speyside vatting including whiskies from  Mortlach, Macallan and Glenrothes among others. As a big big fan of the big peat, I was pretty sure this dram was about to be of high quality, and was looking forward to trying it ever since it was released a week or so ago. It is bottled at 46% NCF. In addition to the lovely […] - [The “One” British Blend– Lakes Distillery](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/08/the-one-british-blend-lakes-distillery/): The Lakes distillery is a very exciting new whisky distillery that is in the processes of building in one of the nicest places on earth (in the UK, that is, ok?), and it is going to be the first distillery built there for the last 100 years or so. I really wanted to visit the distillery location last August when I was in the Lakes District with the family, but schedule issues with both me and Paul who was very nice and inviting, made it quite impossible at the time.  Anyways, the distillery is not running yet but is scheduled to […] - [Wemyss Malts “Seaweed on the rocks” Bunnahabhain 1991](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/07/wemyss-malts-seaweed-on-the-rocks-bunnahabhain-1991/): Last month Wemyss malts announced an epic release of 12 single casks in one go. I managed to get hold of 6 of those, and will be reviewing them on the blog in the coming weeks. The first I chose to review was this Buna 1991. I was in the mood for a mild Islay and what better specimen than a Bunnahabhain to accomplish just that. This is a 1991, bottled at 46%, from a single Hogshead. Let’s dram: Bunnahabhain 1991 Wemyss Seaweed On The Rocks , 46%, £67 Nose: Very coastal. Brine. Sea breeze. Crayfish. White pepper and citrus. Some […] - [Tasting Kilchoman 2007 , 6 yo–oldest Kilchoman yet](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/05/tasting-kilchoman-2007-6-yooldest-kilchoman-yet/): Kilchoman has been releasing young and younger expressions in recent years, and patience does pay : they are now releasing a regular (non single cask) bottling of their oldest stock to date : 2007 vintage which is 6 years of age. After the brilliant 100% Islay, and Machir Bay editions(both reviewed on the blog). This is a vatting of 100% first fill ex-bourbon casks. Kilchoman 6 Year Old 2007 , 46%,£53 Nose: Smoked bacon big time. Lemon rind. Crushed green grass. Peat and peppermint. Cinnamon gum. Palate: Earthy and peaty. With pepper , hot cinnamon. BBQ pork and sweet BBQ marinade. […] - [The Glenfiddich ‘Cask Collection’ series–NAS–duty free](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/04/the-glenfiddich-cask-collection-seriesnasduty-free/): Remember the Glenfiddich 15 year old (one of the best in their line, by far for me)? You probably know its produced by ways of mixing q lot of casks in a big Solera Vat, right? So, now Glenfiddich took a further step in the Solera way, and built three more Solera vats to host these 3 new whiskies, all married in Solera vats and each differs from the other in profile. The first in this new line is the ‘Select Cask’ which is a vatting of aged ex-Bourbon casks and some  European oak casks, the Second ‘Reserve Cask’ is matured […] - [It’s Movemver 2013– Donate!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/11/03/its-movemver-2013-donate/): It’s that time of year again. I and others are growing moustaches,and collecting money for the just cause of impacting men’s health and fighting prostate cancer. I urge you to participate, donate, spread the word and support our MO community. I’m growing a Mo for the 4th year.. My Mo page, where i am collecting money is here, so be generous, donate, and remember every penny helps. Slainte! - [Whisky PR corner Thursday October 31st](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/31/whisky-pr-corner-thursday-november-31st/): Douglas Laing releases a brand new vatted speyside malt : SCALLYWAG With over 65 years of ‘pedigree’ in the Scotch Whisky industry, leading independent Scotch Whisky specialist, Douglas Laing & Co today announce the release of their brand new Speyside Vatted Malt – Scallywag. Douglas Laing’s Scallywag is a Small Batch bottling created using only the finest Speyside Malts including – amongst others – Mortlach, Macallan and Glenrothes. Bottled at 46% alcohol strength and non chill-filtered, this Small Batch bottling has a distinct rich, dark colour – extracted from the many fine Spanish Sherry Butts used during maturation. The result is […] - [The Glenlivet XXV–25 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/30/the-glenlivet-xxv25-yo/): Priced at above 200 quid, this is the most expensive and exclusive (and well aged) ‘Livet around.  It has been finished in Oloroso casks (not sure for how long) to add some more depth and complexity. Not sure why a 25 year old dram needs any further finish to be “complex”, but there you have it. This is the last expression from the Glenlivet Core line I’ve yet to review. so here we go: The Glenlivet XXV , 43% , £217 Nose: Oh, this is lovely stuff. Very thick and rich with A LOT and I mean a lot of Sherry […] - [Johnnie Walker “The Royal Route” [Explorer’s club collection]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/29/johnnie-walker-the-royal-route-explorers-club-collection/): This is the third and most exclusive (read: expensive) of the Travel Retail Explorer’s club collection. I wont bore you with the name, and the rest of the PR details. I’ve reviewed the previous edition a few months ago and concluded it was nice, but expensive. This is even more expensive, but also nicer IMHO. JW Explorer’s club collection, The Royal Route, NAS, 40% abv, $160 (duty free only) Nose: Quite fruity with apple crumble , stewed pears some apricot malt on top of vanilla cream. Palate: Sweet and rounded with lovely sherry influence : dried fruit. Fig. Sultana. And sweeter […] - [The Glenlivet 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/27/the-glenlivet-21-yo/): We’re continuing the journey to discover the Glenlivet core range and having left the oldest 21 and 25 un-reviewed ,I am going to fix that pretty soon, starting with the 21 yo. Priced at a hundred quid or so it is not cheap, yet not over expensive if you compare it to other well liked 21 year olds such as the Highland Park 21, although it does cost almost as twice as the Glenfarclas 21. The Glenlivet Archive 21 Year Old 43%, £101 Nose: Sweet with toffee and soft sherry and dried fruits (mainly sultana) , as well as some lovely […] - [Tasting Glenglassaugh 30 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/26/tasting-glenglassaugh-30-year-old/): This is the first expression released under the new management, after the Benriach distillery took over the GG this year (2013) with the intention to bring this iconic distillery fully back to life by giving it the investment, commitment and care it deserves. Being a 30 yo it’s obviously distilled by the older owners, but as you well know, old GG are wonderful. Glenglassaugh 30 yo, 44.8% abv Nose: lovely older Whisky nose just like We love them… Old library cabinets. Old books. Malt. A dollop of toffee. Some sweet sherry notes too. Fortified wine. It’s very deep and a hint […] - [Hunter Laing Sovereign Cameronbridge 1990 Grain Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/24/hunter-laing-sovereign-cameronbridge-1990-grain/): A few months ago if you recall Douglas Laing had split up into two companies, as the two Laing brothers each went his way, and so Hunter Laing was formed, taking with it some of the Laing brands (OMC, and Old and rare). Sovereign is also one of the new company’s ranges, and this one is their first offering I am tasting from the new Era of Hunter Laing. I guess some of you know Cameronbridge , and some not for the sake of those who are not familiar with it : It was formed in 1824 by J.Haig , closed […] - [Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2007](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/23/bruichladdich-islay-barley-2007/): After the excellent Octomore 6,1 I had great expectations from the other new releases and this was a good surprise as well. I am not sure how Islay barley differs from “normal” barley, but All i can say is that, this whisky although It’s fairly young did impress me quite a bit. Usually I find that I prefer the peated Laddie to the unpeated, but this one is a real stunning whisky IMHO. Let’s dive: Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2007, 50%,£44.50 Nose: This is a really nice nose, did not expect that from such a young malt. Lovely melange of creamy malty […] - [Breaking: The Milk & Honey Distillery (Israel) Launches a Crowd funding Campaign–Today!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/21/breaking-the-milk-honey-distillery-israel-launches-a-crowd-funding-campaigntoday/): I’ve mentioned the the Israeli distillery (which is under construction these days) a few times in the the last past months, and today I am happy to present their Crowd funding project which went live on Indiegogo a few minutes ago. Essentially they are asking for the help and support of whisky enthusiasts worldwide in this campaign. The video and campaign page speak for their selves, so without further ado, Click here, and donate! The whisky will be KOSHER and 100% Israeli. Exciting times. Click to Start Donating ! Gal. - [Fary Lochan Efterår Batch 1–Danish Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/21/fary-lochan-efterar-batch-1%e2%80%93danish-whisky/): Fary Lochan is the 5th Danish distillery to release a young whisky within the last 2-3 years or so. The sample i got was of a  3yo whisky, But is supposedly the best whisky yet to come out of Denmark. Fary Lochan was founded by Jens-Erik Jørgensen, who also  works for the Danish customs and the distillery is a side project of his in his spare time.So far FL produced 25 casks a year from and from  2010 Fary Lochan makes 4 different whiskies, named after the seasons: Autumn: Smoked to 1.5ppm. Ex-bourbon matured, married in ex-sherry. Winter: Smoked to 13ppm. […] - [Glen Garioch vintage 1999 / Sherry Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/20/glen-garioch-vintage-1999-sherry-cask/): Glen Garioch seem to be busy releasing new expression recently  : After the lovely virgin Oak (which was NAS) comes this 199 vintage Sherry cask which is not very common for GG’s. The whisky was aged in Oloroso sherry casks distilled in 1999 is non-chill filtered. Released in “limited” quantities (1000 cases) and bottled at a lovely ABV of 56.3%. Glen Garioch vintage 1999  , 14 yo, 56.3%, £59.99 Nose: Lots of wine influence. Quince jam. Oranges and spice with a bit of rubber. Rich with toffee and hints of ginger, and some sulphur too (be warned Mr Murray!) Palate: Oily, […] - [Whisky PR corner–October 18th 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/18/whisky-pr-corneroctober-18th-2013/): anCnoc Peter Arkle Limited Edition No.4 ‘Warehouses’ anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has announced the fourth and final limited edition release in the coveted Peter Arkle Collection. So far the range included three global releases –anCnoc Peter Arkle No.1 ‘Ingredients’, anCnoc Peter Arkle No.2 ‘Casks’ and anCnoc Peter Arkle No.3 ‘Bricks’. Today the brand unveils anCnoc Peter Arkle No.4 ‘Warehouses’ depicting a traditional dunnage warehouse at Knockdhu Distillery, a building which contributes to anCnoc’s unique character. The partnership between anCnoc Single Malt and the renowned illustrator was launched in April2012 and involves a series of limited anCnoc expressions presented in […] - [Glen Garioch Virgin Oak – NAS](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/17/glen-garioch-virgin-oak-nas/): The Virgin oak phenomena is growing like an epidemic, and it seems that every single distillery is jumping on the bandwagon. Not that there is something bad with using Virgin Oak (scots never used them really as they are more expensive than ex-something casks, i think) if your whisky turns out lovely. The good thing about using Virgin oak from the distillery perspective,I guess, is that it’s possible to release fairly young NAS. Having said that, I quite like this whisky… It’s quite limited (sort of) : Just 120 cases of the limited edition have been released for the UK market. […] - [Bowmore 23 year old Port matured (2013 release)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/15/bowmore-23-year-old-port-matured-2013-release/): This Bowmore has been released a few months ago (august or so) and has spent its life inside port casks for the entire 23 years.I love me some port casks, but Sometimes I have difficulties with the bowmores of the late 80’s as they are too much perfumed for my taste (you can call it Parma Violets etc). I was hoping this was not the case, as I’ve heard and read many good reviews about this dram. Let’s see then Bowmore 23 year old Port matured , 50.8% , £380 Nose: This is a rich dram no doubt. And a true […] - [Tasting the Tweeddale blend batch #4](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/15/tasting-the-tweeddale-blend-batch-4/): It’s always exciting when Alasdair releases a new batch of his splendid small batch blend called the Tweeddale. I’ve been following the Tweeddale and tasting all of its previous batches for a few years now, and it’s no secret that I’m a big fan. This Tweeddale is a lovely example of how blends can be absolutely cracking, without being overly expensive, and overly boring as some blends tend to be. Batch #3 was released only a few months ago, and this batch is about to be released pretty soon.  In terms of malts and grains used for this batch we’re talking […] - [Is it Xmas already? Big peat says it is!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/14/big-peat-xmas-2013-edition/): So, Another Xmas edition of one of the best blended malts of Islay profile you can find, Big peat, and this time a brand new edition for 2013, with a new label, and a new-ish profile. I am a big fan of Big peat, be it the standard, or the limited edition 50% big peat I’ve reviwed a few months ago, and especially the Xmas editions. Two years ago I got the older Xmas edition, and it was a cracker. What is really nice about big peat in general is that it has a “wide” array of aromas and flavours, and […] - [The New Glenrothes Manse Brae Collection (Travel Retail)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/13/the-new-glenrothes-manse-brae-collection-travel-retail/): I’m Very glad to be able to feature some new Glenrothes tasting notes on the blog. God knows I’ve not tasted anything new from the GR in a long time. I’m really a fan of their range and their lovely simplistic packaging (cardboard, and not much bling) .This time it’s 3 new Travel Retail expressions, a NAS, and two (thank goodness, we’re had enough NAS duty free whiskies recently, thank you very much!) Age statement drams (18, and 21) which are rather brilliant. These 3 expressions celebrate the spiritual home of The Glenrothes: named after the street on which Rothes House, […] - [Book review : Malt Whisky Yearbook 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/10/book-review-malt-whisky-yearbook-2014/): It’s October, and It’s time for the annual MWYB. I’ve written and reviewed this book for the last 3 or 4 years, and I don’t know about you, but for me this is the definitive whisky book. As one of my FB friends noted : “this is the only whisky book you really have to buy” and I do agree. In addition to it being highly interesting to read (just look at the list of excellent and renounced whisky writers from Charles Maclean to Hans Offringa , Gavin Smith, Dominic Roskrow , and the list goes on and on), you get […] - [Brenne–French single malt whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/09/brennefrench-single-malt-whisky/): What a strange timing : tomorrow we’re about to have a French Twitter tasting (no idea what the whiskies are) arrange by @LaCaveDeCobalt (so keep your eyes peeled tomorrow for the #frenchWhiskyTT).Anyways, I’ve been meaning to try this whisky for quite a long time, and only got to it the other week. I’ve heard great things about it, and seriously, any French whisky that is good is worth trying (some bad stuff also). I guess I should write a few lines about the origin of this whisky, and how it came to being, a rather interesting story worth telling. The woman […] - [Octomore 6.1 Scottish barley–the new Peat monster?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/08/octomore-6-1-scottish-barleythe-new-peat-monster/): I’ve been following Octomore since it’s early days a few years ago, when I started drinking more and more peated Islays and was looking for tons of peat. My palate has changed since then, and I tend not to drink that much RAW peat, and usually go for less peaty drams, but I always have a warm corner in my heart for the Octomore. This one comes from Scottish barley (Not so sure that makes it better or worse, but I bet whisky geeks dig that). 167 PPM, as peaty as they go (of course, most is lost in distillation and […] - [Old Particular Glen Garioch 21 yo –Douglas Laing](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/06/old-particular-glen-garioch-21-yo-douglas-laing/): Douglas Laing’s Old Particular is a a relative new series of single cask expressions bottled at Premium strengths , without colouring and without chill  filtration. They are presented at various abv%, and the first one I’d like to review is the Glen Garioch , aged 21 yo, and bottled at 51.5%.  Earlier this year Douglas Laing had split into two separate companies : D.Laing, and hunter Laing dividing their whisky offering among the now two separate whisky companies. This is the first new series created by D.Laing for its older single casks range (since Old Malt cask now belongs to H.Laing). […] - [Two more single cask Glendronachs – cask #2971 and #101](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/06/two-more-single-cask-glendronachs-cask-2971-and-101/): Two more (and last) single cask Dronachs from the lovely batch 8 (latest batch) of single casks. One is PX, and the other is Oloroso , slightly younger, but almost at 60% it’s a powerhouse. Let’s dram, shall we? GlenDronach 19 yo ,1994 (cask 101) Oloroso, 58.40% ,£93 628 bottles were Available from this cask (all gone i think) , which is an Oloroso sherry, but the colour, oh the colour. darkish, and Really I would not guess it’s Oloroso sherry. Nose:  Very sweet and thick, with prunes, tobacco leaves, and lots of sugars, and dates, is this an Oloroso cask? […] - [Whisky PR Corner October 4th 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/04/whisky-pr-corner-october-4th-2013/): GLEN GARIOCH LAUNCHES FIRST VINTAGE MATURED SOLELY IN SHERRY CASKS Glen Garioch has released its inaugural expression to be matured solely in Oloroso sherry casks, as part of the Highland distillery’s small batch vintage programme. Hand selected at the peak of perfection, the Glen Garioch Vintage, distilled in 1999 is non-chill filtered to retain its authentic, full-bodied Highland character. Handcrafted and matured in sherry casks for 14 years at the Highland Distillery in the heart of the rural village of Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, this heart-warming dram captures the essence of Scottish Highland charm. The Oloroso sherry casks have influenced this robust spirit […] - [Old Pulteney Pentland Skerries , NAS](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/03/old-pulteney-pentland-skerries-nas/): The third expression in the Lighthouse NAS OP series While the previous expressions (see the other two reviewed here and here). While the other two were kind of young, this is supposed to be the eldest of the three. Pentland Skerries is named after two lighthouse towers of the same name located at the eastern entrance to the Pentland Firth. The whisky was matured in 100% Spanish ex-sherry butts and is presented in its natural colour at 46%. Old Pulteney Pentland Skerries  , 46%, NAS , £54.99 (Travel Retail) Nose: Yep. It’s big sherry style. Nutty, and a bit mossy, with […] - [The Glenlivet Vertical (12,15,18 year olds)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/10/01/the-glenlivet-vertical-121518-year-olds/): Tony Soprano loves his Glenlivet 12, and I love Tony soprano, hence I love The Glenlivet 12. Sort of anyways. As the Glenlivet is probably one of the best selling single malts out there (with Glenfiddich) and very well know, It’s only appropriate we have some more of that on the blog. I know we’re posted a guest post reviewing the 12 year old by Shai, quite a long time ago, but since I got Minis of all 3 core range expressions, I decided to taste them in one sitting and see how they differ and which one I like most. […] - [Two Glengoyne (12,15 year old) OBs](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/30/two-glengoynes-1215/): Every distillery has to find some kind of “uniqueness” to its whiskies, and Glengoyne have found just that in indicating that their malt is never dried with peat (but with air), so there is no peat whatsoever in their malt. As peat heads I’m not sure this is something to really be happy about, but I guess there is always room for non peated malts, and I am pretty sure other distilleries use malt dried with air and not peat, so basically It’s a nice trivia fact, no more. I’ve visited a few Glengoynes in the past (and also the excellent […] - [Like a Virgin? – Benriach virgin cask # 4385 1994](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/29/benriach-virgin-cask-4385-1994/): A 1994 BR single cask finished in Virgin oak. Yes, The Benriach have jumped on the new virgin oak bandwagon, and while It can add some flavor to whisky, one has to wonder, why the original cask was not good enough to have been bottled without it being re-casked into a virgin oak cask, to be “enhanced”. Virgin oak can add vanilla, but can also over-dominate when used in excess. Let’s see if this is the case here: Benriach 1994 Cask #4385 Virgin Oak , 55.50% abv (sold out) Nose:  lovely combination of vanilla, sugar and exotic fruit salad: Mango, melon, […] - [Whisky PR Corner September 26th 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/26/whisky-pr-corner-september-26th-2013/): Again, we have quite a lot of whisky related news this week, with some new releases as well. check those out. The finest tradition continues with the all new Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old Following the international success of Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old released originally in 2007, the multi-award-winning Blended Scotch Whisky brand, has just unveiled a new expression of its most premium offering. Only 1480 bottles of this rare whisky will be made available over a three year period, starting with 500 released into select markets and travel retail outlets this year. The new Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old […] - [Glendronach 1971 cask #1246 – 42 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/24/glendronach-1971-cask-1246-42-yo/): Time for some more Glendronach, as the weather is getting better and real Automn is on its way. Gone are the scorching days of summer (So i hope). So… a 42 year old GlenDronach. Does life get any better than this? (hint: no). I was very lucky (and so thankful) to have gotten a wee sample of this nectar for review. It’s part of the GD batch 8 of single casks I’ve blogged about recently (here). But this is the real deal. an older 42 year old PX cask matured, is not something you encounter on a daily basis, and that […] - [Tasting Hankey Bannister Heritage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/24/tasting-hankey-bannister-heritage/): A while ago I featured this expression in one of the PR Corner editions, where you can read much more about it. In short: It’s a recreation of a H.B blend the way it used to be in the 1920’s (sort of, as we do not have the same building blocks of malts and grain). If you’re a fan of H.Bannister, this one is smokier, and bottled at 46%. Anyways, I was lucky to have met Lukasz at maltstock and he was kind enough to bring a nice sample of this one for me to enjoy later at home (after the […] - [Old Pulteney Duncansby Head–Travel Retail , NAS](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/23/old-pulteney-duncansby-headtravel-retail-nas/): This is the second expression from the series of NAS bottlings from OP intended for Travel Retails shops. Those 3 are named after lighthouses in the Highlands around Wick, and presented in colourful boxes at duty free shops. This lighthouse is situated at farthest point by road from John O’ Groats, which sound like a stunning location. Being NAS they are quite young. I was hoping this 2nd expression would be better than the first one from the series I tried. This one is a mix of sherry and bourbon casks. Old Pulteney Duncansby Head , 46% , NAS , £ […] - [Whisky PR Corner–September 20th 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/20/whisky-pr-cornerseptember-20th-2013/): Malt Whisky Book 2014 is almost here! It’s almost october, and the release of the 2013 edition of this best selling whisky book, and a favourite of mine is near. Published by Ingvar Ronde this year’s edition is the biggest ever, with 300 pages and 500 photos, and info on distilleries, as well as articles by distinguished writers such as Charles MacLean, Ian Buxton, Gavin D Smith,Dominic Roskrow, Neil Ridley, Jonny McCormick and Hans Offrina, and a Completely new Japanese chapter by Nicholas Coldicott. Chivas Regal Celebrates Craftsmanship and Style with New ‘Made for Gentlemen’ Limited Edition by Patrick Grant Chivas […] - [Blend>Malt ?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/18/blendmalt/): That’s not really a math question, but rather a subject I was deliberating with myself. It all started a few days ago, while i was in the NL, and a friend of mine posted a picture of two whiskies on Facebook and tagged me, so I can help his brother decide whether to buy a Glenrothes Rubur reserve or a 18 year old Dewar’s.   I was leaning towards the Dewar’s and suggested he buy that, and he replied : “Never thought I’d see the day a Speyside single malt would get out voted to a blend..”. This really got me thinking. […] - [Maltstock 2013 day 1 and TWE Master class with Billy Abbott](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/17/maltstock-day-1-2013-twe-masterclas/): That time of year has come and I’ve found myself packed and ready to head to the airplane at a ridiculous hour of night in order to make it to Schiphol AMS airport by 0830 am. But I could not complain, as I was going to have a wonderful 3 day whisky experience again (well last year was grand wasn’t it?). After trying to catch a bit of shut eye on the plane (KLM was not that bad), and picking my suitcase, i was able to find my good mate Sjoerd (which by the way, is the number one whisky friend […] - [Old Pulteney Noss Head–Travel Retail NAS](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/16/old-pulteney-noss-head/): A few weeks ago the guys at Old Pulteney whisky announced a twitter tasting event featuring their new line of NAS travel retail, all very colourful NAS packaging of whiskies named after light houses in the Scottish highlands around Wick (where OP distillery is located). I was not able to take part in the event as I was vacationing with my family over at the Lake district, UK. Gladly I was able to get samples from Lukasz later on at Maltstock last week. Anyways, the first one i am going to review is Noss Head :  Matured in ex-bourbon casks and […] - [Whisky PR Corner, September 13th 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/13/whisky-pr-corner-september-13th-2013/): Quite a few recent launches of new whiskies, and most are rather interesting stuff! Auchentoshan Launches Silveroak 1990 Exclusively for Travel Retail Just not so long ago, I reviewed an older batch of this , and it was lovely (check out my notes). This edition is a 22 years old, and bottled at a slightly lower ABV of 50.9%. Auchentoshan, Scotland’s only triple distilled Single Malt Scotch Whisky, will add to its travel retail range with a new limited edition release of the Auchentoshan Silveroak 1990. Following on from the success of the first batch of Silveroak, this limited second release […] - [New release : Tomatin Cù Bòcan](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2013/09/12/new-release-tomatin-cu-bocan%e2%80%93tasting-notes/): I have a love and hate relationship with Israeli mail. On the one hand I hate it. It sucks, it’s always late, stuff doesnt get sent at all, The lines are long, and the service is bad. On the other hand, they do deliver quite a lot of whisky to me, and I am thankful for that. It really is amazing to think that stuff sent from Scotland really makes it all the way to Israel, and then to my mailbox. a miracle, if you take into consideration how the post office works, and howe the people working there are not […] - [Tasting Bowmore Feis Ile 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/16/tasting-bowmore-feis-ile-2014/): This year Bowmore have released two expressions for sale on Feis Ile. The first is a 1989 vintage, and was very expensive (350 quid), while the second one (the one we’re about to review here) is younger, and bottled at Cask strength from ex-bourbon barrels. I was quite keen on trying it, being a fan of the Bowmore Tempests (batch 5 is out now, and a review is due next week on the blog – watch this space). Bowmore Feis Ile 2014, 56,1% abv , ex-bourbon casks Nose: This is indeed heavily influenced by the ex bourbon. Lots of vanilla and […] - [7 Year Old Quadruple-Distilled Octomore – Feis Ile 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/15/7-year-old-quadruple-distilled-octomore-feis-ile-2014/): This year’s funky Feis Ile bottling prize has to go to Bruichladdich, who have always been the quirky guy on the block when it comes to crazy finishes, and unique bottlings. Octomore is ridiculously peated anyways, add a Quad distillation process!!!  and what do you get? you get an Ultra peated whisky at almost 70% ABV… which started its way as new make spirit at 89%!!! ABV. Yep, this is not one of those delicate drams isn’t it. Well anyways, after the spirit has was reduced a bit with water, it was put into Oloroso sherry butts and then aged for […] - [Re-tasting Arran 10 yo (and some New Make)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/14/re-tasting-arran-10-yo-and-some-new-make/): Almost 3 years ago I sat down to taste a few Arran whiskies, one of which was the 10 year old. I remember I was not a big fan of that expression then, but having re-tasted it a week ago as part of the #ArranWhisky twitter tasting (along with Miss Black’s and the new Devil’s Punchbowl Batch III) , and having liked it much more this time, i thought it’s worth brand new tasting notes. Not sure about the whisky, if it has changed in composition from then (it’s a vatting of casks so it must have, but not sure how […] - [Whisky PR corner July 11th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/11/whisky-pr-corner-july-11th-2014/): Bowmore Single Malt Whisky launches Tempest V Bowmore, Islay’s first single malt whisky, is proud to announce the highly anticipated launch of Tempest V, the fifth in the award winning Tempest series. Non-chill-filtered and aged for a decade in first fill bourbon casks,Tempest V is a true product of its environment with the salty ocean breeze and signature dark Islay peat detectable in every mouthful. As with each release in the Tempest series, Tempest V carries the hallmark style with subtle nuances of mandarin, tangy lime and cassis whilst establishing its own personality, setting it apart from its predecessors, presenting a […] - [Arran Miss Black’s bottle–visitor centre exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/10/arran-miss-blacks-bottlevisitor-centre-exclusive/): Some bottles of whisky are that good, they get snatched off the visitor centre in a flash. This is one example. I heard great stuff about this bottle even before tasting it at the Arran whisky tweet tasting (have you read my notes for the Devil’s Punch Bowl part III from that tasting?), and wanted to check if I can score a bottle, but sadly all those were gone. Faye Black and her newly wed husband If you’ve no idea what I am talking about, here’s some info about this bottling: Visitor Centre Manager Faye and her new husband David celebrated […] - [Kilchoman Feis Ile 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/09/kilchoman-feis-ile-2014/): The smallest and youngest of distilleries on Islay (that is until next year, when Gartbreck distillery is up and working)  did also produce a festival bottling this year, and as young as their whiskies are (oldest to date was 6 yo), they are crackers. The festival bottling  was matured for around 5 years, initially in first-fill bourbon casks before spending a finishing period in a Fino Sherry butt, a total of 525 bottles at cask strength. Kilchoman Feis Ile 2014 Release , 58.7% Nose: Now this is a peat heads delight. Tons of peat with big amounts of sherry influence. Not […] - [Caol Ila 2002 – Feis Ile 2014 festival edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/08/caol-ila-2002-feis-ile-2014/): Time to continue the FE 2014 tasting notes with the 2nd bottling for the Festival by Diageo. This expression is essentially a 12 year old at Cask strength, personally selected by David Wood, Caol Ila Distillery Manager. It was distilled in 2002 and has been matured in Refill American Oak Hogsheads. It has been bottled at 55.5% ABV in an edition of 1,500 bottles. I did not manage to taste last year’s CI, but I did hear it was quite good.Let’s take this baby for as spin as they say… Caol Ila 2002 – Feis Ile 2014 , 55.5%, £99 Nose:Quite […] - [Laphroaig Cairdeas 2014 Edition (Feis Ile 2014)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/07/laphroaig-cairdeas-2014-edition-feis-ile-2014/): After that Spectacular Lagavulin FE 2014, who set the bar so high, it would be quite a challenge for the rest of the FE bottlings, won’t it? True. I chose to go with the Laphraoig of which I did not have very high expectations (mainly due to reading people’s reactions and SM remarks). Last year’s Cairdeas (also know as ‘the pink whisky’) was OK, but did not tickle my fancy, as the fruit and peat did not come together for me. This year Laphraoig choose another path, and aged the liquid in Amontillado hogsheads, and what do you know, the colour […] - [Teeling Single Grain Whiskey](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/06/teeling-single-grain-whiskey/): After tasting the aged offerings from Teeling whiskey (namely the 21, 26 and 30), it’s time to get more realistic, and try the more affordable releases. Surely, not many can afford the more expensive stuff, but surely the two younger offerings are budget friendly drams. the first of the two I am going to visit is the single Grain. Grain whisky is often thought of as “inferior” or as “that stuff they put in cheap blends to lower the costs” or whatever. That is not really true, and more and more lovely single grains are released, some of which were reviewed […] - [Whisky News , July 4th 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/04/whisky-news-july-4th-2014/): It’s the 4th of July today, Happy Independence day to all our American readers! and now for some news… HIGHLAND PARK DELVES INTO ITS DARK ORIGINS FOR MAJOR NEW RELEASE Establishing a secret bunker in the hills of High Park in Orkney, Magnus ‘Mansie’ Eunson became a famed dark distiller back in the late 1700s, creating whisky for the people of Orkney to offer relief from the villainy of the tax collector. By day he worked tirelessly in his church providing spiritual guidance to the people of Orkney, but in the dead of night, he hand crafted what was to ultimately […] - [Lagavulin 1995 – Feis Ile 2014 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/03/lagavulin-1995-feis-ile-2014-edition/): It seems Feis Ile 2104 was ages ago, but It was really only a month or so ago. This year (like too many) I was not able to attend (but planning on going next year!), but with a little help from my friends from the amazing #whiskyfabric, I was able to arrange a sample of each of the FE bottlings, via a bottle share a mate was kind enough to create, cheers Chris! I heard only great things about this Lagavulin, hence i decide to start my FE 2014 notes series with a bit of this nectar. You can’t go wrong […] - [The Devil strikes again : Arran Devil’s punchbowl Chapter III](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/02/the-devil-strikes-again-arran-devil%e2%80%99s-punchbowl-chapter-iii/): I’ve been enjoying the drams from the Arran distillery for some time now, they are really making great whisky, aren’t they? Last night they held a twitter tasting featuring four drams (and one new make), one of which was this Expression , the third in the trilogy of Devil’s Punchbowl whiskies. The Devil’s Punchbowl Series is a trilogy which started in summer 2012 and will conclude in 2014 with this third, and final release. It is a blend of some of the finest Arran casks from over the years, personally selected by our Distillery Manager James MacTaggart. Unlike Chapters I, and […] - [Liquid History: Glen Grant 1948 , 66 yo, by G&M [Wealth Solutions]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/01/my-oldest-ever-dram-tasted-glen-grant-1948-66-yo-by-gm-wealth-solutions/): My good whisky friend Shai always claims I prefer to review unicorn tears as he calls them, meaning very old and rare drams. Most times, I tend to disagree, as I try to post many available and not ultra rare and extremely expensive whisky  tasting reviews, but this time I could not resist , and frankly It’s really a one in a lifetime occasion, so why not? A few weeks ago Wealth Solutions (Wealth Solutions was established in 2007 with a mission to provide unique products for Polish collectors. The company was created by real enthusiasts of exceptional goods such as […] - [Mackmyra Svensk Rök](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/30/mackmyra-svensk-rok/): This is a peaty expression from Mackmyra, which is said to use Juniper oak for the smoky seasoning. Bottled at 48,1% it does not bare an age statement, so i guess it’s fairly young, but it does not feel exceedingly young, which is nice. Mackmyra Svensk Rök , 48,1% abv €59 [LMDW] Nose: This starts very ashy and smoky, with Peat. some soapy notes, then getting  Sweeter and more citrus like with quite a bit of lemon. Palate:  Quite sweet and earthy with hints of  Ash, Pepper and earth, and maybe some kippers, however there is enough vanilla creaminess to balance […] - [Tasting Smögen Primör (Swedish whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/29/tasting-smogen-primor-swedish-whisky/): We’ll kick-start this week with some world whisky, this time from Sweden. Sweden is becoming quite the whisky powerhouse with Mackmyra, Box, Smogen and more distilleries releasing very good and interesting whiskies. Mackmyra is well known and has been around the longest I guess, but this small and young distillery is very very interesting . Smögen Whisky AB was founded in the summer of 2009, with the aim of establishing a distillery for small scale production of a real malt whiskey from the Bohuslän west coast, with great character and maritime influences. Production and currently also the entire stocks located in […] - [Whisky News , June 27th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/27/whisky-news-june-27th-2014/): Old Pulteney Launches Limited Edition 35 Year Old Single Malt. Multi award-winning Old Pulteney Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has added a new, exceptionally rare whisky to its distinguished range, the limited edition Old Pulteney 35 Year Old. Only 450 cases of this outstanding single malt will be rolled out to global markets with a retail price of £500 per bottle. The embodiment of Pulteney Distillery’s exceptional craftsmanship, this new expression is matured in American ex-bourbon and Spanish ex-sherry casks which have been expertly hand selected by Distillery Manager Malcolm Waring. Each striking 700ml bottle is non-chill filtered at 42.5% ABV. […] - [Teeling Whiskey Platinum Vintage Reserve 30](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/26/teeling-whiskey-platinum-vintage-reserve-30/): We’ve arrived at the oldest available Irish whiskey on the market (as far as I know). In contrast to the other Teeling bottlings this has been exclusively matured in ex-Bourbon casks for the entire 30 years. It is non-chilfiltered and bottled at 46%. The malt for this was double distilled at a distillery more famous for its triple distilled single malts.Just 250 bottles have been produced. I had great expectations for this 30 year old, if the 26 year old is anything to go by (check out my review of that one), and it will be exceedingly hard to top the […] - [Teeling Whiskey Gold Reserve , 26 yo (White Burgundy finish)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/25/teeling-whiskey-gold-reserve-26-yo-white-burgundy-finish/): We continue our journey through the Teeling range with an older expression. This whiskey was double distilled (at a distillery which usually triple distils its whiskey) in the year of 1987 then it was aged in ex-bourbon barrels , and finally it was transferred into old white burgundy barrels for finishing. I must comment that white wine finishes are not as popular as Red wine finished, especially  Burgundy, so this is a surprising choice, which we’ll later see , was a smart one. The Gold reserve is also the 2nd oldest whiskey released to date  by Teeling , after the 30 […] - [Teeling Whiskey 21 yo Silver Reserve](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/24/teeling-whiskey-21-yo-silver-reserve/): In the next couple of whiskey posts I will reviewing a  few (read: all) of the expressions currently bottled by the Teeling whiskey Co. I guess an intro is in place in case you have not heard of it, or you’re not well acquainted with their story. Basically Teeling whiskey is managed by Jack Teeling who used to be the Master Distiller of Cooley distillery (I’m quite sure you know Cooley, right?). Apparently the Teeling family has a long history of whisky making dating back to 1782, when they distilled whiskey in Dublin. Teeling does not yet distil any whiskey, but […] - [Tasting Ardbeg Kildalton (2014 release)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/23/tasting-ardbeg-kildalton-2014-release/): If you’ve been reading the blog, you’ve probably read about this new release in last week’s whisky news (here). If not, all you really need to know is that this is a new expression just released by Ardbeg , consisting of a marriage of firm, smoky, but creamy Ardbeg from Bourbon barrels with rather racy, spicy whiskies from new and refill Sherry casks, currently only available at the distillery. I was very lucky to get a sneak preview sample of this from Ardbeg (cheers guys!), since I know you Ardbeg fans are keen on knowing how good it is, and is […] - [A quick peaty delight : Wemyss Malts ‘The Bosun’s Dram’ 1997 single cask from Bunnahabhain](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/22/a-quick-peaty-delight-wemyss-malts-the-bosuns-dram-1997-single-cask-from-bunnahabhain/): Nothing like a good peated 1997 Bunny to get you going and please the peat buds. 1997 Bunnahabhains are quite common among Indie bottlers, this was the year Bunnahabhain started producing heavily peated malt too, and i guess many casks were sold to IB’s I’ve reviewed quite a bit of 1997 Bunnies, and they are usually very nice, this one is no different. The Bosun’s Dram 1997 – Wemyss Malts (Bunnahabhain), 46.0%, £75 Nose: Lovely smoke, with a sweet tone to it (think grilled bacon), a bit of soot too, and earthiness, ginger powder and a certain fruit I can not […] - [Whisky PR Corner & News June 20th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/20/whisky-pr-corner-news-june-20th-2014/): Kingsbarns Distillery Topping Out Ceremony The new single malt distillery under construction at Kingsbarns in Fife has passed another milestone in its development with the completion of the roof of the refurbished listed building.Director William Wemyss visited the site last week to put one of the last of the roof tiles into place. Joining him were the Distillery Founder and newly appointed Visitor Centre Manager, Douglas Clement; new Distillery Manager, Peter Holroyd; and Director of the site contractor Colorado, Ian Bownes. "Topping out" is a tradition in the building industry when a building is being completed with its roof or top. […] - [More Darkness! : 16 year old Clyenlish [Master of Malt]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/18/more-darkness-16-year-old-clyenlish-master-of-malt/): After a brief change of dram, here’s another expressions from the latest Darkness! installation by Master of Malt (or Maverick Drinks is you like). Just like the previous Darkness! whiskies , this Clynelish  spent a finishing period of 3 months in tiny, specially coopered, fresh, first-fill Oloroso Sherry casks with huge surface area to volume ratios prior to bottling, as to “enhance it” and endow it with quite some sherry goodness. Darkness! Clynelish 16 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish , 54.9% , £74(0.5 litre) Nose: Spicy and sweet. Lots of fresh ground pepper on top of dried fruit (mainly dates & […] - [Let There be Darkness! – Benrinnes 15 PX [Master of Malt]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/18/let-there-be-darkness-benrinnes-15-px-master-of-malt-px-finish/): After trying the Excellent Ardbeg 21, and lovely 15 year old Macallan Darkness! comes this Benrinnes. Actually there are two different 15 yo Benrinnes in the Darkness! range, one aged in PX cask and one in Oloroso cask. I decided I was in a dark, deep, hedonistic PX mode, so started with this one expecting a real Sherry monster, and boy , was I not disappointed. as described on the master of malt site: This intense Benrinnes was finished in fresh, first-fill Pedro Ximénez casks that were specially rebuilt to be just one tenth of the size of a standard butt […] - [Two very different Indie Macallans (G&M and Blackadder)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/17/two-very-different-indie-macallans-gm-and-blackadder/): Macallan. That Iconic distillery, which by now I suspect is more of a monetary instrument in the whisky investment portfolio than actually a drinking whisky for most… Or is it? With the surging prices of OB Macallans (Have you seen the price of say a 18 year old sherry oak? a 30 year old Sherry Oak? if you can find any), due to the dwindling stocks of sherry matured Macs, It’s just logical to seek the Independent bottlers who still can offer good value, and some excellent casks (those above 40% i mean: *hint hint*). To make a long story short […] - [Wemyss Clynelish 1997–“Apple Basket”](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/16/wemyss-clynelish-1997%e2%80%93%e2%80%9capple-basket%e2%80%9d/): Let’s kick start this week with a single cask distilled at Clynelish (although not an average Clynelish), and bottled by Wemyss. I do love apple pies and apple crumbles and anything with cooked apples (my weak spot, along with lemon pies). So, what better than to try a liquid form of those? Wemyss Malts Clyenlish 1997 , 46% abv, “Apple Basket”. Nose: This is like sniffing a really good apple pie. Ripe apples within a sweet doughy crust. Sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Vanilla ice cream on the side. A delight. then a wee touch of spicy oak and a dash […] - [Lead On MacDuff! [Wemyss Malts]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/15/lead-on-macduff-wemyss-malts/): Lead on Macduff! (for those who are not well acquainted with the works of one, W.Shakespeare) is a famous quote from Macbeth,but actually It’s rather a misquote as the original text states “Lay on, Macduff, and damned be him who first cries ‘Hold! enough!’” well, close enough right? and a very very cool name given to this 2002 young-ish whisky distilled at Macduff distillery. You may know this distillery also as Glen Deveron (it has 2 names, and the distillery name changed a few times between those too), currently owned by Bacardi via John Dewar & Sons. 11 year old, and […] - [Whisky PR Corner and NewsFlash June 13th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/13/whisky-pr-corner-and-newsflash-july-13th-2014/): Quite a lot of news this week, so let’s get started. Ardbeg announces ‘The Kildalton Project’ – a long-term partnership with The North Highland Initiative  +a new bottling! he Glenmorangie Company is delighted to announce a new partnership with the North Highland Initiative (NHI). Inspired by HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, the NHI is a charity that supports fragile, rural communities across the North Highlands. This new partnership will bring together Ardbeg Distillery and the NHI to work with community organisations in Port Ellen, Isle of Islay. To help raise funds for this community-based initiative, Ardbeg Distillery is introducing […] - [Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project Barrel #89](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/12/buffalo-trace-single-oak-project-barrel-89/): Buffalo trace has been conducting extreme whiskey geekery experiments, on a massive scale, where they take different kind of trees, different location in the tree (upper, lower) and then make it into specially constructed casks, fill it with a few different types of whiskey distilled from several mashes, and then varying the location of the casks in the warehouse etc. All this to see how those variables (tree, location, warehouse location, mash bill) affect the end product, then they sell all those experimental whiskies for whisky lovers and geeks to try. That is an amazing project, my friends. more information from […] - [Widow Jane 7 yo Kentucky Bourbon](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/11/widow-jane-7-yo-bourbon/): This bourbon sold by the Widow Jane distillery is actually not distilled there but in Kentucky, so essentially what they do is buy the liquid and dilute it with water from their own water source the PR mumble says:. The water used to create this product comes from the Widow Jane mine in Rosendale, New York. Rosendale Limestone possesses an even higher ratio of beneficial minerals than that found in Kentucky and its sparkling waters are as pure as its namesake, the Widow Jane. The greatest structures in New York are from the gargantuan caissons that allowed the Brooklyn Bridge to […] - [The Bowmore Travel Retail Range : Part III - Gold Reef](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/10/the-bowmore-travel-retail-range-part-iii-gold-reef/): We’ve reached the third and final tasting note for the latest Bowmore Travel Retail range. After the lovely Black Rock and great White Sands 17 yo comes the third expression in the series : the Gold Reef. Bottled without age statement, and like the White Sands, it’s aged in mostly ex-Bourbon casks (while the 17 yo is aged in 100% ex-bourbon casks), but should be younger. This dram is named for the way the glow of the sun’s rays reflect off the coral seabed. Bowmore Gold Reef, 43% abv, NAS, £59.99 (1 Litre bottle) Nose: Nice smooth melange of citrus , […] - [The Bowmore Travel Retail Range : Part II –‘White Sands’ 17 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/09/the-bowmore-travel-retail-range-part-ii-white-sands-17-yo/): After the lovely NAS Black sands with all that sherry influence, comes an age statement expression intended for travel retail, not something you see every day in the TR market.  This Bowmore was aged in 100% ex-bourbon casks, bottled at 43% (a bit higher would have been nicer). It comes in standard 700 ml bottles, and not in the 1 litre bottles the other two younger siblings come in. Bowmore 17 yo ‘White Sands’ , Travel Retail, £79.99 (0.7 litre) Nose: Toffee and smoke layered upon a melange of exotic fruit, a bit of zest , but a lot creamier than […] - [The Bowmore Travel Retail Range : Part I – ‘Black Rock’ NAS](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/08/the-bowmore-travel-retail-range-part-i-black-rock-nas/): Time to take a look at Bowmore’s offering for the travel retail market (duty free), after Bowmore changed the entire line-up of offerings a few months ago. Currently the TR range consists of 3 whiskies : Black Rock (which I will review shortly), Gold Reef , and White sands 17 yo. While the first two are NAS (as many of the current wave of TR releases) the third is a rather older and age bearing 17 yo which is nice. According to Bowmore ,at the heart of the range is Black Rock, a rich single malt named after the jaggy outcrop […] - [Whisky PR corner June 6th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/06/whisky-pr-corner-june-6th-2014/): Glen Garioch adds some French ‘finesse’ to its limited-edition malt The first ever Glen Garioch to be fully-matured in French Bordeaux wine casks has been released. This limited edition vintage comprising just 450 cases globally, was distilled 15 years ago in the finest ‘tonneaux de vin rouge’ from Saint-Julien in Bordeaux. Relinquishing the more traditional sherry and bourbon casks, the full maturation in red wine casks has added a touch of elegance to the rich, fruity, spicy Highland character that is Glen Garioch’s house style. The unusual maturation process reveals the malt’s rich and multi-layered character, full of fruit, sweetness and […] - [Glencadam 22 Year Old The Rare Casks Release 4 (Abbey Whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/03/glencadam-22-year-old-the-rare-casks-release-4/): I’ve received this wee sample by surprise, and set out to explore it the other day. Usually Abbey whiskies bottle good stuff, and This was no exception… Glencadam is the only working distillery in the region of Angus and after being Mothballed , it was re-opened in 2003. This dram was Distilled in 1991 and aged in a refill bourbon cask for 22 years, then bottled at cask strength. Only 96 bottles are available at 55.3% abv. Glencadam 22 Year Old  The Rare Casks  Release 4 , 55.3% abv , £76.95 Nose: Very aromatic and fragrant. A beautiful nose. Lots of […] - [The new Laphroaig Select – impressions](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/06/02/the-new-laphroaig-select-impressions/): This particular expressions of Laphroaig has been discussed quite a lot on social media (see my previous post: The Laphroiag ‘Select’ NAS fiasco … As i noted there, although I did not like the idea of this NAS mishmash, I really wanted to try it myself and see how I like it, and how true were the lukewarm reviews it had gotten last week. I really set out to taste it with an open mind (although I assume i might be a little biased even though I wanted to be 100% objective, but this is real life), and really wanted to […] - [Whisky PR Corner – May 30th 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/30/whisky-pr-corner-%e2%80%93-may-30th-2014/): Glenglassaugh Releases Two New Expressions In Its “Massandra Connection” Range Glenglassaugh has added two whiskies to its renewed “Massandra Connection” series. They are a 35 Years Old Madeira Wood finish and a 41 Years Old Sherry Wood finish, and are available worldwide as of today (29 May). Both are non chill filtered, at natural colour and finished in the finest Massandra casks. These casks had previously been used to mature the very finest wines from Massandra, the oldest winery in the Crimea and a favourite of Tsar Alexander III. Built between 1894 and 1897 near Yalta, the Massandra winery benefits from […] - [Celebrating Kilchoman day 2014 at Feis Ile with Kilchoman 100% Islay 4th edition , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/29/kilchoman-100-islay-4th-edition-2014/): It’s Kilchoman day today at Feis Ile on Islay, and no better way to celebrate it from afar (sadly,but next year there is hope!) than drinking the latest offering from that excellent little distillery that you got to love. Time flies, and it seems that only yesterday i reviewed the 3rd edition of this expression. Let’s see how this one compares.. Kilchoman 100% Islay , 4th edition , 50% abv, RRP  £64.99 (LFW) Nose: Earthy peat layered upon sweet vanilla and cereals. Apples and quite a bit of citrus notes too. Faint smoke and bits of sea breeze. Creamy and not […] - [Westward Small Batch Oregon Straight Malt Whiskey](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/28/americana-westward-small-batch-oregon-straight-malt-whiskey/): Time for a bit of a change, with an American single malt whiskey made in Oregon in small quantities  from 100% malted barley grown in the Pacific Northwest. Fermented with a traditional ale yeast and distilled in copper pots, the spirit is aged in new charred oak for more than 2 years. I was given a sample of this whiskey by Shai (@dsappl on twitter : thanks buddy!), and must admint I’ve never heard about it before. But I am not a guy to turn down such an offer to try an unknown (to me) American whiskey , let a lone […] - [Tasting Kilchoman Loch Gorm batch #2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/27/tasting-kilchoman-loch-gorm-batch-2/): It’s Feis Ile week, and I know Kilchoman day is not until Thursday, but I feel like posting this review today, so that’s that. For some reason never tasted the first batch of Loch Gorm, so I can’t really compare the two batches (anyone got a wee sample for batch #1? send it over to WI towers, and you shall get something nice in return too – just comment). basically this is a limited edition (well, quite limited not very very limited) of 17,100 bottles, and the whisky is 5 year old, Fully matured from filling to bottling in fresh Oloroso […] - [The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/26/the-glenlivet-nadurra-oloroso-cask/): I know a lot of people love the Glenlivet Nadurra (Gaelic : for nature). For some reason I’ve never fell in love with that expression. I won’t say it’s not good, since it’s a good ex-bourbon whisky at a lovely strength, etc. But, we never hit it off me and Nadurra, i mean. The new Oloroso Cask matured Nadurra promises something new, with the Oloroso cask maturation rather than the classic ex-Bourbon profile, it should be different, right? So i took it for a spin, to try and see how good and how different it really is from the original Nadurra, […] - [Quick Dram : Tomatin 14 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/25/quick-dram-tomatin-14-yo/): After tasting the lovely 1988 vintage, It’s time to try the new 14 year old Tomatin, the latest addition to their core range. With the drop of the 30 and 15 year old , the 14 fills the space left by the 15 year old, while the 1988 filled the void left by the 30 year old. What’s common to those two is the use of Port pipes in maturation of both expressions. The 14 year old expression has spent around 13 years in the finest Bourbon oak barrels, with a further year in specially selected Portuguese port pipes which had […] - [Tasting the new Glengoyne 25 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/22/tasting-the-new-glengoyne-25-year-old/): The Glengoyne 25 is the latest addition to the GG range, and was released only last month (read more here) . official PR blabber says: Matured exclusively in hand-selected sherry casks for a quarter of a century, this unique malt is an important addition to the Glengoyne collection, which includes the 10, 12, 15, 18, 21 Year Old and Cask Strength malts. The malt is presented in a new heavy bespoke bottle and outer box. The bottle features a fine metal stopper, crafted cartouche and delicately branded neck tag and is attractively displayed in an oak box interior, which includes an […] - [The Laphroiag ‘Select’ NAS fiasco – My take](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/21/the-laphraoig-select-nas-fiasco/): There has been quite a stir on social media, mainly on Facebook (I know, REAL life is not happening ON Facebook), regarding the latest offering from Laphroaig, especially after Serge posted the following : “Gents and lasses, who could already try Laphroaig Select?” ,and “I’m asking because I’ve tried it. Couldn’t believe my nose and palate. Have it at 72/100 just know and I think I’m being generous. A very sad ‘expression’. – later that day he published his notes on the blog giving it a 70/100 mark and calling it “a poor little thing”. It’s not everyday that Serge doubts […] - [Darkness! Macallan 15 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/21/darkness-macallan-15-year-old-pedro-ximnez-cask-finish/): Continuing the very interesting line of Sherry cask finished single malts from Master of Malt (Maverick Drinks). This time they took a 15 year old Macallan and finished it in 50 litre first-fill Pedro Ximénez casks for an additional 3 months. What happened?  Good things did happen, i assure you. Darkness! Macallan 15 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish,52.3%,£109 Nose: A nice mix of dried fruit: sultana and fig spread , cinnamon mint leaves and pepper. Lovely notes of polished wood and spices with cinnamon rolls. Palate: Sweet rich and thick. Lots of sherry influence over here. A bit of pepper […] - [A most unusual Mortlach or Pastille Bouquet 1998 – Wemyss Malts (Mortlach)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/20/pastille-bouquet-1998-wemyss-malts-mortlach/): Mortlach. what comes to mind when you think about a Mortlach single malt? probably heavily sherried, dirty sort of, meaty and powerful with the signature oxtail notes, right? Wrong. This single cask by Wemyss was dram #2 at last week’s Twitter tasting I took part in (lovely tasting by the way), and left me completely surprised as I was not expecting this kind of flavour/aroma profile from a Mortlach. This is indeed, a very different specimen. Pastille Bouquet 1998 – Wemyss Malts (Mortlach) , 46.0%,£66 [MOM] Nose: Much more grassy, lemony (lemon grass, yea) , herbal and fresh, with fresh cut […] - [The new Tomatin vintage 1988](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/19/the-new-tomatin-1988-vintage/): If you remember , a month a go I posted about the changes in the Tomatin core range, mainly the addition of the new 14 year old (replacing the 15 yo)  and the 1988 vintage which will replace the 30 year old that’s gone. I am going to try this older 1988 vintage first, and then post notes later this week of the 14 year old. The 1988 is quite a limited edition with only 2,500 bottles available for the first batch and was matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Port casks, so we can expect it to be on […] - [Darkness! Ardbeg 21 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/18/darkness-ardbeg-21-year-old-pedro-ximnez-cask-finish/): Question: What’s the shortest time span known to mankind? Answer: It’s the time it takes a single cask Ardbeg to sell out on any Whisky merchant’s website… This one was not different, and I guess it sold out in minutes. But luckily I still got a sample of that lovely stuff to try, so here goes, and don’t bang your head on the wall for now buying any QUICK enough, It’s just madness. This  Ardbeg may spent 3 months in a tiny, specially rebuilt 50 litre first-fill Sherry cask (a fresh Pedro Ximénez cask in this case). Darkness! Ardbeg 21 Year […] - [Whisky PR Corner for Friday May 16th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/16/whisky-pr-corner-16th-may-2014/): Bitter Bastards! Cocktail Bitters Made with Centrifugal Force UK Drinks Distributor Maverick Drinks is proud to announce the launch of Bitter Bastards—a groundbreaking, state-of-the-art new range of cocktail bitters flavoured with rapid maceration extraction and clarified with a centrifuge machine which subjects the bitters to a force around 5,000 times that of Earth’s gravity. Cocktail bitters—the salt and pepper of the cocktail world—are traditionally made by soaking the ingredients in spirit for several weeks before bottling, essentially making a kind of stewed-tea with various bitter, richly flavoured botanicals, then clarifying the resulting liquid using either filters or fining agents. Bitter Bastards […] - [Lord Elcho Blended whisky (NAS)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/15/lord-elcho-blended-whisky-nas/): The latest addition from Wemyss Malts, after the successful 15 year old similar blended whisky. This contains a fairly high percentage of malt (40%) and is bottled without an age statement, I tasted this one as part of the Wemyss Malts Twitter tasting session we just held. Lord Elcho NAS, 40% abv, £23.95 Nose: Sweet dough, hint of butterscotch and a cooked apple strudel / crumble. some more fruit after some time with ripe melon , quite honeyed with a dash of lemon rind. Palate: Nice and sweet, with some fudge, vanilla, sherry, cooked apples, with milk chocolate, honey and nut […] - [Peat Smoked Herring 2001 – Wemyss Malts (Bowmore) in preparation for #WemyssTT3](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/15/peat-smoked-herring-2001-wemyss-malts-bowmore-in-preparation-for-wemystt3/): It’s Thursday and tonight we’re having another twitter tasting of Wemyss malts (the new Lord Elcho,Peat chimney 8 yo and two single casks). To get into the mood I’ve tasted a few of the recent releases of single casks by Wemyss, starting with this young Bowmore.  There are only 405 bottles bottled at 46% abv (yes, i know). Peat Smoked Herring 2001 Bowmore , 46.0% , £69 Nose:  Salty and briny on the nose with quite a bit of lemon zest, I can see where the herring comes from it has got that ashy fishy salty character alright. Very coastal yet […] - [The Glenrothes vintage 2001](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/14/the-glenrothes-vintage-2001/): Time for some Glenrothes (inspired by some tweets I’ve seen yesterday from my friend Dave who’s visiting the distillery [you lucky dog!]). This is the first vintage form the 21st century and bottled in 2012. It’s a classic GR alright. Glenrothes 2001 , 43.0%,£61 Nose: Very nice with the signature caramel candy (for me at least) in the form of Werthers Original , cereal-y, and very and malty, with some orange rind, lemon zest and spices. classic nose, fragrant and appealing, if not very complex. Palate: Lemon zest, and ripe orange, red fruit and caramel fudge, sprinkled with cinnamon. easy to […] - [SMWS G1.8 - ‘A bag of assorted boiled sweets’ Single Grain](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/13/smws-g1-8-a-bag-of-assorted-boiled-sweets-single-grain/): It’s been some time since i posted notes for a SMWS bottling. I have quite a few i should be tasting (arranged samples from latest outruns with the help of #whiskyfabric). This one however was a sample swap I did with Johanne (@whiskylassie) who’s now touring Scotland and is having some fun (so it seems). I normally associate single grain with sweet, bourbon-y whiskies, but as we’re about to see, that is not always the situation. This is what I love about whisky, each cask is so different, that the spectrum of aromas and flavours is just so vast. SMWS G1.8 […] - [Tomatin Cù Bòcan vintage 1989](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/12/tomatin-c-bcan-vintage-1989/): the original Cù Bòcan was released quite a few months ago and enjoyed quite a bit of success, with its peated profile and crispy youthfulness. This time around Tomatin released a vintage 1989 malt which was peated by accident back then in 1989. Tomatin vatted three of those casks [Casks 37470, 37471 and 37472 distilled on on 7th June 1989] to produce a limited edition of it’s peated whisky, but this time older and more mature. Let’s visit it, shall we? Tomatin Cù Bòcan vintage 1989, 53.2% , £199 Nose: some lovely malt and citrus notes with soot and peat smoke. […] - [Tasting Highland Park Freya](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/11/tasting-highland-park-freya/): Freya ( named after the Norse Goddess of Love) was released quite a few months ago, but I only managed to taste it the other day. I quite liked Thor and Loki who preceded her in this line of Hp’s Valhalla Collection. Freya comes in the same wooden “long ship” case, and nicely shaped bottle , but is quite different in flavour profile from her two older  “siblings”. Used to sell for 140 quid, but I think It’s all gone now, sold quite nicely. Highland Park Freya, 15yo , 51.2% , £140 (now sold out) Nose: Fresh and citrusy. Lemon curd. […] - [Whisky PR Corner & News – Friday May 9th 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/09/whisky-pr-corner-news-friday-may-9th-2014/): Maverick Drinks Announces the Darkest of Whiskies UK Drinks Distributor Maverick Drinks is proud to announce the launch of Darkness! – a range of exceedingly dark single malt and single grain whiskies with an enormously punchy, unashamedly brazen character. These so-called “sherry monsters” are sourced from Scotland’s top distilleries and are gloriously dark in colour thanks to the use of small, specially crafted sherry casks for finishing. The range is the first of its kind. The whiskies in the Darkness! range attain their deep, dark colour from a 3-month finish in specially coopered 50-litre first-fill sherry casks. The casks used to […] - [Longmorn 20 Year Old Burns Malt [The whisky barrel]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/08/longmorn-20-year-old-burns-malt-the-whisky-barrel/): This wee sample from TWB arrived quite some time and waited patiently in the samples box (one of them). I felt like some Longmorn last night after successfully assembling an IKEA BESTÅ cabinet (anyone who ever assembled any IKEA furniture knows a dram or three are very much needed prior and after that tedious process), in fact I think IKEA should include a wee dram inside EVERY box of furniture, that would boost sales by 100’s of percent, and make the customers bitch less and swear even less. A thought for you dear IKEA CEO… (Peter Agnefjäll). And now to the […] - [Old Hobart Overeem Port Matured – 43%](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/07/old-hobart-overeem-port-matured-43/): Another quick hop down under as we try this Port cask matured Overeem. Originally this was the very first Overeem I tasted a year or so ago (Many thanks to my Australian friend David L.). I liked it very much, but for a reason that escapes me now I’ve never written any tasting notes. Thankful to Overeem UK for this sample, I finally set down to write proper notes. Overeem Port Matured, 43.0% , £139 Again, this whisky was matured in small port casks (chopped down to hold less liquid) holding 100 litres, and due to that the maturation is faster. […] - [Rum for Independence Day : Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/06/rum-for-independence-day-havana-club-seleccion-de-maestros/): It’s Israel’s 66th independence day! (yes, before that we were part of the British empire, or what was left of it…) anyways, to celebrate this day which here consists of mainly BBQ on every piece of green grass, or just any spot (some people were spotted doing that in the middle of the road, between lanes. go figure). And what better than to celebrate a hot Independence day (over 30C tomorrow which is cooler than today if you’re wondering…) than with a RUM. I’m quite a fan, but not a real expert when it comes to Rums. Sure, I’ve tasted the […] - [Quick dram: Overeem Take II- Sherry cask 60%](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/05/01/quick-dram-overeem-take-ii-sherry-cask-60/): After I’ve enjoyed the sherry cask at 43% , it’s time to try the higher ABV version at 60%. I’m a big fan of Cask Strength whiskies, and rarely dilute with water at all , so 60% is no biggie, right? Let’s dram! Old Hobart Overeem Sherry Cask Matured (Cask Strength), 60.0%,£188 Nose: Stronger and spicier. Burnt maple syrup. Big sweet sherry influence. With dates. Sultanas and cooked apples with nuts. Pepper too. It’s whisky on steroids, but the good kind… Palate: Wham. Big sherry impact ahead. Sweet with massive sherry influence. Plums. Pepper with a hint of crème de menthe […] - [Glenglassaugh Torfa](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/30/glenglassaugh-torfa/): Just a few weeks ago I’ve written about this new expression from GG called the Torfa when it was released.  Young, peated GG (not that there are any old GG made by the new owners), but what’s unique is that they made peaty. Peated malts work well when young usually, that is if you’re into peat… I quite like peated malts, and before it gets too hot for any of the peated whiskies, I decide to give this a try, why not? Non-chill filtered, with natural colour and at 50%, this is how young NAS should be (if you’re bottling it […] - [anCnoc peated trio : Rutter,Fluaghter, Tushkar–#LightOnDark](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/28/ancnoc-peated-trio-rutterfluaghter-tushkarlightondark/): You’ve read it here on the blog and probably on many other booze sites/blogs. anCnoc released a trio of peated malts recently (more about it here), Two of which will be sold all around and the third Tushkar is a limited edition for Sweden. I’ve been meaning to try those for some time, having missed the “official” twitter tasting. Gladly Lukasz who manages the Inverhouse social media agreed to re-taste this online with a few twitter friends, and we sat to meet at 0700 GMT for a wee tasting session online. I’m a big fan of anCnoc, and was really intrigued […] - [Whisky News, Friday 25th : featuring Tomatin , The Glenlivet , Ballantine’s & Master of Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/25/whisky-news-friday-25th-featuring-tomatin-the-glenlivet-ballantines-master-of-malt/): New Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso Cask The Glenlivet, the original single malt whisky, is expanding its celebrated The Glenlivet Nàdurra brand into a range featuring different cask experiences as it aims to build on its strong development in the growing single malt whisky market*. Nikki Burgess, Global Brand Director for The Glenlivet at Chivas Brothers, comments: “The Glenlivet Nàdurra is the purest expression of The Glenlivet that captures the original passion and production methods of George Smith’s distillery. We know that whisky connoisseurs appreciate these qualities at the heart of the range, and by expanding the Nàdurra range we aim to consolidate […] - [Tasting Overeem Whisky Part I ](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/23/tasting-overeem-whisky-part-i-australian/): The whisky geeks among you must have heard about Overeem by now as it’s been around for a couple of years, mostly selling down under, but also in the UK in the past few months.I first encountered it when a good Australian friend of mine came over with a nice sample of the port version (43%) which was very good (i shared a sample with friends, and all were very impressed), but for some reason I failed to write proper notes. Overeem managed to send me a few samples of their Sherry and Port finished whisky (both at 43% and at […] - [Post Passover Whisky: Wiser’s Legacy](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/22/post-passover-whisky-wisers-legacy/): So Passover is over, and whisky season is back on. This holiday was a bit different than previous years – not much rest, as we moved house in the middle of the holiday (not that a holiday with small kids is any rest either, but this was more physical with moving, carrying stuff and of course, relocating all the whisky bottles samples etc. to their new dedicated room [yay]). So today’s whisky post is a Canadian whiskey. I am not going to bore you with a lot of details, if you’re interested you can check out Davin’s post on his Excellent […] - [Almost Legal : The Arran malt turns 17 – review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/13/almost-legal-arran-17-year-old/): Some whiskies shine at a young age, and some shine after quite a few years of maturation. Arran whisky seems to really benefit from longer periods of maturation and since Arran is quite a young distillery, It’s been a pleasure trying their whisky over the few recent years, and It just keeps on getting better. I loved the 14 year old, and then last year’s 16 yo was fantastic too. This 17 year old is really getting along, and I liked it from first sniff. Let’s dive in shall we? Arran 17 Year Old, 46% , £64 (The whisky Exchange) Nose: […] - [Tasting some Moonshine](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/13/tasting-some-moonshine/): Moonshine. Sounds exciting Illegal and drives your imagination into picturing illicit stills somewhere in the open prairies of the USA, right? I guess so. I do not have a lot of experience with Moonshine (or shine for short), but I was very excited when this wee sample arrived at my doorstep (or rather, I had to frigging go and pick it from the post office, as they do not deliver anything which is heavier than 10gr or something) : Normally I would not drink any shine without knowing who actually distilled it, but this was done by a friend from the […] - [Whisky PR Corner Friday April 11th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/11/whisky-pr-corner-friday-april-11th/): Another week full of whisky releases is close to an end, here are the latest news I’ve put together if you want to be up to date. Wemyss Malts launches new blended Scotch Whisky – Lord Elcho Edinburgh based boutique spirits company Wemyss Malts is delighted to announce an addition to its blended Scotch brand, Lord Elcho. Originally launched in 2012 as a 15 years old blended Scotch, Lord Elcho is now also available without an age statement. The whisky is named after Wemyss Malts founder’s 18th century ancestor who was a loyal supporter to Bonnie Prince Charlie and led his […] - [Auriverdes – the new Ardbeg on the block](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/09/auriverdes-the-new-ardbeg-on-the-block/): Unless you’ve been living on a distant planet, you’ve probably heard quite a lot recently about the latest addition to the Ardbeg range (Limited edition, not core range – mind you). A fast recap for those with short term memory  : The name of Ardbeg Auriverdes derives from the colour of the golden whisky (auri) in Ardbeg’s iconic green bottle (verde). Auriverdes is also the nickname of the national football team of Brazil, hosts of this summer’s World Cup, and inspiration behind Ardbeg’s Peat Football tournament which will be happening all around the world on Ardbeg Day, culminating in the Ardbeg […] - [It’s summertime with Ballantine’s Brasil](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/08/its-summer-time-with-ballantines-brasil/): I don’t know about you, but summer is almost here (In Israel that is). Days are longer, and it’s beginning to get hotter, especially in the sun. It’s only April, and the summer here is very long, so it  was just in time that I was sent a mixing set of Ballantine’s Brasil to try and sample this new spirit drink. In case you have not heard about the Ballantine’s Brasil here’s some PR info: Made by selectively cask steeping Scotch whisky with Brazilian lime peel, Ballantine’s Brasil represents as an innovative fusion of the traditions of Scotland with the passion […] - [Bowmore hand filled 1997-2013 55.5% abv](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/06/bowmore-hand-filled-1997-2013-55-5-abv/): I’m a sucker for hand filled bottles you can get only at the distillery, and most chances that you’re too if you’re reading this blog 😉 I was fortunate enough to get a wee sample when I traded samples over at Maltstock with the Spellers (Ansgar & Thomas). I had a feeling it was about to be a cracking dram when i saw the the lovely color and even one sniff from the sample bottled did reveal this is going to be a treat. Nose: Brine , a lot of ash , peat and BBQ sauce . peat reek and hints […] - [Whisky PR Corner April 4th, 2014 - New releases from GlenGoyne and Glenglassaugh](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/04/whisky-pr-corner-april-4th-2014/): Glenglassaugh releases first batch of single cask bottlings Revived from the dark and hand-selected by Managing Director and Master Distiller Billy Walker, there are eight phenomenal malts in Batch 1 which range from 45 to 28 years. All are crisp, fresh, sweet Highland malts that hit the palate with the power of complex fruit bombs – from apples, bananas, pineapples, grapefruit, prunes and plums to lime, cantaloupe melon and caramelised orange! The oldest, cask # 1601, 45 years old, was distilled in May 1968. Bottled at 44.3% vol, this autumn gold veteran is long and luxurious. On the nose, heady red […] - [Port Charlotte PC11 (Travel Retail edition)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/02/port-charlotte-pc11-travel-retail-edition/): Bruicladdich released this PC11 along with Octomore 6,2 (watch this space for tasting notes coming soon!) a few months back to the travel retail market. This is the first time Port Charlotte or Octomore are sold there AFAIK, but there is a catch : They did not release it to the UK travel retail market ,perhaps because of the very high margins those TR shops (see my previous guest post that explains more here) . At any rate, when i learned that the Tel Aviv duty free stocks this whisky, and for a fairly good price ($145) It was only logical […] - [Breaking : SWA to abolish Age statement for Whisky completely by Jan. 2015](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/04/01/breaking-swa-to-abolish-age-statement-for-whisky-completely-by-jan-2015/): There has been a lot of debate in social media (blogs, twitter, FB etc) lately about the growing number of NAS whiskies releases and the trend which some whisky fans do not care for. As you know a lot of those NAS bottling are the result of depleted whisky stock and the surging demand for whisky worldwide and especially in the far east. The SWA is not ignorant to that, and has been observing the situation closely, while getting requests from a few whisky distilleries and spirits companies (mostly the big giants) for help. I’ve come to learn from a source […] - [Aultmore 5 yo “Provenance” – Douglas Laing – Commemorative 1,000th Bottling Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/30/aultmore-5-yo-provenance-douglas-laing-%e2%80%93-commemorative-1000th-bottling-edition/): Being a young whisky does not not automatically make one a lesser whisky, and with all the NAS phenomena going on and just taking over the whisky scene, it’s nice to see examples of independent bottlers indicating – 5 year old on the label, as if saying “I am 5 year old, and I am not ashamed of it, I am just good at this age!”.  Aultmores at a young age can be lovely (see my past review a cask aged 5 yo by MOM) , and this wee dram is no different. Aultmore 5YO Provenance ,50.0%,£61 Nose: Lots of sweet […] - [Whisky news Friday March 28th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/27/whisky-news-friday-march-28th-2014/): A very busy week with new whisky releases. A brand new Ardbeg, 3 new and peated AnCnocs, J&B Urban honey drink and more   Ardbeg releases the ‘Auriverdes’ limited edition Ardbeg – four-time winner of the World’s Best Scotch Whisky award – will launch its latest Limited Edition, Auriverdes, on Ardbeg Day; the distillery’s annual global celebration of all things Ardbeg.  The 2014 Limited Edition, to be released on the 31st May, has been matured in American oak casks with specially toasted cask lids which were tailor-made for this whisky. The toasting technique has given the whisky a distinctive flavour profile […] - [Kilchoman’s first foray into the Travel Retail market : The ‘Coull Point’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/26/kilchomans-first-foray-into-the-travel-retail-market-the-coull-point/): It was only a matter of time until this happened, and does not really come at a surprise to anyone who’s been monitoring the whisky scene, A NAS for the travel retail. There you have it, Kilchoman also wants in, and the TR market has its own rules, basically, cheap NAS at higher prices due to the price pressure of the travel retail market (see my post for more info and comments). I’m not saying this is a bad thing, but with so many other whisky makers having a presence in travel retail, why not Kilchoman? so here it is. Basically […] - [Quick Dram: Highland Park 17 yo , 1996 – Old Particular [Douglas Laing]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/25/quick-dram-highland-park-17-yo-1996-old-particular-douglas-laing/): Time to try another D.Laing ‘Old Particular’ , and this time Highland park, one of my Fav. distilleries for sure. Distilled September 1996 and bottled in September 2013 , NCF. Highland Park 17 yo , 1996 – Old Particular , 48.4% , £90 Nose: Aye laddie! It’s a very nice nose. Tons of heathery peat. Sweet cereal and hints of exotic fruit too, floral and smoky. Palate: peppery and prickly with lovely earthy peat. Some heather honey too. Juicy and sweet but also dark and robust. The peat is back with smoke and sherry as in sun dried dates Finish: Pepper. […] - [Tasting four Jameson expressions on St. Patrick’s Day : #JamesonWhiskey](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/24/tasting-four-jameson-expressions-on-st-patrick%e2%80%99s-day-jamesonwhiskey/): St. Patrick’s day, what else can you do? Wear green? and drink Irish whiskey, right? what better than drink some whisky with whiskey/whisky mates from all over the world? well, nothing. I was extremely happy to be invited to this twitter tasting of four Jameson expressions by Steve Rush of the whisky wire, and get to taste maybe one of the best known whiskey originating from Ireland (at least in Israel). I know when whisky snobs (me included) hear the name Jameson we’re not really exciting, as the “regular” Jameson is a mass produced blended whisky, very popular but not very […] - [Whisky News : March 21st , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/21/whisky-news-march-21st-2014/): It seems the NAS wave is not going to end soon and this week whisky is the “Torfa” a peated version of Glenglassaugh. Glenglassaugh releases a new peated expression : “Torfa”. GLENGLASSAUGH has launched a new richly peated Highland single malt that will now be part of its core range along with Revival and Evolution. Glenglassaugh Torfa, with its smoky, peaty, phenolic nature, is a unique expression and quite different to the usual type of whisky produced in the Highlands. “At Glenglassaugh, in addition to the traditional production, we also produce a very limited quantity of whisky using richly peated malted […] - [Mortlach 21 yo ‘Directors Cut’ [Douglas Laing]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/18/mortlach-21-yo-directors-cut-douglas-laing-1992/): There has been a lot of noise and dispute regarding Mortlach recently,  After the latest news from Diageo (if you’ve been not heard about it for some odd reason i can not think about, due to the amount of rants, dialogues and discussions online, read this ). Indeed I was one of those who ranted online, and I am still quite not happy with what has happened to this lovely distillery being “kidnapped” into ultra premium lands, most of us will not be able to afford, or will not want to pay such a high price. Essentially it means no more […] - [Girvan Patent still 25 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/16/girvan-patent-still-25-yo/): Grain whisky is often thought of as “that cheap stuff” that is used to fill most of the volume in cheap blended whiskies, and while this is not untrue, This is far from the entire truth. Those who tried well made single grain whisky bottlings (like those few – i tasted some time ago) such as SMWS released etc, will tell you Grain whisky can be beautiful and delicious. It’s true that unlike the romantic, eye catching single malt distilleries with their pagodas and beautiful locations , grain distilleries (such as Girvan) looks like big industrial plants, churning many millions of […] - [The New Master of Malt 60 Year Old Speyside](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/12/the-new-master-of-malt-60-year-old-speyside/): Last week I got an email from Master of malt saying that they are sending over something for me to try, I can only blog about that Friday. something very interesting and unique , so naturally I was looking out for a wee delivery from the whisky fairy. However, you can count on the Israeli mail to fuck up whenever they can, and I was a bit sceptic the sample would arrive on Friday. Well, in an alternate universe I would write, and you know what? It was here on time. But, It really was not. It barely was, but then […] - [Single Cask nation Dalmore 12 year old [PX Finish]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/11/single-cask-nation-dalmore-12-year-old-px-finish/): A cask strength Dalmore, with no Caramel added, no fancy decanter? Can you believe it? Well, yes sir, and thank god for Indie bottlers such as Single Cask Nation (I know there are others) for letting us try Dalmore as it should be, NCF, CS, No coloring. Hallelujah. This cask bottling, distilled in June 2000, spent twelve years aging in first a refill bourbon hogshead before maturing for an additional ten months in a Pedro Ximenez sherry hogshead.  It was bottled at cask strength in April of 2013 at 46.1% ABV which is surprisingly at natural cask strength!  Cask #6951 yielded […] - [Port Ellen 30 yo Director’s Cut [Douglas Laing]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/10/port-ellen-30-yo-directors-cut-douglas-laing/): Port Ellen, the sound of those two words makes every whisky geek / lover / anorak smile foolishly, and start drooling massively. I’m no different than that, and I was extremely happy to have gotten the opportunity of tasting this 30 year old PE (Cheers Cara & Co) . I’ve had a few younger PE’s and some old PEs (one tasted blind, when I had no idea what it was). This one was distilled only a few months before the distillery was closed. Only 102 bottles of this nectar, thanks to Douglas Laing who apparently have some amazing casks still sitting […] - [Whisky News March 7th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/08/whisky-news-march-7th-2014/): Some new expressions and news for this week! let’s start with Balblair. Balblair releases 3 new expressions for Travel Retail See? TR release with age statement. it can be done! March 2014 sees Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky release three new Vintages exclusively in the Travel Retail channel. Balblair Vintage 2004, matured in bourbon barrels, the first release of the Balblair Vintage 1999 and the Balblair Vintage 2004, which is matured in sherry butts.The bourbon matured Balblair 2004 Vintage and the first release of Balblair 1999 Vintage will make their debut at the IAADFS Duty Free Show of the Americas […] - [Tasting Glenmorangie Companta](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/05/tasting-glenmorangie-companta/): Finally I managed to sit down and write notes about this much spoken about and discussed dram. (This time not out laziness, but other reasons )  I won’t bore you with the details and PR blah blah, you can read that in one of my earlier posts (here) . There was some debate about whether Companta really means “friendship” (like Cairdeas is supposed to mean, boy my Gaelic sucks), or something a bit different. This brings me to the great idea that Gaelic should be taught as a second language worldwide, this will make our lives easier with all those Gaelic names […] - [Tasting A duo of Limeburners whisky (Australia)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/04/limeburners-whisky-australia/): It’s really hard keeping track of all the new world whisky distilleries out there,there are so many and so many are popping everywhere, Australia, Europe,India,South Africa, you name it, someone is building one at this moment. This is really cool. I never heard about Limeburnes  distillery down under until my whisky mate Andrew  (@ardbaggie) who was named their Brand ambassador in the UK was kind enough to send over 3 samples of their whiskies to a few friends / bloggers (including me). I did a bit of reading about them and it seems they have been distilling for a few years […] - [Westport 15 Year Old Burns Malt Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/03/03/westport-15-year-old-burns-malt-whisky/): Today we’re going to review a Teaspooned malt by the name of Westport. Now, Westport is not a distillery. For those who are unfamiliar with the notion of Teaspooning, a short explanation is due: Some distilleries do not want their cask bottled by Independent bottlers to carry the distillery name (brand issues, etc), Glenmorangie is one, but they do allow to bottle a cask under a different name, after it has been mixed with a tiny amount of other malt (by that time the liquid can not be bottled as a single malt anyways). This is known as Teaspooning. This Westport […] - [Whisky PR Corner Feb. 28th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/28/whisky-pr-corner-feb-28th-2014/): quite a bit of news this week, with 3 new expressions: from a NAS entry level whisky frmo Cardhu, to the expensive Glenrothes 1969, and the Ultra expensive Brora 40. never a dull moment. THE GLENROTHES UNVEILS SINGLE CASK 1969 #11485 – LATEST RELEASE IN EXTRAORDINARY CASK COLLECTION Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits is proud to announce the second in its series of single cask bottlings of The Glenrothes from the late 1960s and early 1970s. The role of Berry Bros. & Rudd has always been to select the finest quality wines and spirits for its customers: The Extraordinary Cask Collection […] - [Glendronach single cask 1993 Cask #5 [batch 9]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/27/glendronach-single-cask-1993-cask-5-batch-9/): Time for our last tasting notes for the week, with another GD single cask from the latest batch (9). 1993. Let’s see what happened in 1993, I think that was my senior year at high school, and quite a nice year all in all. What i find odd is the cask number (5!?) not really sure how they got to number it that way, If anyone knows how come this is the number, let me know. GlenDronach 20 Year Old 1993 (cask 5) – Batch 9 , 53.0% , £98 Nose: A mélange of thick dried fruit compote with a fresh […] - [Whisky Live Tel Aviv - March 5,6 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/25/whisky-live-tel-aviv-march-56-2014/): I’ve written about the Whisky renaissance Israel is going trough in the last year or so (after the Tax on whisky and other premium alcohol beverage was reduced a great deal), and another sign of this is the first EVER Whisky Live show in Tel Aviv, next week (March 5,6). Indeed it’s a very exciting step forward for the Israeli whisky community, and I’m very excited and looking forward to meeting you all there, and sharing a dram. I am  by no means affiliated with the event, just supportive of the initiative. If you are a whisky fan, I think you […] - [Kavalan Solist Fino Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/25/kavalan-solist-fino-cask/): Last week was a good whisky week. David from Australia came over for whisky talk and a few drams, and brought this sample for me to try. I’ve been a long time fan of Kavalan, and was excited to try this one, I’ve never really gotten to try for some reason. Kavalan Fino Sherry Cask Matured Taiwanese, 58.6% , £220 Nose: very thick and intense. Surprising for a Fino cask. And the color. It’s dark. I’d guess it’s an Oloroso or PX by color only. Starting on sweet notes: lots of Demerara sugar, dried fruit especially fig. Cinnamon and thick caramel […] - [Two very different Compass Box whiskies](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/24/two-very-different-compass-box-whiskies/): Today I’m tasting two very different whiskies from Compass Box. The only similarities is that both are Blended whiskies (containing Grain & Malt whiskies). The first one is Great King Street Experimental Batch #TR-06. I’ve recently tried the sister expression ( the 00-V4 ) which was lovely. TR-06 contains 33% Lowland grain whisky  and 67% Malt whisky from the regions of Islay, the Highlands and Speyside. A third of the recipe is from fruity single malt from the village of Brora (read:  Clynelish). Let’s try that,shall we? Compass Box Great King Street Experimental Batch #TR-06 , 43.0%,£32 Nose: Gentle peat and […] - [Quick Dram: Balblair 1990 2nd edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/23/quick-dram-balblair-1990-2nd-edition/): This Beauty spent time in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry (Oloroso) casks, and is  replacing the 1989 vintage (which was a cracker) It’s the 3rd “newish” expressions to be released a few moths back with the 2003 and 1983 editions. Balblair 1990 – 2nd Release , 46.0% , £92 Nose: Vanilla citrus and crystallized ginger. Fresh cut grass and a hint of spiced wood and orchard fruit. Creamy and lively with the slightest hint of varnish. Palate: Sweet concentrated and creamy. Peppery yet fruity. Wood, fruit, malt and the teensiest hint of smoke. Delicious. Finish : Fruit and malt. Drying. Another very […] - [Whisky PR Corner Feb. 21st 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/21/whisky-pr-corner-feb-21st-2014/): GlenDronach launches a new GRANDEUR 24 year old The start  of a new year brings a new limited edition GlenDronach single malt designed for the serious connoisseur. Replacing the GlenDronach Grandeur 31 Years Old that has now sold out, the GlenDronach Grandeur 24 Years Old is another exquisite long-aged representation of the smooth, complex and full-bodied style for which GlenDronach Distillery is justly famous worldwide. For if the glorious rum-soaked golden sultanas don’t capture you as you savor it for the first time, you’ll definitely be ensnared by the dark chocolate and zesty orange oil softening to a deep clove spice. […] - [Quick Dram: Balblair 1983](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/19/quick-dram-balblair-1983/): It’s really about time I posted my notes and actually taste this one. 1983, seems it was just a few years ago, but It’s some 30 years ago! boy I am getting old. I remember 1983 quire vividly as a kid, and here this one is considered an old dram. oh well, better enjoy it then. Balblair 1983 – 1st Release , 46.0%, £210 Nose: splash. What a sweet and concentrated nose: dried pineapple, a lot of vanilla. Sandalwood, rose water , unripe banana all balanced by some notes of balsamic concentrate . Sweet and luscious. Wow. Really a hedonistic nose, […] - [Tasting Balblair 2003](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/18/tasting-balblair-2003/): This is the youngest offering from Balblair released last December , and tasted in a tweet tasting I had to miss out on (not even sure why). Balblair 2003 , 46% abv,£45 Nose: fresh lovely and youthful. Vanilla. Pear drops. Green apples. Malty and zesty. With a hint of fresh cucumber. Classic ex bourbon. Young lion. Lovely. Palate: lovely palate too keeping it fresh with the pears zest and oak. Creamy with vanilla and yummy oak notes followed by wood spice , pepper and ginger. A nice mouth feel oily and full with a tiny hint of dried coconut bits. Finish […] - [NAS & Travel Retail – The Truth–Guest post](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/16/nas-travel-retail-the-truthguest-post/): The NAS issue is still causing a stir. I was contacted last week by an industry insider who read the posts (mine,Lukasz’s, Billy’s) and wanted to shed more light on what’s going on in the Travel Retail market, and Why we’re seeing more and more NAS expressions (overpriced and young) there. My source (let’s call him James) wanted to share his truth with you readers of the blog, but stay anonymous, and I shall respect that. So here goes, The Truth. And many thanks to James for sharing this with us , and allowing me to post this on my blog. […] - [Will NAS Kill us all?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/02/14/will-nas-kill-us-all/): There has been quite a debate in the last few days following Lukasz’s excellent post regarding NAS (Read it before continuing)  and Billy’s answer to that (read Billy’s post here), and since NAS has been quite the issue for the last few months, I felt I should put my 2 cents worth of ideas here too. Those of you who follow my blog / twitter / Facebook feeds must know by now I’ve been bitching about NAS (mostly young EXPENSIVE NAS) for ages. Now, Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with some NAS bottlings and some are indeed Excellent […] - [Usquebaugh Society - Blind Tasting Competition 2014 ](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/06/usquebaugh-society-blind-tasting-competition-2014/): The Usquebaugh Society is a Dutch whisky society, I was introduced to by Sjoerd (and other good whisky friends). Sjoerd is a good friend (and a fellow blogger, check out his nice blog – in English), and as I was following doing the competition in previous years, I found the idea interesting, and asked to participate this year. I am happy to be on board (with other two fellow Israeli whisky lovers- Shai and Yaov). The idea is that you pay and get 18 drams, all scotch, no other information. You have to guess the distillery, age and abv% of the […] - [Whisky News & PR–December 5th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/05/whisky-news-pr-decemer-5th-2014/): The BenRiach 10th Anniversary bottling The BenRiach 10th Anniversary bottling is a strictly limited one-off bottling to commemorate a very special occasion. Back in 2004, Billy Walker and his two South African partners Geoff Bell and Wayne Kieswetter purchased BenRiach and turned it into one of Scotland’s most admired distilleries. On September 20 that year, the first distillation under the new owners was filled to cask. Ten years on, Billy Walker has married together four outstanding casks from the first week of production to create this limited bottling, at 46% vol, with only 1106 bottles available for sale. The four bourbon […] - [More Mackmyra for the Holidays: Moment Malström](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/04/more-mackmyra-for-the-holidays-moment-malstrm/): Another rich and interesting dram today, for the holiday season by the name of Malstrom. Malstrom means whirlpool in swedish , and this expression also was aged in an intersting combo of casks : mainly small 30 Litre  casks -Swedish Oak, American Oak, 1st fill Sherry and 1st fill Bourbon. Smaller casks mean more wood interaction and more flavours in shorter time. Mackmyra Moment Malström, 46.4% abv Nose: Fruity and displaying the Mackmyra DNA quite clearly, with some berries (not as many as the Midvinter, mind you), butterscotch and vanilla old school candy, and a nice amount of wood, wood spices. […] - [Tasting Mackmyra Midvinter](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/03/mackmyra-midvinter/): This week I will be tasting some Mackmyra whisky, I felt i had to wait a bit until the climate got cooler to taste the Swedish delights of Mackmyra, and I believe (for me) it was a smart move. The first dram I am going to review is called Midvinter which means “Mid-Winter” (Swedish is rather similar to english sometimes, eh?). This is a NAS whisky basically and was finished in French Bordeaux casks, Glühwine (mulled wine as we call it here) casks and sherry casks. Released December 2013. Mackmyra Midvinter, NAS, 46.1% abv, £55 Nose: very sweet indeed. With lots […] - [Re-tasting 'The Attic' - Israeli Single Malt–at 3 years old (Rum Finish)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/02/re-tasting-israeli-distilled-single-maltat-3-years-old-rum-finish/): Last year (in April) I posted note for a little boutique distilation conducted by Nimrod Rosenblatt and his brother who distil all sort of lovely liquids (see post) back then it was only 16 months old, but showed great promise, and here were are some time after, and the whisky is more than 3 years old, a REAL whisky (Israeli whisky does not have to be 3 yo to be called so, but EU whisky has to be that old, and this is the first such whisky from the Holy Land). Actually what we’re tasting today differs a bit from the […] - [Bruichladdich 12 yo First Fill Sherry cask (The Maltman)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/30/bruichladdich-12-yo-first-fill-sherry-cask-the-maltman/): This very interesting Laddie was distilled Sept. 2001 and bottled January 2014. A total of 492 bottles were filled from cask #326 (Oloroso). A first fill laddie is something I do not think I sampled recently, and It was my first Laddie from this bottler (The Maltman), so I really did not know what to expect (other than BIG sherry). Bruichladdich 12 yo, First Fill Oloroso Cask, 46% ABV, 69,95 € Nose: Big sherry going on here, that’s for sure: marmalade sweetness, with quite a bit of wine effect,  Meaty sherry, with sulphur galore (I like that profile, but some of […] - [Whisky News & PR–November 28th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/28/whisky-news-prnovember-28th-2014/): A few new releases this week – expect more as the holiday season approaches… Two new Wood finishes from Benromach Two exciting new wood finish single malt whiskies have been launched by the Benromach Distillery Company Ltd. The Hermitage Wood Finish was matured in first fill bourbon casks before being  finished for 27 months in hand-selected Hermitage wine casks from the northern Rhône region of France. The Château Cissac Wood Finish was also matured in first fill bourbon casks prior to being finished for 20 months, again in hand-selected wine casks, this time from the Haut-Médoc near Bordeaux in south-western France. […] - [The Balvenie Tasting event–Tel Aviv - Tasting the 40 year old and others…](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/27/the-balvenie-tasting-eventtel-aviv-tasting-the-40-year-old-and-others/): We do not get a lot of visits by whisky brand ambassadors here in Israel: The market is quite small, and we’re not exactly located at the centre of the whisky universe. So, when an ambassador does visit, it’s really a treat to be able to take place in a real whisky event, which are quite scarce in our neck of the woods. Needless to say I was extremely happy to be able to participate in such a tasting organized by the Israeli importer of The Balvenie (which is one of my all time favourite distilleries – but you already know […] - [Two new older OB Craigellachie–19 & 23 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/26/two-new-older-ob-craigellachie19-23-yo/): After yesterday’s notes for the younger Craigellachie (13 and 17 – here), comes the older more mature expressions. I was hoping to find a better malt here, and I was not disappointed. Let’s try the 19, which is a travel retail first, then the 23 year old. I am really not sure why they chose odd numbers (13,17,19,23) which are really not that common in whiskies (unlucky?) Craigellachie 19 y0 , 46% abv (Travel Retail only) , €119 (1 litre) Nose: Nice deep wood, coconut and some flinty notes as well, that become more apparent with time in the glass, sulphur […] - [A Dou of new Craigellachie – 13& 17 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/25/a-dou-of-new-craigellachie-13-year-old-17-year-old/): Not long ago Dewar’s in a very suprising move released 4 new Craigellachie with a complete overhaul of the range, including new design and all as part of its ‘Last Great Malts of Scotland’ range. this range of new expressions of this previously undiscovered single malt have never been released before as proprietary bottlings. I guess some of you need an introduction to the Craigellachie  distillery : Craigellachie distillery sits nestled in the heart of Speyside atop a rock overlooking the confluence of two great rivers, the Fiddich and the Spey. The distillery was built by Peter Mackie and Alexander Edward […] - [Haig Club Single Grain – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/24/haig-club-single-grain-review/): There has been a lot of talk about this specific bottle, after Diageo has chosen David Beckham to endorse this whisky and be it’s presentor. Yes, it does look like an aftershave doesn’t it? And yes, it’s supposedly very young grain whisky sold for a lot of money. All is true.Yes. I was not expecting it to appeal to whisky geeks, but I really wanted to try it after all the hype and joking. Gladly my whisky friend Mally (cheers bud!) won a bottle of that on twitter and was kind enough to spare me a dram (for science, of course). […] - [Port Charlotte Islay barley – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/23/port-charlotte-islay-barley-review/): After reviewing the Octomore Islay Barley, it’s time for it’s “little brother” the Port Charlotte Islay barley.  Harvested in September 2008 from the farms at Coull, Kynagarry, Island, Rockside, Starchmill & Sunderland, peated to 40 PPM, then distilled in December of the same year, it is also around 5 years of age, diluted to 50% then bottled. Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2008 , 50% abv, £51 Nose: a very malty nose on entry until the phenols kick in. Then we get tar smoke and copious amounts of ash with gasoline and some eucalyptus.  It’s not as fierce and deep as the […] - [The Macallan Masters of Photography - Mario Testino - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/21/the-macallan-masters-of-photography-mario-testino-review/): The Macallan have recently announced the 5th pillar in their “Masters of photography” series – Mario Testino. This is a very posh edition with 6 different casks bottled as minis, and a very exclusive photography book. There are only 1,000 such editions, and they are clearly aimed at collectors, so I bet only a small fraction will ever be opened and drunk (if any). I was very lucky to get a pack with a sample bottle, a Macallan glass (cool!) and the Mario Testino Photo book (high quality stuff). I am not much of a photo critic but I do love […] - [The Glenrothes Vintage Reserve](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/19/the-glenrothes-vintage-reserve/): The Glenrothes usually bottle vintages as opposed to age statement (you can do the math yourselves), but they do have a few NAS offerings (the select reserve, the alba reserve, and the robur reserve), and now there’s a new NAS around by the name of Vintage Reserve. Vintage Reserve comprises 10 different Vintages from the last three decades: 1989, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 – making it about 7 year old if they wished to indicate the age statement.  If you’re wondering about the ratio of vintages in the blend: The combination of different Vintages aged […] - [Blended Glory : Cutty Sark 33 yo–’Art Deco’ edition – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/19/blended-glory-cutty-sark-33-year-old-art-deco-edition-review/): Earlier this month (see your news edition) Cutty Sark, the well known Blended malt brand have released a very especial expression, called the Art Deco limited edition, aged 33 years old and presented in a very posh case with glasses and all. only 3,456 (nice number eh?) bottles were made, and each sold for a hefty £650. Not cheap at all, and I suspect most will be bought for “investment” by collectors (hope i am wrong). anyways, Cutty Sark were kind enough to spare me a review sample (cheers guys), and I very keenly went on to try it. I know […] - [New from Wemyss Malts “Velvet Fig” – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/18/new-from-wemyss-malts-velvet-fig-review/): It’s almost XMAS time and what better time to release new whiskies for the holiday season? I suspect we’re about to see many such products in the following weeks, and the latest is a very interesting Blended Malt  by the name of Velvet Fig. Do not be alarmed, There is no added figs or anything  (as I’ve been asked by some readers) , it’s only Wemyss Malt’s way of naming their whiskies, based on aromas and flavours of their whisky.  As I’ve said Knowing their customers’ passion for whiskies matured in ex Sherry casks, Wemyss Malts has created this no-age statement […] - [Octomore 6.3 Islay Barley – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/17/octomore-6-3-islay-barley-%e2%80%93-review/): Time for another Peat monster, and the latest offering from Bruichladdich in their line of Super-Uber Peated malts: The Octomore. Die hard peat lovers, will swear by the Octomore. I’ve been Following the Octomores from the early days of 1.1 and It is no secret I am quite the fan of the distillery (especially their peated lines) and the Octomore line in particular. Octomore 6.3 Islay Barley is the first release of the uber-experimental cult classic to be distilled using 100% Islay-grown barley. The crop was sown in 2008 by  James Brown in the field known as Lorgba on his Octomore […] - [Whisky News & PR Corner–November 14th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/14/whisky-news-pr-cornernovember-14th-2014/): New Cutty Sark 33 yo Art Decom Limited Edition A new Cutty Sark 33 yo, Art Deco limited edition Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky is delighted to announce the launch of their latest expression – Cutty Sark Thirty-Three Year Old Art Deco Limited Edition. This brand new 33 year old blend, limited to 3,456 bottles is available globally from November 2014 at a recommended retail price of £650. The limited edition bottling has been released to continue the exploration of the rich history, heritage and origin of Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky, with a specific focus on the exciting Art Deco […] - [The Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/13/the-arran-machrie-moor-cask-strength/): It’s the Fifth edition of the Peated Machrie Moor by Arran, and this time they have gone one step beyond, and released two versions a regular 46% ABV and a CS one, which I am trying today. I have not tried any of the MM releases since the first (reviewed on the blog here), but I remember feeling it was way to young back then. I wonder how that changed over the past releases. Only 12,000 bottles of Machrie Moor Fifth Edition and just 6,000 Cask Strength bottles are available, so it’s a small release indeed.  IMHO Arran is best when […] - [Glen Moray Port Finish (NAS)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/12/glen-moray-port-finish-nas/): After the lovely Chardonnay cask Glen Moray 10 (brilliant stuff for the price!) , I really wanted to try this one which is rather new. Basically it’s the Classic GM finished in port casks for an additional 8 months (Tawny Port casks to be exact),bottled at 40% and without colouring which is nice given the lovely copper colour of this whisky (some will say pink) that can be attributed to the Tawny Port cask finish… Let’s take it for a spin, shall we? Glen Moray Classic Port Cask Finish , 40.0%,£26 Nose: Buttered pancake with fruit jam on top. Creamy and […] - [The Glenlivet Launch event–Founder’s Reserve (and the Winchester Collection 50 yo)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/11/the-glenlivet-launch-event-founders-reserve-nas-and-the-winchester-collection-50-yo/): Last week, I was very fortunate to attend the global launch of a new, permanent addition to the core Glenlivet range. The occasion, held in The Library, a swanky members only club near London’s Trafalgar Square was the perfect setting, and Glenlivet had clearly gone to much effort to brand the place its own with bottles from their range strategically placed behind the bar, and historic Glenlivet images hanging from the walls. As you walked in, you were greeted with a classic Collins, with Glenlivet 12 as its base, or you could have a straight dram of 12. As it happens, […] - [Compass Box Great King Street – Glasgow Blend – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/10/compass-box-great-king-street-glasgow-blend-review/): Time for another new release from Compass box, after the excellent Lost blend, this is a Blended whisky, rather than a Blended Malt (meaning it has some grain whisky as well as malt whisky as an ingredient). GLASGOW BLEND is the second permanent whisky to be introduced to the Great King Street range , which is essentially a small-batch Blended Scotch whiskies from Compass Box. The range takes its name from 24 Great King Street, the company’s registered address in Edinburgh since John Glaser started the business in 2000. This time GKS Glasgow packs a peaty punch (not too much but […] - [Compass Box–The lost blend - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/07/compass-box-the-lost-blend-review/): Time for some new releases from Compass box. It’s been a while since I tasted a new one from this brilliant little whisky company (headed by John Glazer). this time we’re speaking Blended Malt again: THE LOST BLEND is a new limited edition release – this marriage of three single malts is a homage to their long lost (and much loved) Eleuthera whisky, and boasts the same unique smoky fruity style. After 10 years of searching, whisky maker John Glaser was finally able to track down the unique whiskies he required earlier this year. The result is The Lost Blend. The […] - [Whisky News & PR–November 7th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/07/whisky-news-pr%e2%80%93november-7th/): Wemyss Malts launches limited edition Velvet Fig whisky Independent bottler Wemyss Malts is launching a luxurious new limited edition  to complement its award-winning blended malts range. The new ‘Velvet Fig’ comprises specially selected single malts matured wholly in ex Oloroso sherry casks, evoking rich autumn and winter fruits and spices. Knowing their customers’ passion for whiskies matured in ex Sherry casks, Wemyss Malts has created this no-age statement expression to diversify their existing line-up and is its first blended malt to be non-chill-filtered and bottled at 46% abv. With a limited release of just 6000 bottles globally, it is presented in […] - [Hankey Bannister Raffle–And the winners Are….](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/06/hankey-bannister-raffleand-the-winners-are/): Well well..  The time has come to reveal the winners of our 1000th post celebration and raffle in cooperation with Hankey Bannister. But first let me thank all of you who commented, and those who commented elsewhere on SM and did not wish to participate, your support is very important to us. As promised we’re giving away 5 SEPERATE prizes : four bottles (full size), and one sample of the 40 year old. The lucky winners are: Hankey Bannister Original – Daniel de Wit Hankey Bannister 12 year old – Troy Hankey Bannister Heritage blend – Yoav Kowalski Hankey Bannister 25 […] - [Quick dram: Springbank 16 (port cask first fill)–The Maltman](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/05/quite-dram-springbank-16-port-cask-first-fillthe-maltman/): Time for another single cask from the Maltman label. Another Port you say? Yes, another one. [after the kilchoman,and others recently, and more coming soon!] This time a very unusual port cask (first fill) Springbank, distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2014, making it 16 yo.  A first fill port cask is an interesting choice as this is bound to impact the liquid quite a bit with the wine notes. Not sure I’ve had a springer with the same profile. Let’s try it shall we? Springbank 16 years Port Cask,  Maltman 51,7%vol ,€119 Nose: Sweet, with quite a bit of wine-y […] - [Kilchoman 5 Year Old 2009 Original Cask Strength – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/04/kilchoman-5-year-old-2009-original-cask-strength-review/): Another new expression released recently from the farm distillery of Kilchoman, this time no cask finishes or wine casks at all, ex-bourbon only. This batch is bottled from a vatting of 35 such casks filled in 2009 and bottled in 2014 making the liquid 5 years old. 9,200 bottles of the nectar were made, and bottled an the natural CS of 59.2%, NCF No colouring. As natural as they come. nice! Let’s dram… Kilchoman 5 Year Old 2009 Original Cask Strength , 59.2% ABV, £66 Nose: Nice and creamy for a CS Kilchoman,  I’d say, butter, peat and quite some ash […] - [Kilchoman Port Cask– Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/03/kilchoman-port-cask-review/): Port Casks – you either love them or hate them. I know many that won’t drink a whisky aged in port, and many that would swear by them. I am not sure where I stand though. I’ve had exceptional whiskies aged in Port casks (mostly finished in port), and some over fruity and wine-y ones. I was really intrigued by the first Kilchoman to be aged in such a cask and released, and happy I got to try this dram. The first thing you notice about this one (like a lot of port aged whiskies) is the Colour. I don’t really […] - [Whisky News & PR–November 1st, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/11/01/whisky-news-prnovember-1st-2014/): Douglas Laing Announces a new range – Extra Old Particular [old bottlings] Established in 1948, leading independent Scotch Whisky specialist, Douglas Laing & Co today announce the release of their rare and ‘antique’ aged Single Cask Scotch Whisky range “XOP” – Xtra Old Particular. Douglas Laing’s XOP carries aged Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch Whiskies from all across Scotland’s Whisky regions and is bottled in a totally natural a style. Meaning XOP bottlings are from only one selected cask, without colouring, without chill-filtration and at natural cask strength. Launching this November and available from specialist Whisky retailers, some truly “xceptional” […] - [A trio of Balblair 2000 single casks–#Millennium tasting](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/30/a-trio-of-balblair-2000-single-casks-millennium-tasting/): Last night Bablair held a very special twitter tasting, in which 3 very different single cask Balblairs (cask samples, nothing commercial – yet) were on the table. This tasting was kind of special since it was done partly on site ( a few lucky bloggers on a trip to the Inverhouse distilleries) and the rest of us from the comfort of our home on twitter. Everyone was twitting and it was lots of fun. Besides it being a fun event it was also highly educational, showing how three different cask type affect the same distilled new make so differently.  Cask #1350 […] - [Yoichi Single Cask #129493 , 1991-2007](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/29/yoichi-single-cask-129493-1991-2007/): Quite a few months back I received a few samples from Sjoerd (bottle share of the legendary Karuizawa, and a couple of others as a Bonus). This one sat and waited patiently and it’s finally time to review this baby. From what I remembered it’s a good one (So I was told by  Sjoerd, and he’s usually right!). Yoichi Single Cask 16, 1991-2007, #129493, 62% abv, Sold out Nose: Sweet BBQ sauce. A hint of dirty sherry. Caramel candy. Sweet marinated chicken wings. Earth. Sweet condensed desert wine notes too. Mushroom mint. Alcoholic. Palate: sweet Smokey and sharp. It’s a big […] - [Kilchoman for Whisky In Leiden 2014 Cask 142/2007](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/27/kilchoman-for-whisky-in-leiden-2014-cask-1422007/): There are quite a few private cask bottlings by Kilchoman, but I think this has to be the oldest one I’ve tried (7 yo or so). First tasted it last week with friends, and took a sample home to ‘research’ it further, with a clean palate, and fewer drams that precede it… 245 such bottles exist, and they are still on sale, if you’re a fan. Kilchoman for Whisky In Leiden 2014 Cask 142/2007 , 60.4%, €79,99 Nose: Starts sharp on alcohol at first (like we did not see that at 60%+ …!)  Nice peat reek and bacon notes up front. […] - [Whisky News & PR–October 25, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/25/whisky-news-proctober-25-2014/): Glenfiddich announces new visual identity The famous and best selling single malt brand of Glenfiddich has revealed its new visual identity, which has been designed by the London based Purple Creative agency.  The company have been working with Glenfiddich for eight years and the current re-invention of the brand includes the creation of new brand imagery, bespoke fonts, graphics, colour systems and tone of voice.  They have also evolved the iconic stag logo  and classic Glenfiddich logotype. Objectives/insight by Sarah Macaulay “The drinks sector is image-led, and so Glenfiddich needs top-class imagery to compete, reflect our brand credentials and achieve premiumisation. […] - [Two Indies from Denmark–Caol Ila 7 yo and Highland Park 1997](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/24/two-indies-from-denmark%e2%80%93caol-ila-7-yo-and-highland-park-1997/): A few weeks ago as I was browsing through photos of whisky, cigars and food on Instagram (seems all my friends are either drinking, smoking or eating) I noticed an interesting image of 4 wee samples bottles filled with a hot sauce: I was intrigued, and said I wanted to taste one. The internet is filled with nice people, and the creator of this sauce a jolly good fella from Denmark (thank you Steffen!, not Steffen Brauner…) offered to send me a sample of the sauce and on top of that two extra whisky samples. Brilliant! I accepted of course, and […] - [Benriach 1991 – Whisky Agency "Mollusc & Medusa"–Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/23/benriach-1991-whisky-agency-mollusc-medusareview/): A few days ago I visited a whisky buddy where we held a bit of a dramming evening together, nothing planned, all Impromptu. I brought over a few older Glenglassaugh samples (a post is coming soon, brilliant stuff single casks from the 1970’s) , and we also drank a few Indie bottlings, one of them was this. The Benriach does not need introduction, and The Whisky Agency does have some outstanding bottling out there, so it was highly interesting to pop open the bottle and try this one (cheers guys!). The Label is fantastic, if that means anything to you,but let’s […] - [Port Charlotte 12 year old–The Maltman](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/22/port-charlotte-12-year-oldthe-maltman/): Been a while since I tasted a new cask from the Maltman, and every time it’s fun with this cool little IB. Port Charlotte, I love Port Charlotte, and this is the oldest PC I’ve tasted to date, it’s the oldest around I think. PC11 OB was brilliant, so how is one more year and a different cask will affect the liquid? This baby was distilled  December 2001 and bottled May 2014… Port Charlotte 12 yo, 52.4% , cask # 846 (269 btl) Nose: bacon. We’re in bacon county! And I’m loving it. I. Getting some of the dairy sweetness too […] - [A couple of Wemyss malts from the latest release–Invergordon and Clynelish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/21/a-couple-of-wemyss-malts-from-the-latest-releaseinvergordon-and-clynelish/): Three weeks ago or so Came another single casks release by one of my favorite independent bottlers : Wemyss. as always, each malt (or grain in this instance) has a unique name which characteriszes it, I was lucky to be able to sample three of the recent batch (which was EPIC in size – 12 different casks). Two very different casks, one a single malt, and one a single grain from Invergordon. Vintage Strawberry Punnet, Invergordon, 1988, € 89 Nose: sweet and desert like. Berries on top of vanilla cream , spices and wood. Perfumed and peppery too, with a sweet […] - [Speaking of the devil–Bowmore Devil’s Cask Batch 2 - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/21/speaking-of-the-devilndashbowmore-devils-cask-batch-2-review/): There are a few whiskies that attract a lot of attention every once in a while, and for some reason (well, for obvious reasons) Bowmore’’ Devil’s cask is one of them. It all started last year when the first edition came out, and sold out faster than lightning, then the price shot up in the secondary market (read: auction sites), and people were flipping them like mad for 100%’s more than the original price. It was obvious that when the second batch of the Devil’s cask is out, history will repeat itself, and that was EXACTLY what happened: this time the […] - [The new Glenmorangie Taghta – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/20/the-new-glenmorangie-taghta-review-tasting-notes/): A few weeks ago Glenmorangie released the Taghta (Scots Gaelic for ‘The Chosen One’), which is considered (according to Glenmorangie) to be “the world’s first crowd-sourced whisky”. I guess you would have to be living on the moon to not have heard about this whisky at some point as in the  the past 18 months whisky enthusiasts from more than 30 countries around the world have helped craft and create Taghta through the Glenmorangie Cask Masters programme. Essentially Glenmorangie gave the whisky folk worldwide the choice of cask, name, label etc. Frankly i thought it was a bit too much, as […] - [The new Ardmore ‘Legacy’ – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/19/the-new-ardmore-legacy-review-and-tasting-notes/): The last few weeks saw quite a few new whisky releases, and one from Ardmore (who now calls itself “The Ardmore”) is not something you see everyday. The new “Legacy” is replacing the old “traditional cask” which was also a NAS, but for some reason drops the ABV to 40% and maybe to make it more accessible also drops the peated malt content (20% unpeated and 80% peated malt contents), making it “lightly” peated. I was quite a fan of the Traditional cask, offering a solid profile for a relatively good price, and was quite intrigued by this new malt. Will […] - [Celebrating our 1000th Post with Hankey Bannister–RAFFLE!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/17/celebrating-our-1000th-post-with-hankey-bannisterraffle/): I am happy to be celebrating our 1000th post this week, a very important milestone, I had not even dreamed about 5 years ago when i started the blog and posted the “we’re open for business” post. How time flies. So, after 5 years, countless whiskies tasted (at least a 1000, but many more i’ve not written about), many whisky friends and whisky fans I’ve met online and face to face, It’s time for a little celebration, right? If you’ve been following the blog recently, you know I’ve been tasting the Hankey Bannister range from the basic to the 40 year […] - [Whisky PR and news digest , October 16th](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/16/whisky-pr-and-news-digest-october-16th/): Scotch Whiskymaker Compass Box Releases Smoky Sherried Sibling to the Award-Winning Great King Street Artist’s Blend   Scotch Whiskymaker Compass Box Releases Smoky Sherried Sibling to the Award-Winning Great King Street Artist’s Blend “There is no Blended Scotch whisky quite like this.” John Glaser – Compass Box Founder & Whiskymaker GLASGOW BLEND is the second permanent whisky to be introduced to the Great King Street range of innovative, small-batch Blended Scotch whiskies from Compass Box.  Glasgow Blend will be available from mid-October in UK and Europe, and from November 1st onwards in the US, North America and all key international Compass […] - [Even More Hankey Bannister - the 40 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/15/even-more-hankey-bannister-the-40-year-old/): Yes, we’re coming to the end of our little journey through the HB range, and last but certainly not least its the oldest offering from the brand : the 40 year old blend. Old blends are something I really like, and I’ve had a few of those over the years (Black Bull 40 , The General from compass box to name a few), and this was one reason I was really looking forward to trying this one. Old blends don’t come cheap, and some malt snobs are really missing on some beautiful whiskies when they are not willing to try or […] - [Hankey Bannister Time round 2 : the 25 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/14/hankey-bannister-time-round-2-the-25-year-old/): We’re moving up the Hankey Bannister core line after the Original and 12, we’re visiting the 25 year old, but before that, a bit of a history lesson, and information about the name, people and history behind HB… Currently the HB brand is owned by Inverhouse distillers (the same guys who own Balblair,Old Pultney, AnCnoc, Speyburn), but originally it was founded in 1757 by two gentleman by the names of Beaumont Hankey and Hugh Bannister – hence the name. The company was first located at Johns Street in London’s West End, and in  1785 the cellars moved to Adelphi Arches under […] - [Hankey Bannister Time–Original & 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/13/hankey-bannister-timeoriginal-12-yo/): Blends, more blends. as Blends are the bread and butter of the whisky industry, I always am happy to write about those, and reduce the Malt snobbery factor of the blog. I well know most people out there do buy blends, and That has to be reflected on the blog, right? In the next couple of posts I am going to visit the entire Hankey Banister range, and things are going to be very interesting for you too (hint, hint – but more to be revealed later on). I feel HB does not get the attention it should be getting as […] - [Whisky News & PR Corner October 9th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/09/whisky-news-pr-corner-october-9th-2014/): THE GLENROTHES RELEASES VINTAGE RESERVE: 10 VINTAGES, NO AGE STATEMENT Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits is delighted to announce the release of Vintage Reserve from award-winning Speyside distillery, The Glenrothes. As with many single malts, the new expression carries no age statement but, in an unprecedented move, all the Vintages used in this single malt have been revealed. Vintage Reserve is the expression that best epitomises The Glenrothes Vintage Single Malt philosophy of bottling whisky only once it has reached the peak of its maturity. Vintage Reserve comprises 10 different Vintages from the last three decades: 1989, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2000, […] - [Forty Creek port wood reserve](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/08/forty-creek-port-wood-reserve/): Back in 2013 I took place in the Canadian whisky tweet tasting with Davin D.K and Johanne, and i am pretty sure we tasted this whisky too. unfortunately I did not keep notes when I originally tasted it, but was sent another sample by those two Canadian stars (not sure which, as its all a mess, and I did not keep the bottle). So just in time for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot , here’s my take on this whisky. Basically you’d have a hard time getting this whisky outside Canada, as is the situation with other CA whiskies. As it […] - [Malts of Scotland Bunnahabhain 1973](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/07/malts-of-scotland-bunnahabhain-1973/): This baby has been sitting here for quite some time waiting patiently since Jan 2014 , due to a very long queue, and other reasons i have no idea what they are… Back then my good mate Sjoerd who’s known for his bottle shared, arranged a share of Malts of Scotland  and I immediately wanted a share. Better late then never, and this one was well worth the wait IMHO… Let’s roll. Bunnahabhain 1973, Malts of Scotland, 50,2%, Sherry Butt #2424 Nose: aye. I like this nose a lot. Furniture polish. Old school benches. But that’s not everything: meaty  notes And […] - [New Zealand Whisky take II– single cask#137 vintage 1990 ](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/06/new-zealand-whisky-take-ii-single-cask137-1990-vintage/): We go up in age (actually this is the oldest sample among the three samples I am going to review) and today we’re visiting this single cask. distilled in 1990 , and bottled March 2013, making it 23 years old… New Zealand 1990 / 23 Year Old / Cask #137 , £110 Nose: quite a lot of wood and orange peel as well as vanilla and honey, with a burst of sweet sugared orange jam and spices. Palate: Sweet mother of Jesus!. major ex-bourbon notes over here, with a peppery tang. this dram really can benefit from water (and I do […] - [New Zealand Whisky Take I - 15 yo Doublewood](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/05/new-zealand-whisky-take-i-15-doublewoo/): So whisky from down under? in New Zealand? well, yes, and no. There is currently no ACTIVE whisky distillery in NZ, but once there was: the  Willowbank Distillery on the southern island in New Zealand. Sadly it was closed down in 1997 and mothballed in 1999, but apparently (and luckily) their aging stocks were bought in 2010 by the New Zealand Whisky Company, who bottles them now, and and sells memories from that period. I am lucky to have quite a few of whisky loving friends, one of which is Erik Burgess who’s an old twitter buddy and the New Zealand […] - [Whisky News & PR corner October 3rd, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/03/whisky-news-pr-corner-october-3rd-2014/): Wemyss malts release an epic 12 different single casks Edinburgh based boutique Spirits Company Wemyss Malts is delighted to announce the release of a new parcel of single cask Scotch whiskies. This mouth-watering collection of new whiskies is named after the unique natural taste and aroma of each one and reflects the unique and contrasting appeals of the different Scotch whisky regions and styles. The full cask list of this release comprises: "Vintage Strawberry Punnet" – 1988 single cask from Invergordon, Single Grain "Sweet Peat Posy" – 1987 single cask from Bowmore, Islay "Aniseed Pastille" – 1996 single cask from Bowmore, […] - [Cù Bòcan Sherry Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/02/c-bcan-sherry-cask/): If you’ve been reading our PR Corner and news digests posted every Friday you probably heard about the latest addition to the Tomatin Range: the company has expanded The Cù Bòcan brand range with another limited edition: the Sherry edition. With the standard edition comprising Sherry, Virgin Oak and Bourbon casks, this is the first of three limited editions highlighting the flavours derived from each cask type. Fully matured in first fill Sherry butts,  There are only 6000 bottles available and it is expected to retail at £49.99 in specialist retailers. So, a young NAS sherry dram, must be a sherry […] - [Abbey Whisky Kilchoman 5 yo single Cask #285/09](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/10/01/abbey-whisky-kilchoman-5-yo-single-cask-28509/): It’s always fun getting a sample of a Kilchoman single cask by surprise. That’s exactly what happened last week, when a wee samples arrived courtesy of the famous whisky fairy. I was not aware of this new cask bottle for Abbey whisky, and later that day sat to explore it. The “dry” facts say it’s 5 years old , distilled in 2009, matured for over four and a half years in a fresh bourbon barrel before being transferred to a Pedro Ximénez cask for a further four months maturation. It’s been a while since I’ve tried a PX finished Kilchoman and […] - [New from Glen Garioch: Renaissance Chapter 1–15 yo – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/30/glen-garioch-renaissance-chapter-115-yo/): Time to try another very interesting new release from Glen Garioch from their  exciting quadrilogy, charting the journey of the malt’s current house style as it matures over four years. The result is an anthology of four exclusive editions – 15, 16, 17 and 18 year olds – entitled the Glen Garioch Renaissance Collection, of which each will be released annually.  The first one (a 15 year old) was released a month ago, The Renaissance 15-year-old Glen Garioch has been non-chill filtered and bottled at 51.9% ABV  retailing at around £80 and only 12,000 bottles available globally, so i bet this […] - [The New Glenlivet Nadurra “First Fill” – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/29/the-new-glenlivet-nadurra-first-fill-review/): About two weeks ago The second instalment in the Nàdurra series was released (after the first Oloroso cask). This edition is called “first fill”, the whisky is drawn from casks made from American White Oak that have never before been used to mature Scotch whisky (what we call: Virgin oak). Two versions of this are available: one at cask strength (we’re about to try) and another version intended for Travel Retail which will be bottled at a diluted strength of 48% abv. Pricing is set to $80. Will this edition be as good , or better than the Oloroso cask I’ve […] - [A new Blended malt from Hunter Laing : Highland Journey – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/28/a-new-blended-malt-from-hunter-laing-highland-journey/): Highland Journey is a new blended malt from Hunter Laing & Co. ,  inspired by a train journey in the 1950’s, when Stewart Laing’s father took him to the Highlands to visit distilleries, thus igniting his passion for whisky. Highland Journey is a blend of only malt whiskies from Highland distilleries such as Blair Athol, Clynelish and Teaninich, and as is matured in both bourbon and sherry casks. Highland Journey ,46,2%, abv , € 45 (~35 quid) Nose: Feels rather young and fruity, with a lot of apple schnapps (and some pear), on top of vanilla and cereal backbone, Caramel and […] - [Whisky news and PR Corner Sept. 26th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/26/whisky-news-and-pr-corner-sept-26th-2014/): GLENMORANGIE LAUNCHES TAGHTA – THE WORLD’S FIRST ‘CROWD-SOURCED’ WHISKY Glenmorangie Taghta, Scots Gaelic for ‘The Chosen One’, is testament to the dedication, creativity and expertise that goes into crafting a Glenmorangie expression. Over the past 18 months whisky enthusiasts from more than 30 countries around the world have helped craft and create Taghta through the Glenmorangie Cask Masters programme. Only 12,000 bottles of Glenmorangie Taghta will be released globally, available exclusively to registered Cask Masters. Launched in March 2013, the Cask Masters programme – the brainchild of Glenmorangie’s Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling & Whisky Creation – has invited members […] - [Glendronach 18 yo Tawny Port finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/25/glendronach-18-yo-tawny-port-finish/): The very first post for the Jewish new year! Not that I really use the jewish calendar that much, but it’s holiday time and a good opportunity to post something for the new year. This is quite new, and was released last August, which makes its a month or so old on the shelves.. The 18 year old replaces the 15 year old tawny port finish, bottled at 46% abv, first matured in European oak casks and thereafter finishes its maturation in a small batch of Tawny Port casks. Glendronach 18 Year Old (Tawny Port Cask Finish), 46%, £67 Nose: Quite […] - [Tasting Kininvie 17 yo batch #1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/24/tasting-kininvie-17-yo-batch-1/): Been a couple of months since I posted my tasting notes for the 23 year old, and it’s time to visit another expression from the same distillery, a younger one this time, but not necessarily not as good as some would think. If that surprises you, I guess you’re not the first, but when we take into consideration that each cask is different, and that different wood profiles may result ins different whisky altogether, it’s not that illogical when you think of it. Age matters, but age is not everything. (don’t get me started with NAS, ok?). The 17 year old […] - [Older Benromachs rock too–Benromach 1976](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/23/older-benromachs-rock-toobenromach-1976/): After the brilliant 10 year old, comes a much older, and much more expensive vintage Benromach – the 1976. Only one year younger than yours truly, it’s really at the age when whisky begins to display those “old” characteristics, i love so much. at £485 (at The whisky exchange), it’s not a cheap dram at all, and it’s aimed at a total different audience. But, is it good you ask? Let’s try it, shall we? This whisky was  matured in first fill and refill sherry hogsheads. and was produced by the previous owners (before G&M took over), so that’s also an […] - [The affordable whisky that could: Benromach 10](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/21/the-affordable-whisky-that-could-benromach-10/): We do not often remember this, but most people drink blended whisky, and those who do drink single malts often opt for the affordable malts which some of us whisky geeks find “boring” : The Glen Livet 12, the Glenfiddich 12 etc, or in short: single malts under 30 quid. It’s been long since i tried anything from Benromach, now owned by Gordon & Macphail, I did know a new 10 year old dram was released not long ago, with new logo, and bottle and looking very nice, but only recently after being sent a sample to try, i had the […] - [Whisky News & PR–Friday 19th, September 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/19/whisky-news-prfriday-19th-september-2014/): The Ardmore unveils The Ardmore Legacy The Ardmore distillery has just launched The Ardmore Legacy, a lightly peated Highland single malt to be distributed by Maxxium UK. The Ardmore Legacy continues the distillery’s history of producing the only traditionally peated Highland single malt whisky and will replace Ardmore Traditional Cask as its core expression. A lightly peated, sweet dram, The Ardmore Legacy offers the ideal introduction to peated single malts.  Combining notes of creamy vanilla, smoky charcoal, sweet honey and savoury spices with a pleasant smoky taste, The Ardmore Legacy is a full-bodied and smooth dram with the typical Ardmore dry, […] - [Tasting Ardbeg Supernova 2014 -SN2014 Committee Release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/18/tasting-ardbeg-supernova-2014-sn2014-committee-release/): Another Ardbeg, another media frenzy and another sold out edition. Much talk among the whisky nerds about the mini samples bottles this year, due to an onslaught of Ardbeg Mini collectors asking, begging, nagging and flooding anyone with a distant chance of getting one of those minis , which apparently are highly prized to sell, trade , or god knows what else. Good blog posts by Oliver Klimek and the guys from CaskStrength.net who filmed themselves destroying a bottle and asked other bloggers to do the same : film yourself doing just that – destroying empty sample bottles. As it turns […] - [Wemyss Malts–“At Anchor in a cove”–Glen Scotia 1991](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/17/wemyss-maltsat-anchor-in-a-coveglen-scotia-1991/): Another Glen Scotia (I really love this distillery, especially when it’s bottled by IB) from the latest batch of single casks from Wemyss. If you remember the excellent Merchant’s Mahogany Chest (another 1991 vintage GS from Wemyss I reviewed), you might have guessed I had very high expectations from this one. Will it live up to the expectations? not all casks are created equal and when it comes to single casks you never know what you are going to get, do you? Wemyss Malts–“At Anchor in a cove”,Glen Scotia 1991, 46% abv, €79 Nose: Fruity, with apples, some red fruit and […] - [Tasting the brand new Old Pulteney 35 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/16/tasting-the-new-old-pulteney-35-year-old/): I am still remembering the day I tasted the OP 40 about a year and a half ago, it was that good. So when I got the PR for the new 35 year old I know this is something I have to try too, as it’s going to rock.  Only 450 cases of this outstanding single malt were  rolled out to global markets with a retail price of £500 per bottle, non-chill filtered at 42.5% ABV. The whisky was released a couple of months ago, but it was well worth the wait. What’s also interesting is another attack of Mini bottle […] - [Tomatin to the power of four : Cuatro](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/15/tomatin-to-the-power-of-four-cuatro/): Tomatin are on a Roll: releasing some brilliant products recently (loved the new 14 year old!) and now this: the Cuatro range. Unfortunately i was not able to take part in the tweet tasting in which all was revealed, but prior to the event with only the “Cuatro” name as a hint (they would not reveal anything, sneaky devils) i had a few guesses as to what “Cuatro” might mean. I thought maybe it would be a vatting of 4 kinds of sherry casks, or a whisky finished in 4 different sherry wood types, and although i was very close i […] - [New Blended Malt from Douglas Laing - “TIMOROUS BEASTIE”–tasting notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/11/new-blended-malt-from-douglas-laing-timorous-beastietasting-notes/): A new product from D.Laing is always good news, and after the “Scallywag” comes another blended malt, this time made from a few single malts from the Scottish Highlands. Here’s the PR : Established in 1948, leading independent Scotch Whisky specialist, Douglas Laing & Co today announce the release of their brand new Highland “Vatted” Malt – Timorous Beastie. Douglas Laing’s Timorous Beastie is a Small Batch bottling created using only the finest Highland Malts including – amongst others – Dalmore, Glengoyne and Glen Garioch. Bottled at 46.8% alcohol strength, without colouring and not chill-filtered, this specialist Small Batch bottling displays […] - [Big Peat Xmas Edition 2014 Batch 61](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/10/big-peat-xmas-edition-2014-batch-61/): Another wee sample from Maltstock, of one of my favourite Blended malts with a major peaty profile (and a cool looking bottle, mind you!) – Big peat Xmas Edition. Big Peat Xmas Edition 2014 Batch 61, 55.7% abv Nose: Fruity and smoky with caramelized apples with bacon and maple syrup. Some ash and leather too as well as cinnamon gum. Palate: Big chilly and icy cinnamon bite. Then bacon in sweet glazing , smoke, ash and some seaweed and salt. Tar and leather. Finish: Pepper and sweet BBQ meat. Salt and seaweed with a nice amount of ash. This edition is […] - [A tale of two Australian Larks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/09/a-tale-of-two-australian-larks/): I’m back from Maltstock. It was amazing as usual, but until i settle down again after a few days of boozing and having fun with friends, here are a couple of drams i’ve tried before i flew. more on Maltstock, later this week (or the next ). Lark distillery is perhaps the the best known Tasmanian distillery, created by Bill Lark (which now have also bought Overeem ditillery). I have tasted a few of their single cask releases (they usually do release those), but for some reason never posted notes on the Blog. A few months ago I was visited by […] - [Whisky News & PR corner September 5th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/05/whisky-news-pr-corner-september-5th-2014/): Good morning, by the time you will be reading it I will be landing in the NL for the annual Maltstock whisky festival, more updates later, but until then a few news items for this week. Ardbeg Supernova 2014 out September 12th Not even released and this ardbeg is already causing a stir in the whisky puddle, with the mini versions of this whisky been sought after by mini collectors, to the extent that Oliver Klimek of Dramming.com and Joel & Neil from Caskstrength posted videos of themselves destroying empty supernova minis after tasting them, and calling other bloggers to do […] - [Heading to Maltstock 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/04/heading-to-maltstock-2014/): So, that time of year has come. Maltstock 2014 it is. It’s become a bit of a habit (3rd time is a charm, yeah?) and it’s fun. If you’re coming too, make sure to drop by , say hi, and share one two or five drams, After all it’s all about being Relaxed. Expect a few days of silence on the blog, and be back next Tuesday! For those attending too – See you tomorrow! Gal. - [Tasting Paul John ‘Brilliance’ (Indian whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/03/tasting-paul-john-brilliance-indian-whisky/): Amrut was the first Indian single malt that made it , and is regarded (and I agree with every bit of it) as a great whisky, having released some outstanding expressions in recent year, top notch stuff. It’s always harder being the first, the pioneer, and in this case Paul John single malt has an easier path, but it does have to prove , that it can also play in the big league of single malt and produce quality malt. John Distilleries were established in 1992 by Mr Paul P. John, a first generation entrepreneur. Over the last two decades, the […] - [Quick Dram : Teeling Small Batch](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/02/quick-dram-teeling-small-batch/): I’ve been meaning to post these tasting notes before, but never got to it. Today i walked into my local liqour shop in search of something quite different (I always check the whisky shelves to see if there is something new), and I saw this whisky and the grain version on the shelf. I was very surprised and quite content to see another whiskey brand sold in the Holy Land. More and more brands are making Alyah (coming over in Hebrew jargon), and it makes me quite happy. The prices are also quite reasonable (on par with UK prices!!) so can’t […] - [Karuizawa 1984, cask #3663 (Speciality Drinks)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/09/01/karuizawa-1984-cask-3663-speciality-drinks/): Karuizawa. the stuff whisky geek,lovers and aficionados dream about (they can hardly afford it nowadays), and even after all the hype is gone, Karuizawas are quite amazing drams, you have to admit that. A few months ago Speciality Drinks (a sister company of the TWE, owned by the same famous Sukhinder) announced it was bottling a cask from 1984, and due to the high demand for  ANY Karuizawa , they are going to conduct a raffle to all those who sign up for a bottle, and those who “win” can then PAY and buy one. 2014 yes, true. Anyways, I did […] - [WhiskyBase Burnside 1989 [Balvenie]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/31/whisky-base-burnside-1989/): Whisky base the incredible source for anything about a whisky bottle you might be looking for does not need an introduction. To celebrate their 50,000th!!!! (yes 50K) bottle on their ever expanding database, they have bottled this lovely whisky a “Burnside”. We all know there is no such distillery, and WB do not hide the fact that this is a teaspooned Balvenie with a tiny amount of Gleniffidich. After some Q&A on twitter regarding “Teaspooning”, i will quickly explain that some distilleries (such as the Balvenie, Glenfarclas etc) do not allow Independent bottling of their whiskies (for many reasons: maintaining the […] - [The Balvenie 30 Year Old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/27/balvenie-30-year/): I’m a Balvenie man. I’ve tasted a lot of OB Balvenies, Indie Balvenies, tea spooned Balvenies, Tun 1401’s, some older some younger, but for some reason I never got to try the 30 year old. It’s not cheap, so you can’t just buy it on a whim, and I still am looking forward to trying the 50 yo (hint). I received this sample of the 30 to try (thanks, Ofer) only recently, and sat down to explore the next day or so, I expected a treat, and i was not disappointed. Balvenie 30 Year , 47.3% , £293 Nose: Omg. This […] - [Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Barrel Proof](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/26/elijah-craig-12-year-old-barrel-proof/): If you’re a Bourbon or whiskey fan, you’ve probably tried the 12 year old Elijah Craig, whic is brilliant and very well priced IMHO. This version however is a bit different – a limited release Small Batch, twelve year old bottled at Barrel Proof and without chill filtering, preserving the natural flavours produced during the aging process.  It’s just like sipping the nectar from a cask, at a whopping 67.1% ABV !! (this is the Stagg Jr. sort of version by EC, if you will). This used to be a distillery only bottling, but it’s now sold in shops (if you […] - [A couple of Smooth Amblers – A Rye and a Bourbon](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/25/a-couple-of-smooth-amblers/): Smooth Ambler is a  young craft distillery located in West Virginia , producing young spirit (Vodka, Gin and aged Gin), until its stock is old enough to be sold as whiskey. Like other distilleries it’s also sourcing Bourbon, Rye and Whiskey from older distilleries in bulk, and bottling those with their own label (disclosing it’s distilled elsewhere). I’ve heard good things about their spirits and fortunately for me, Sjoerd has included two expressions of theirs in the last American bottle share. It’s summer and quite hot in IL right now, so sipping some bourbons and whiskey is a good idea for […] - [Pike Creek 10 yo Double Barreled Whiskey (Port finish)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/24/pike-creek-10-yo-double-barreled-whiskey-port-finish/): My brief summer Hiatus is over (almost, a few days here and there). It’s been a nice relaxing week, with some whisky, beer and chilling by the pool with kids and family (and friends), and it’s time to continue the summer dramming sessions with some whiskey (a few of those this week). The first one is a Canadian sample that was waiting patiently for some time now, and comes from Pike Creek.  Pike Creek comes from the Windsor, Ontario suburb where the Hiram Walker warehouses are located, and is quite unique as it’s double distilled in small copper column stills  the […] - [Summer vacation ;)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/16/summer-vacation/): Whisky Israel and me will be on a short break this week. Enjoying family time and a few drinks too, I’m sure 😉 See you all in a week. Plenty of notes and lists to read if you’ve not read them all. Gal. - [Whisky News & PR Corner – August 15th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/15/whisky-news-pr-corner-august-15th-2014/): BENRIACH RELEASES BATCH 11 OF ITS SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS It comprises fourteen superb casks that were bottled in July and all are available as of today, ideal for leisurely summer tasting. Ranging from 37 to 9 years old, the much-anticipated release demonstrates a hugely eclectic range of expressions for which Elgin’s award-winning BenRiach is renowned, with astonishing variety across the fourteen casks. These include whiskies in the traditional, classic Speyside style, peated expressions and wood finishes such as Dark Rum, Tawny Port, Madeira, Virgin Oak, Pedro Ximenez Sherry and a Marsala wood finish. All fourteen casks have been hand-selected by BenRiach’s […] - [Aromatic Orange Tobacco 1988 - Wemyss Malts (Glenrothes)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/13/aromatic-orange-tobacco-1988-wemyss-malts-glenrothes/): Another Single cask by Wemyss Malts from the last line of single casks release of last month. This time an IB Glenrothes , distilled in 1988  matured in a single butt. The cask was bottled in 2013 and bottled with an outturn of 730 bottles. Aromatic Orange Tobacco 1988 – Wemyss Malts (Glenrothes) , 46.0%,£118 Nose: Starts with a classic cereal and spice. Wood and some citrus notes as in orange or tangerine marmalade (or what you can call :classic Glenrothes profile), with a hint of ginger. Palate: Rather woody with quite some of that up front with the nice citrus […] - [FEW Bourbon Cask Strength](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/12/few-bourbon-cask-strength/): This whisky was part of Sjoerd’s American Whiskey bottle share, and It is the first time EVER i’ve tried any of the FEW spirits. I heard good things about this one, so I was really looking forward to it. Not much info about this one except that the mashbill is predominantly made up of corn as well as rye and some malted barley. FEW Bourbon Whiskey Cask Strength , 61.5% , £59 Nose: WHOA!! This is strong stuff. BIG. BOLD. WOW. and now for some real notes: sharp and creamy at the same time. Big rye effect I guess. Mint. Maybe […] - [Wemyss Malts – Melon Vine – Aberfeldy 1994](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/10/wemyss-malts-melon-vine-aberfeldy-1994/): Photo credit : Whisky Speller Been a while since i sampled a dram coming from the lovely distillery of Aberfeldy. Founded in 1896 and opened at 1898 , it’s located on the southern bank of upper Tay. The distillery closed down between 1917-1919 due to malt shortages caused by WWI, however it did operate through WWII , with only a few periods of closure, and kept its supply by reducing the age of its bottlings from 7 years to the bare minimum of 3 years. The distillery saw some expansions in 1972 and in 2000 “Dewar’s World of Whisky” was opened […] - [Whisky PR Corner–Friday August 8th , 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/08/whisky-pr-cornerfriday-august-8th-2014/): Is this coincidence or a new trend? two of this week’s new releases were matured in a PORT cask… GLENDRONACH LAUNCHES 18 YEARS OLD TAWNY PORT FINISH GOLDEN syrup, red fruit compote and red grapefruit – a mouth-watering description of the new GlenDronach 18 year-old Tawny Port expression launched this wek (4th August 2014). Bottled at 46% abv, it is the award-winning Aberdeenshire distillery’s latest addition to its wood finishes range and replaces the 15 years old Tawny Port finish expression. The GlenDronach Tawny Port finish is first matured in European oak casks and thereafter finishes its maturation in a small […] - [Wemyss Malts - ‘Lemon Cheesecake’ 1988 Invergordon (single grain)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/07/wemyss-malts-lemon-cheesecake-1988-invergordon-single-grain/): Time to start a series of reviews for the latest batch of single casks from Wemyss Malts. Correct me if I am wrong, but this seems to be the first single grain bottling from Wemyss who usually do single cask malts. Very nice. Grain (and certainly older grain) can be lovely, and they deserve a place among the whisky shelves of whisky lovers, no doubt. Let’s roll with the tasting notes, shall we? Lemon Cheesecake 1988 – Wemyss Malts (Invergordon) , 46.0% , £81 Nose: Lemon sherbet on top of sweet vanilla cheesecake. Lemon rind. Cereals. Pine needles. Wood varnish and […] - [The Glenrothes sherry cask reserve – NAS](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/06/the-glenrothes-sherry-cask-reserve-nas/): Sign of the times. More and more NAS whiskies are released, and The Glenrothes has also released one recently : the sherry cask reserve. The Glenrothes have released quite a few NAS whiskies in recent years, even before the big NAS trend (the select reserve, alba reserve, Robur reserve, Manse reserve etc. so as you can see NAS is not a new territory when GR is concerend, however this is the first release where the whisky is aged in only first fill sherry casks. as the PR states: “Sherry Cask Reserve is matured predominantly in European oak which delivers a greater array […] - [Bowmore Tempest 10 yo Batch #5](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/05/bowmore-tempest-10-yo-batch-5/): Bowmore Tempest has been one of my go-to Bowmores in recent years, with a few bottles polished off from older batches (1,2). I can say I’ve tried all batches until now, (with batch 1,3 as my favourites). A few months ago I compared Batches 3&4 head to head, and found batch 3 Brilliant (have a look here). So as you can see I had to try the latest batch (number 5) which was released last April. Bearing an age statement of 10 years old, and bottled at a lovely 55.9%, I had expected it to be somehow similar to Batches 3 […] - [Kininvie 23 year old Batch #2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/08/04/kininvie-23-batch-2/): I’m about to review the very first Kininvie on the blog , a happy moment for me, surely as you can imagine. Kininvie is an odd distillery indeed, a sister distillery to The Balvenie , and actually more a still room than a fully fledged distillery, as it lacks Mash tuns, and gets its mash straight from the Balvenie, to be distilled in its set of stills (3 wash, and 6 spirit). opened in July 1990 by Janet Sheed Roberts, granddaughter of William Grant. In the intervening 23 years, production has focused solely on blending (Monkey shoulder) so no products were […] - [Taking a walk on the dark side : Highland Park Dark Origins](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/31/taking-a-walk-on-the-dark-side-highland-park-dark-origins/): It’s not everyday that Highland Park (yes, one of my favourite distilleries) releases a new expression, and every such release is quite exciting. This time (In accordance with the current trend), they chose to release it as a NAS, and call it Dark Origins. If you’re not familiar with the HP history, this name might sound a little weird,However they chose this name to after the distillery’s founder Magnus Eunson. Establishing a secret bunker in the hills of High Park in Orkney, Magnus ‘Mansie’ Eunson became a famed dark distiller back in the late 1700s, creating whisky for the people of […] - [Quick dram : Tomintoul 1969 3rd Release (Archives) - WhiskyBase](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/30/quick-dram-tomintoul-1969-3rd-release-archives-whiskybase/): This is an old Tomintoul sample I got with a purchase of a few bottles on WhiskyBase shop. They are really nice to pop in samples of their Archives bottling which are rather excellent , by the way, with most purchases, and that is Uber cool. I doubt I’d get to taste that fantastic dram otherwise, so thanks guys! This lovely dram was distilled in June 1969 and bottled in March 2012, aged in an Ex-Bourbon cask for 42 years, yielding 60 bottles at 42.4 % abv. Tomintoul 1969 Arc , 42.40 % , cask # 4266, € 159 Nose:  Quite […] - [Canadian Club Sherry Cask batch SC-020](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/29/canadian-club-sherry-cask-batch-sc-020/): Time for some more Canadian whiskey. Today with one of the better known brands – Canadian Club. This expressions is a bit unique, as it was finished in Sherry casks. If you’re a scotch aficionado, chances you won’t be blown away by this procedure of finishing a whisky in sherry casks, as it’s very common in scotch these days, but for Canadian whisky, a finishing technique is not very common (probably since you can add actual sherry to the whiskey and still call it whiskey by Canadian whiskey standards). Anyways, this whisky started its life in American oak for 6 years, […] - [Highwood 25 Year Old Calgary Stampede Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/28/highwood-25-year-old-calgary-stampede-whisky/): Time for one more Canadian whisky, from a sample I long ago recieved from the one and only Davin D.K, who run the most comprehensive Canadian whisky site , a true whisky lover, and expert, and a really nice man.  To be honest, I’ve never heard about this whisky before trying it (not that this comes as a surprise, as Canadian whisky is not that well known outside CA). It was bottled to commemorate the yearly Rodeo held in Calgary known also as the “Stampede”. This bottle is a special edition of the Century Reserve whisky, very limited to only 6,000 […] - [Whisky News & PR Corner July 25th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/25/whisky-news-pr-corner-july-25th-2014/): Wemyss Malts new Single Cask releases Edinburgh based boutique Spirits Company Wemyss Malts is delighted to announce the release of a new parcel of single cask Scotch whiskies. The latest release includes a single grain single cask whisky for the first time and the most valuable whisky Wemyss has ever released in a 31 years old single cask from Bowmore distillery. Each cask is a celebration of the unique and contrasting appeals of the different Scotch whisky regions and the latest release covers grain whisky and four of the regions: from Islay, Highlands, Speyside and Campbeltown. Wemyss whiskies are each named […] - [High West American Prairie Reserve](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/24/high-west-american-prairie-reserve/): About 50 years ago (so it feels, but it’s really a year or so ago I think – correct me if i am Wrong, Sjoerd) my mate Sjoerd who writes the brilliant whisky blog – Malt Fascination, and a very cool dude, arranged another one of his famous bottle shares. Meaning, he buys a few bottles of good whisky, and then we split it up between 14 people, each paying his share, and thus gaining access to 10 lovely whiskies, he would rather taste before buying, or ones he can’t really taste otherwise. This time it was an American themed share, […] - [Tasting Glen Moray 10 yo Chardonnay casks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/23/tasting-glen-moray-10-yo-chardonnay-casks/): Time for a more down to earth, widely available and very affordable dram from the underrated (too underrated if you ask me) distillery of Glen Moray. This whisky was aged for its entire life in Chardonnay casks. Now I’m not a huge fan of Chardonnay (probably spent too much time drinking mediocre Israeli Chardonnay), but it might work here with whisky, Butter notes are not bad eh? Let’s roll Glen Moray 10 Year Old Chardonnay , 40.0%, £23 Nose: Buttery and malty with yeast, and fruit (peach and apricot) on top of dried coconut bits. You can almost sniff the buttery […] - [Burnt Crumpet & Highland Toffee – SMWS 30.71](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/22/burnt-crumpet-highland-toffee-smws-30-71/): Time for a bit of SMWS goodness (I got a lot of those babies I need to taste in the queue, but this was long due). Sample Provided by Johanne (whiskylassie), and seems to be a SMWS Canada release. This is a Glenrothes, so one can indeed expect a lot of that butterscotch and toffee going on (if OBs is something to judge from), but lo and behold, no Caramel, at a strength that is above 40% (yes, guys-that’s a wee hint). I must admit i had to google the word Crumpet (i had no idea whatsoever what it was), you […] - [GlenGlassaugh single casks batch #1 cask 7301 vintage 1975](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/21/glenglassaugh-single-casks-batch-1-cask-7301-vintage-1975/): After a few more affordable drams, time to dive into deeper and more exclusive waters. Earlier this year (April), GlenGlassaugh released it’s first batch of single casks, (see my previous post about that), the youngest cask being 28 year old, and the oldest being 45 year old, those are of course old stocks which were bought together with the distillery when changing ownership. I will be reviewing most of the range of single casks in the coming weeks, starting with this 1975 (my birth year – cool isn’t it?) who spent 38 years in the casks then finished in an Oloroso […] - [Whisky News and PR Corner July 18th, 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/18/whisky-news-and-pr-corner-july-18th-2014/): GLENDRONACH RELEASES BATCH 10 OF ITS SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS AWARD-WINNING GlenDronach Distillery has today (July 14th) released Batch 10 of its renowned single cask bottlings. Nine outstanding casks, ranging from 1990 to 2002, were selected by Master Distiller Billy Walker. Each one of these casks from the Aberdeenshire distillery is an excellent example of the typical GlenDronach character with tastes of sweet dates, raisins, dark chocolate, toasted oak spice and roasted coffee beans. The cask details are: 1990 cask # 2970 / 24 Years Old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 51.3% 1991 cask # 1346 / 22 Years Old / […] - [A killer Bunny : Bunnahabhain Dràm An Stiùreadair - Feis Ile 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/07/17/a-killer-bunny-bunnahabhain-drm-an-stireadair-feis-ile-2014/): Coming to the last bottling from this year’s Feis Ile festival 2014, Bunnahabhain have released two different Festival expressions : Westering Home, a 17 year old selling for a whopping £250, and the  second is called  ‘Dràm an Stiùreadair’ (pronounced Draam an Yoù-radar – meaning The Helmsman’s Dram in Gaelic), that was cheaper and more approachable at £95. Not often does Bunnahabhain release a young smoky OB, and this is just one. This 10 year old whisky was first matured in ex-American bourbon casks for nine years before being finished for one year in a Marsala cask. Young peat and wine […] - [More Mezcal – Mezcal Tlucuache, 100% wild agave Angustifolia](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/17/more-mezcal-mezcal-tlucuache-100-wild-agave-angustifolia/): The next Mezcal I tasted after the Nauyaca was this, which is made from wile Agave Angustifolia, in case your’e wondering how this Agave looks, I’ve attached an image (I had no idea too). Again this is a nice wild agave. This Agave grows in Oaxaca which is another region where Mezcal can be harvested and distilled and call it Mezcal. (If you remember the first post, here) Mezcal Tlucuache, 100% wild agave Angustifolia, 42%, Oaxaca, Mexico Nose: This is both more vegetal and  fruitier than the previous mezcal but still very mezcal-y. Exotic fruit up front as well as agave […] - [Orphan Barrel – ‘Rhetoric’ bourbon whiskey 20yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/15/orphan-barrel-rhetoric-bourbon-whiskey-20yo/): You might have heard about the Orphan Barrel series of whiskeys released in recent months by Diageo, as they were quite the discussion topic among bourbon and whiskey lovers. The name is allegedly chosen because the barrels for these releases were “forgotten”, in the Diageo warehouses, or so. I am quite skeptical about them being really forgotten, more likely been stashed to be sold at a later time for more money, or for a special release, but anyways, forgotten gems sound sexier than “some old barrels we’re been keeping for later use or so”. Right? Anyways, this one has was distilled […] - [Mezcal time part I – Mezcal Nauyaca (Mezcales de Leyenda) – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/11/mezcal-time-part-i-mezcal-nauyaca-mezcales-de-leyenda-review/): It’s summer time (almost), and I am always on the lookout for malt alternatives. I am not much of a Mezcal expert, and have only tried a few (not very good ones) until now, but I’ve been hearing good things about quality Mezcals, and luckily my mate Sjoerd (who’s always on the look out for quality booze) arranged a Mezcal bottle share, of some cool Mezcals from Mezcales de Leyenda. Basically Mezcal is an alcoholic beverage obtained by distilling agave juice, or “maguey”, as opposed to Tequila which is basically made form the same family of plants (but has to be […] - [Post Feis Ile peat craving - Old Malt Cask Port Ellen 26 years Cask DL5398](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/09/post-islay-peat-craving-old-malt-cask-port-ellen-26-years-cask-dl5398/): All this talk about Feis Ile, peat and smoke made me crave a bit of peat a few days ago. It’s not a secret I find myself drinking less and less peat , and since winter is long gone, weather conditions favor fruitier, lighter drams. But, when you need your fix peat , you need that… A few months ago I tasted this lovely PE at a friend’s and luckily I was given a sample to review later (cheers ofer) , and totally forgot about it… We all know how PE prices look like these days, so any chance of drinking […] - [Kininvie 23 yo batch #3 – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/08/kininvie-23-yo-batch-3/): The last batch of Kininvie 23 year old was reviewed here last august, and It was a very good whisky indeed, It’s now time to try the latest release- batch #3 which is seems to be available mostly in the Whisky Shop. If you remember, Kininvie is a sister distillery to the Balvenie and is quite young (founded at 1990), it does not mash it’s barley, but gets it from the Balvenie distillery, which is a few meters nearby, to be distilled in its set of stills (3 wash, and 6 spirit).Almost all of the whisky made in Kininvie is used […] - [Review: Samaroli–A ferry to Islay–Blended Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/04/review-samarolia-ferry-to-islayblended-malt/): Milroy’s of Soho, the lovely whisky shop from London is back after some rennovation and new management, and they also opened an online store (it’s time!). If you visit London or live around , you must know this lovely whisky shop situated at Greek street in the Soho district of London. They are on a roll with new tastings, and new bottles in stock, and they have quite a few nice Indies by Samaroli, the well known Italian IB. While shopping there recently for a Jura by Samaroli, I spoke to Lee , the manager, and he was kind enough to […] - [Tasting some brilliants Havana Club Rums–#HavanClubTT](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/02/tasting-some-brilliants-havana-club-rumshavanclubtt/): I am not a big rum drinker myself, but I like the liquid. I never had enough time to explore it, and I know it’s a vast world.. Gladly I was asked to join and international Havana Club tasting on twitter the other day hosted by Peter Holland, respected rum writer and founder of The Floating Rumshack and joined by Havana Club’s International Brand Ambassador Meimi Sanchez, who were going to lead us through 4 lovely expression of the HC brand (including some amazing limited editions). Can I say no to such an event? of course not.   We started off […] - [Blair Athol 18 yo [Old Malt Cask] - Review ](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/01/blair-athol-18-yo-old-malt-cask/): Another dram I sampled as part of the WhiskyShop tasting panel (thank you guys).  Not much info on that one, but I guess it’s a sherry cask of some sort. bottled at the customary 50% OMC bottlings come at..  A Blair Athol, not a dram you frequently sample, is it? (I think it’s #2 on the blog, from this distillery), Blair Athol 18 year old, Old Malt Cask , 50% , £100 Nose :  Quite dusty on the nose, with some sherry notes as well as wood showing well aged notes. It’s not very sweet however. Malt and limes. Quite alcoholic […] - [Glenturret–The Peated Edition - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/28/glenturretthe-peated-edition-review/): Ending this mini Glenturret series of reviews, with the peated edition, which is (unsurprisingly) peated.  This is not a peat bomb, but the peat is an interest addition to the Glenturret-y DNA, and does integrate nicely here, as we’re about to see. The Glenturret Peated Edition , 40% abv, £37 Nose:  This is obviously not a peat monster, the peat is rather light and earthy, and compliments the malty, bit fruity nose, with the same Toffee and dough feeling we’ve experienced with the triple wood and the Sherry cask editions. Palate: Mild and creamy, with the toffee and baked fruit, sort […] - [More Glenturret–Triple wood and sherry edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/27/more-glenturrettriple-wood-and-sherry-edition/): After Yesterday’s fancy Glenturret 1986 we’re going to be tasting two entry level GT’s which are more affordable and make up the core range of OB Glenturret. Let’s start with the Sherry edition. Not surprising this one is vatted from sherry casks, NAS, at 40%. The Glenturret – Sherry Edition , NAS , £37 Nose: Sweet dough. Baking spices. Vanilla and malt. Not much more. Quite flat. Palate: the palate is nicer. A bit of rubber and a faint sulfur note. Toffee. Dough. Tinned Peaches and apricots. Caramel. Finish: toffee. Sweet caramel on top of milk chocolate. This may not be […] - [Glenturret 1986 – The Brock Malloy Edition #Cask 328 – review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/25/glenturret-1986-the-brock-malloy-edition-cask-328-review-tasting-notes/): A rather interesting bottling from Glenturret was released recently : The Brock Malloy Edition, here’s more info: Glenturret Distillery has released a rare 28 year old single cask malt whisky, described as the best cask that has ever been released by Scotland’s oldest working distillery. Approximately 240 bottles of The Brock Malloy Edition #Cask 328 (70cl, bottled at cask-strength) will be available to buy online. The History behind the Cask: On the 16th December 1986, two local stillmen, Hugh Malloy and Chic Brock delicately filled Cask 328 and skilfully warehoused the precious container to mature in the silence of the stunning […] - [Celebrating Feis Ile 2015 : Laphroaig 14 year old – Douglas Laing’s Old Particular – Feis Ile 2015 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/25/celebrating-feis-ile-2015-laphroaig-14-year-old-douglas-laings-old-particular-feis-ile-2015-edition/): It’s this time of year and The Islay festival of malt and music (FEIS ILE) is in full motion. Sadly, I am not able to be there this year (again!), but quite a few friends (and whisky friends) are there…  Gladly Douglas Laing have bottled a special edition Old Particular Laphroaig to celebrate the event, and I they kindly shared a wee sample. This is a 14 year old single cask , refill butt, that yielded 636 bottles, at 48.4% abv. Laphroaig 14 year old – Douglas Laing’s OP– Feis Ile 2015 edition, 48.4%, £75 Nose: Rather peaty as you might […] - [Irish single malt 2003 [Whisky Fassle] , 10 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/20/irish-single-malt-2003-whisky-fassle-10-yo/): So, an undisclosed single cask from an Irish distillery distilled 2003 and bottled 2014, making it 10 yo, bottled by Whisky Fassle. Sounds intriguing doesn’t it? Not much else is provided : aged in a Hogshead. Is this a young Bushmills? might very well be… We tasted this as part of a Mini Irish flight (along with Red Breast 12 CS, 15, Yellow Spot, and another older peated mystery Irish). Irish Single Malt 2003, 10 yo , 49.5% abv (undisclosed distillery) Nose: Quite unique: both fruity and mineral. The slightest hint of peat. A  lot of exotics. With coconut,  sugared pineapple […] - [Bunnahabhain 25 yo (OB) - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/19/bunnahabhain-25-yo-ob-review/): Time for another official bottling you can easily get (easily, that is if you can afford it, right?) in most whisky shops – The Bunnahabhain 25 year old.  As you well know most Bunnas are not as peaty as other Islay malts (some younger 1990’s are indeed very peaty), and that’s very right about this one. Bottled at 46.3% abv, and NCF , without artificial coloring. The profile is very much sherry centric, sweet, and rounded. It does come in a posh box as some people would expect from 25 year old whiskies, but I am not impressed. Rather have the […] - [Glen Keith 1970 (Malts of Scotland), Rel 2011.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/17/glen-keith-1970-malts-of-scotland-rel-2011/): Another older samples from an Epic bottle share by Sjoerd I’ve held back tasting quite a lot of time for some reason. I‘ve not had a lot of Glen Keith, but those I’ve had were rather nice, and this 1970 edition seems to have gotten good reviews. at the time it used to cost a bit under 200 EUR, with current prices (and most chances all is gone by now), I’d imagine it would fetch quite a lot more.. Glen Keith 40 yo 1970 47,9%, Malts of Scotland 2011, bourbon hogshead #6042 Nose: light spices on first sniff,then a lovely mix […] - [A bit of whiskey - Bulleit Rye- Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/14/a-bit-of-whiskey-bulleit-rye-review/): Time for a non single malt scotch review. I know some of you do not approve (yes, you Stuart – I am looking at you), but this blog is all about whisky and whiskey, and I’ve not done that in some time. Bulleit Rye is widely available these days, and it’s even sold locally in Israel, and at a reasonable price ( you can get it here for for well under 200 NIS). I quite like drinking Rye whiskies neat, or with a bit of ice when it gets hotter, but the reason I bought this one was for mixing. A […] - [Balblair 1993–G&M cask #1962–Sherry time!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/12/balblair-1993gm-cask-1962sherry-time/): Big bold sherried Balblair, anyone? A few weeks/ months ago (who remembers) I was able to share a bottle of this big sherry Balblair with some mates. Something told me this was worth getting. I was right … Balblair 21 Year Old 1993 (cask 1962) – Cask Strength (G&M) , 53.4% , £87(available at MOM) Nose: not that this comes as a surprise : this is a sherry monster. Big big sherry going on here. Deep and concentrated. Lots of dark fruit and berries. Ripe berries in addition to Xmas cake and a plethora of dried fruit. Sour balsamic note and […] - [More Tasmanian whisky : Overeem Ex-Bourbon cask & New Make spirit – #TasiWhisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/11/more-tasmanian-whisky-overeem-ex-bourbon-cask-new-make-spirit/): I’ve tasted Overeem whisky before, and liked it very much (both sherry and port at the high abv and lower), It’s a top notch small (and I mean small) craft distillery, so when Neil and Joel asked me to join an online virtual visit to the Overeem distillery I was keen to hop on the bandwagon. Sadly the samples were shipped a bit late, and Israeli mail was slow as usual, meaning I never got to participate in the twitter event, but what do you know: a few days after the event took place, I got the impressive package… it contained […] - [Compass Box ‘Hedonism Quindecimus’ (blended grain)- Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/07/compass-box-hedonism-quindecimus-review/): Who would have thought 15 years would pass that fast? yes, Compass Box, one of the most innovative whisky makers out there, has turned 15. Back in 2000 when most people would not even consider buying grain whiskies they released their first expressions the “Hedonism”, a blended grain whisky, and since then they have been making absolutely cracking drams, blending malts, grains, aging them in unique ways, and no wonder they have secured a place in the whisky hall of fame. You all know I am a sucker for a good older grain whisky, and to celebrate this 15th anniversary they’ve […] - [SMWS 127.40[Port Charlotte] - Mango chicken vindaloo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/05/smws-127-40port-charlotte-mango-chicken-vindaloo/): This is not a new SMWS edition, it’s from the Feb batch or so. I am quite a fan of Port Charlotte, when it comes to peaty whiskies. It’s not a secret I drink less and less heavily peated drams on a daily basis, I guess a palate or mood change, but sometimes when the weather is right, or when I’m in the mood, You can’t beat a good PC. This sample came from Ben (thank you mate!), and came highly recommended.  With PC 12 now released, it’s nice to notice how different this Indie bottling by the excellent SMWS will […] - [AnCnoc vintage 1975 (that was a good year!) - Review! ](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/04/ancnoc-vintage-1975-that-was-a-good-year-review/): 1975 was a great year: The Altair 8800 microcomputer was released VW introduced the Golf, an iconic vehicle. Charlie Chaplin is knighted by Elisabeth II Whisky is distilled at KnockDhu distillery in the Scottish highlands I am born. 40 years later… Men are like good old scotch. we do not age , we just become  ‘mature’. A month ago I turned 40. I know this might come as a shock (well, they tell me I look younger,but vintage 1975 it is!), and I was looking for a nice celebratory dram to drink with some friends, to celebrate this happy moment. If […] - [Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve–The new Glenlivet on the block replacing the 12 yo (in some markets) - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/05/03/glenlivet-founders-reservethe-new-glenlivet-on-the-block-replacing-the-12-yo-in-some-markets-review/): I am not a huge Glenlivet 12  fan (I do think it’s a nice entry level malt, don’t get me wrong here, ok?) , so I was not really taken by the news of replacing the 12 year old  (in some markets, relax!) which is indeed a staple whisky and second only to the Glenfiddich 12 when it comes to bottles sold worldwide each year.  So yea, this is quite a bold move on behalf of The Glenlivet, replacing their young  flag ship age statement whisky with a NAS. But as we al know, NAS is the trend today (for many […] - [Tasting Glenmorangie Duthac (Travel Retail)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/29/tasting-glenmorangie-duthac-travel-retail/): Glenmorangie Duthac weirdly came into existence without any PR campaign, or anything by Glenmorangie, which is rather odd. Usualy  there’s quite a big fuss when a new expression comes out in the LVMH group. I first heard about it from a blog reader who asked me if I had heard about it (he works in the TLV duty free), and I was quite dumfounded, it slipped under my (and other’s) radar. AS it turns out the Duthac has arrived to the Israeli Duty free (yes, Israel has only ONE international airport, as surprising as it may sounds) recently, and is sold […] - [Smögen Sherry project 1:1 and 1:2 - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/28/smogen-sherry-project-11-and-12-review/): Young whisky can rock, and what a better example than those two lovely expressions combining very young whisky (peated) and then finished in sherry from Smogen distillery. Smogen is a young Swedish distillery , established in 2009. I’ve reviewed their first EVER expression “Primor” last year (review here) , and was very impressed by how good this very young 3 year old whisky was. Smogen is a peated malt, and most peat lovers know sherry can complement the peat quite nicely when done well…  and this was Exactly what Pär Caldenby owner and distiller at Smogen had in mind, when he […] - [The new Benriach 10 yo–Tasting notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/27/the-new-benriach-10-yotasting-notes/): So, a new Benriach 10 year old? what’s so “new” about it? well this – This release is the first one that was  produced predominantly from spirit distilled under The BenRiach Distillery Company’s eleven-year ownership. The cask formula focuses on ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, while the spirit is unpeated (unlike the Curiositas 10 yo). BenRiach 10 Year Old , 43.0% , £31 Nose: A rather big and full kind of Jose: starting on green apples (Granny Smith) , malt and vanilla as well as some red ripe apples. Creamy vanilla with allspice and cloves. Palate:  lovely oily and full With quite […] - [Benromach Organic 2008 – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/26/benromach-organic-2008-review/): Benromach have been making good whiskies recently (the 10 and 100 proof 10 are both crackers). This whisky is a bit different, being aged in virgin oak casks, and being organic – made from biological Barley and adhering to organic standards. It was one of the first organic whiskies back then in 2006 and this 2008 version is the latest. I was hoping for a very good whisky in light of recent Benromach Reviews (on the blog – here, and here) Benromach Organic 2008 , 43.0% , £37 Nose: Lighter than the 10 yo with vanilla, banana and a wee hint […] - [Quick Dram: Blair Athol 1991 ‘Foraged Fruit Fool’ 1991- Wemyss Malts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/21/quick-dram-blair-athol-1991-foraged-fruit-fool-1991-wemyss-malts/): A quick tasting note today, maybe the last for this week due to a long weekend , while we celebrate the Israeli Independence day on Wednesday night. Sometimes you just feel like an ultra fruity and exotic dram, and this Blair Athol is pretty much just that. Rich, sweet and lovely. Ex-bourbon maturation to the max.  I’ve not had many Blair Athols, It’s time to change that… Blair Athol 1991 ‘Foraged Fruit Fool’ 1991- Wemyss Malts  , 46.0% , £112 Nose: heaps of sweet luscious fruit: baked apple, sweet melons, pears , golden syrup. Pineapple in sweet sugary syrup. Ginger, vanilla. […] - [Wemyss Malts ‘Toffee Tuile 1999’–Aberfeldy](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/19/wemyss-malts-%e2%80%98toffee-tuile-1999%e2%80%99%e2%80%93aberfeldy/): After the exceptional cask strength Bowmore (yes, we want more CS version, dear Wemyss.) It’s time to explore another tasty expression from the latest batch. This one is still available, which is good news. I’ve not had a lot of Indie Aberfeldy (Or any Aberfeldy) lately, so this was an interesting one to try. Toffee Tuile 1999 (bottled 2014) – Wemyss Malts (Aberfeldy) , 46% abv , £80 Nose: Lovely wood going on here. Some coconut. Spices and butterscotch. Toffee if you will… This is a very fragrant nose –  with caramelized biscuits. Sweet dough. I love it! Palate: Sweet and […] - [Mortlach 22 ‘Platinum Old and Rare' [Hunter Laing]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/14/mortlach-22-platinum-old-and-rare-hunter-laing/): Another Indie today by Hunter Laing, this time a 22 year old Mortlach, which also sells for a hefty price of £335 (at the Whisky Shop). This is also a sample sent for review to the W club tasting panel – so cheers guys!. When you hear the name Mortlach you immediately think about BIG sherry, meaty notes, bouillon and dried fruit. In this case, this is really the case. A big bold sherry Mortlach, can’t ask for more on a cool spring evening. Mortlach 22 ‘Platinum Old and Rare’ [Hunter Laing] , 56.8% , £335 Nose: Big bold sherry. Sweet […] - [Cambus Sovereign 1964 50 yo single grain – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/13/cambus-sovereign-1964-50-yo-single-grain-review/): Older Grains are among my favourite drams recently (If I can get them), and usually you can get awesome very old grain (30 and older) for much cheaper than you would have to pay for a similarly aged single malt. This however is not the cheapest of them, at 420 quid, this is quite an expensive grain, but hey 50 years in the cask don’t come for cheap, do they? This is a Hunter Laing bottling, and was sent to me for review as part of the Whisky Shop tasting panel I am honored to be a part of (thank you […] - [The Rockpool 1995 – Wemyss Malts (Bowmore) – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/12/the-rockpool-1995-wemyss-malts-bowmore-review/): We’re back! Passover is over (Thank goodness), and the malt can flow again. I’ve chosen to get into posting tasting notes mood with the latest offering from indie bottler Wemyss Malts. Their latest batch of single casks features the following casks: “The Rockpool” 1995 single cask from Bowmore Distilery, Islay, Cask Strength “Foraged Fruit Fool” 1991 single cask from Blair Athol Distillery, Highlands “Toffee Tuile” 1999 singe cask from Aberfeldy Distillery, Highlands “Kumquat Cluster” 1993 single cask from Glenrothes Distillery, Speyside “Stem Ginger Preserve” 1995 single cask from Mortlach Distillery, Speyside “Rhubarb Royale” 2001 single cask from Benrinnes Distillery, Speyside This […] - [New Release : Tomatin Cú Bocán virgin oak – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/02/new-release-tomatin-c-bocn-virgin-oak-review/): Another NAS to end the whisky week , and this time another new release from Tomatin. Previous Cú Bocán versions reviewed here were the original (containing Sherry, Virgin Oak and Bourbon casks) , sherry, 1989 vintage, and now this – 100% matured in virgin oak. The Cú Bocán is made from peated spirit, and it is really interesting to see how the virgin wood (which is very active) will affect the spirit. As always, this is Non chill filtered, naturally colored, and quite limited with only 6,000 bottles, selling for under 50 quid. Tough luck if you’re in the USA since […] - [The Arran Malt turns 18–how time flies! – A review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/04/01/the-arran-malt-turns-18-year-old/): How times flies.. I’ve been watching the Arran malt grow up, and the past few years’ releases were just brilliant. As I’ve noted before, the Arran liquid seems to get better with each year it spends in the casks (It’s not always the case), and after the excellent 17 yo of last year, and the lovely 16 yo comes the first ever OB (yes, I know some IBs already released an 18 year old Arran) to be of legal age : 18 years old… Bottled at 46 % ABV, NCF, natural color, and aged in sherry casks (though do not expect […] - [The Skye’s the limit? –Talisker ‘Skye’, NAS – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/31/the-skys-the-limit-talisker-skye-nas-review/): Photo by : https://maltwhisky100.com/ TALISKER SKYE is the newest release from the distillery on the Isle of Skye. And Yes, it’s the 4th release in a row from Talisker in the last couple of years, stating with the Storm , Dark Storm, and Port Ruighe.  The Israeli market is quite delayed, and only a few months ago Storm arrived here, with the rest of the core lineup (10,18,25,30). The Previous NAS offering from Talisker were quite decent, with the two storms being young, but quite tasty. It might be that Talisker (owned by Diageo) are experiencing a shortage of stock, or […] - [New From Tomatin : Cask Strength Release – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/30/new-from-tomatin-cask-strength-release-review/): This week is going to feature quite a few newly released NAS whiskies. But I am happy to say the NAS I am reviewing are really nice ones, well priced (you know, relatively) and are of very good quality, so not many rants on my side. When the whisky is good and not over the top, no need for further comment… Just hoping more distilleries produce the same quality of whisky, NAS or not.. The first whisky I am reviewing is the new Tomatin Cask Strength Release. Bottled at 57.5% , aged in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry (Oloroso) casks, […] - [Whisky Israel (and me) Nominated for Whisky blogger of the year 2015](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/29/whisky-israel-and-me-nominated-for-whisky-blogger-of-the-year-2015/): I’m honored and proud to announce that Whisky Israel (this blog, yes)  has been nominated by the board from the International Whisky Competition, as one of the best 25 best Whisky Bloggers. Now this is the part where you come into the picture… Since the winner is the blog who gets the most votes, I need your help. Please help me by  Clicking HERE [this will open an email message with the details filled for your, you only need to press – Send!]  (before April 20) Why vote? Five lucky voters will receive a copy of the new 2016 International Whisky […] - [New release : Glenmorangie Tùsail – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/26/new-release-glenmorangie-tsail-review/): The Tùsail  is the latest Glenmorangie to be released, in fact it’s the 6th release from Glenmorangie’s Private Edition range. Tùsail  stands for “originary” in Gaelic, and this time Glenmorangie chose an unusual strain of Barley called “Maris Otter” which was floor-malted by hand using traditional techniques. Maris Otter is a rich winter variety of barley first introduced in 1965. It was   bred specifically to meet the demand for a high quality brewing malt and recognized for its ability to impart rich, rustic malty flavors. It was popular only for a short time until different strains of Barley were developed, with […] - [Whisky Live TLV take I–Tasting Isle of Jura 1984](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/25/whisky-live-tlv-take-itasting-isle-of-jura-1984/): Yesterday as planned I visited Whisky Live TLV which was held for the second year in a row, As always it was nice meeting many friends and blog readers from the growing Israeli whisky community as well as some cool guests from the whisky industry who were lucky enough to journey here from Europe.. I tasted quite a few whiskies, mostly ones I’ve had before (I know, it’s hard to please me…), but some were new and exciting And I shall review the star of the show (for me) today, and maybe post other tasting notes in the days to come, […] - [Whisky Live Tel Aviv 2015–starts today](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/24/whisky-live-tel-aviv-2015starts-today/): Last year was the first ever Whisky Live show in Israel, and it was a huge success. Of course it was not perfect, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. This year’s show which starts today promises to be even better, and bigger. With 2 Exclusive show bottlings (more info on that later) and quite a few interesting master classes (Patsy Christie with a nice array of Macallans, Dominic Roskrow with world whiskies, and Peat and wood , Willie Tate – master distiller of Jura, Robert Fleming from Tomintoul and others). I am going to attend today, but the show will […] - [Tamdhu 1990 malts of Scotland cask #8119 – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/22/tamdhu-1990-malts-of-scotland-cask-8119-review/): Another one from a long gone bottle share. I am quite a fan of Tamdhu single casks, Not had many to date, but those I did try were lovely. This time we’re talking BIG sherry with this Sherry Butt, #8119 distilled in 1990 and bottled 2011, at just under 50%. The color was a hint this is going to be a ride in a sherry roller coaster…  the nose and palate did not disappoint. Tamdhu 1990-2011, Malts of Scotland, 49.8%, Sherry Butt #8119 Nose: Big flinty sherry for starters-  dark chocolate filled with sultana soaked in rum. Sweet and lovely with […] - [The Bomb - Pedro Ximénez Cask Finish (The Whisky Lounge)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/18/the-bomb-pedro-ximnez-cask-finish-the-whisky-lounge/): About two years ago I tasted the Oloroso finish version of this bomb, and quite liked it. I was happy with a 20cl bottles, but when I got the bottle, I noticed that I’ve ordered the wrong version, and that there’s another PX finish version I was not aware of. I never bothered replacing it, hoping the PX would be as good as the Oloroso, and forgot about it, until last week when a friend popped in for a a few drams and I decided top open this one and drink it (it was time..). Just like its sister cask, this […] - [Glenglassaugh – Rare Cask Release Batch 1- vintage 1968 & 1973](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/15/glenglassaugh-rare-cask-release-batch-1-vintage-1968-1973/): A while back I received quite a few samples of old and rare GG’s from the rare cask release batch 1.  It’s not everyday you get to taste stuff like that from the late 60s and early 70s and I suspect most of those bottles are not going to even get opened, and mainly used as a tool for  “investment”. That’s too bad. I am extremely lucky to have gotten those, and gladly shared them with friends, but I also kept notes, for reference. I searched the web, and could not find any tasting notes, so these are probably the only […] - [Caol Ila 1981 [Malts of Scotland]Cask #4807 - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/12/caol-ila-1981-malts-of-scotlandcask-4807-review/): This sample of MOS CI has been sitting quitetly and waiting for its turn. Actually it’s a part of long gone bottle share arranged by Sjoerd two years ago or so, and I was just checking how aging samples would affect their flavor profile (not really)… the best explanation is Backlog. But I’m happy to have finally arrived at this batch of samples. Now, a 1981 Caol Ila promises more than peat and ash, I was hoping for some exotic fruit goodness, or something of the like, but as you are about to see – no such luck this time. Caol […] - [Clynelish 1996 [Blackadder] cask #8782](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/11/clynelish-1996-blackadder-cask-8782/): It’s a good rule of thumb not to base your opinion about a whisky based on a single tasting, at a given evening. It’s not always possible if you’re tasting a small sample that can’t be re-used, but It’s advisable if you have a generous sample, or a bottle. We’ve tasted this BA single cask last week with some friends, side by side with other Clynelish and Mortlach single casks by signatory (see notes here, and here), and at that time I did not think too highly of this one, not sure why. Having tasted it two weeks later, It really […] - [Wemyss Malts Linkwood 1996 ‘Honeysuckle Bower’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/09/wemyss-malts-linkwood-1996-honeysuckle-bower/): A couple of weeks ago I reviewed the lovely Caribbean Crème (Invergordon 1988) single grain from the same batch of single cask released by Wemyss last month. This is a single cask Linkwood distilled in 1996 and from its name you can guess it’s going to be quite floral. I am not a BIG fan of floral whiskies, but On occasion I like a floral dram, when I’m in the mood. Wemyss malts Linkwood 1996 ‘Honeysuckle Bower’ , £69.95 Nose: Vanilla and a lot of flower petals in here. That’s for sure. Violets are the first that come to mind. Some […] - [Auchentoshan 1995, 17yo [WhiskyBroker]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/04/auchentoshan-1995-17yo-whiskybroker/): This is a rather interesting Auchentoshan from the British Independent bottler Whisky Broker, who sometimes has very good casks on sale, and what’s more important is they really have good prices on some casks.  This bottle is one of 306 , from a Refill Sherry Hogshead, bottled at 56,1% abv. It’s sold out at the WB site, but if you’re interested, it’s nice that Whisky Shop site stills stocks some at a good price. Auchentoshan 1995, 17yo [WhiskyBroker] , 56,1% abv , € 62.50 (W.Base shop) Nose: This is quite a  good example for the lowland style of whiskies, with a […] - [Mortlach 1990 cask 6074 [Signatory vintage] - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/03/02/mortlach-1990-cask-6074-signatory-vintage-review/): With the soaring prices of the new OB Mortlachs, The only reasonably priced good quality Mortlachs you can afford or find these days are by IBs. Thank god they still have quite a lot of casks laying around and we’re able to enjoy this lovely distillery without having to suffer the consequences of its Dalmorisation * . This whisky was distilled September 17th 1990 and bottled at CS on the 17th of Feb. 2014 yielding 569 bottles all in all. I’ve tasted this one on the same evening as the Clynelish 1996 by the same bottler, and the other dram felt […] - [The new Port Charlotte PC 12 (Travel Retail) – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/26/port-charlotte-pc-12-travel-retail-review/): I can’t believe Port Charlotte 12 is out, It seems like yesterday when the baby PC5 came out, and it was HUGE. This toddler is now a teenager, and I am loving the way it developed over the years. This is the oldest PC EVER (there are a few Indie PC of the same age). Yesterday’s Octomore TR edition (7.2) proved to be a lovely peat monster, fruity and delicious, and today we’re visiting it’s “little brother” (in terms of peat) the PC 12. This is the second PC which is Travel Retail only after the brilliant PC11 I reviewed last […] - [A new Octomore for Travel Retail – 7.2 – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/25/octomore-7-2-review/): Lately Bruichladdich are releasing quite a few Travel Retail only editions of their Octomores and Port Charlottes and this one is the second wave of such releases. The Octomore “.2” usually stands out for wine finished Octomores, and this release is no different  – as the Octomore 7.2 is a limited edition in which Jim McEwan  has married American oak casks with casks that once held Syrah created in the great vineyards of the Rhone valley in France. Wine and extreme peat works well for me and for Octomore (if you remember Orpheus, and Comus). This time the Peat levels are […] - [Clynelish 1996 18 yo cask 6514 [Signatory Vintage]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/24/clynelish-1996-18-yo-cask-6514-signatory-vintage/): You never know what you’re going to get when you’re shopping single casks. Each cask is an enigma, and sometimes you score, sometimes you are disappointed. I was browsing WhiskyBase shop when I saw this Clynelish, aged in a refill sherry butt, that looked promising, and decided to get it for a future tasting I am leading. 590 bottles were made from this Refill Butt, distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2014. For under 100 EUR it seems like a good deal. Let’s see how this one is… Clynelish 1996 18 yo cask 6514 [Signatory Vintage] , 56.4 % , € […] - [Wemyss Malts Single Grain ‘Caribbean Crème’ , Invergordon 1988](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/23/wemyss-malts-single-grain-caribbean-crme-invergordon-1988/): This week is going to feature quite a bit of new releases, and the next one I am reviewing is one of Wemyss Malt’s new batch of single cask (a couple will be reviewed), and what a better way to start, than with a single grain. I am quite fond of older grains as you well know, and this one from 1988 is just at the right age at least for me.. (over 25 yo..) Wemyss Malts Single Grain ‘Caribbean Crème’ , Invergordon 1988, 46% Nose: Ah… this is my kind of single grain. Old. Woody. Lots of wood varnish and […] - [Highland Park Odin –Review and tasting notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/22/highland-park-odin-review-and-tasting-notes/): If you’re a whisky fan,I probably should not tell you much about Odin, as you’ve probably heard all about this bottling long ago, but for those who are new to whisky, or have been on another planet in recent months : Odin is the fourth and final instalment (and much awaited) in Highland Park’s Valhalla collection (Valhalla being the home of the Norse gods, in case you did not know that…), ODIN, named for the King of Asgard himself, joins Thor, Loki and the beautiful Freya to complete Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection. Legend has it that Odin, All-father of the gods […] - [SMWS 10.77 ‘Beware of the monster’ , Bunnahabhain 2007](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/19/smws-10-77-beware-of-the-monster-bunnahabhain-2007/): Young whisky can be awesome, and there is nothing to be ashamed of when bottling young cracking drams. This young Bunna is a great example of such a whisky. Distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2014.  But this youngster does not feel as young, and I really was surprised at how good it was.  So let’s end this week’s reviews with this fine dram, shall we? SMWS 10.77, Beware of the Monster , 61.40% ,£49 (sold out) Nose : Starting with sweets and fruit: apples and some earthy notes too. There’s some smoke alright but it’s very very faint. Nothing to […] - [Linkwood 1991-2009 [G&M for Van Wees] Cask #7271](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/18/linkwood-1991-2009-gm-for-van-wees/): When a good Linkwood comes around, I can not say no. Last night I was visiting a good whisky friend, and we shared a few drams. This was the first, and maybe the highlight of the evening (with another Linkwood by Cadenheads being runner up). Can’t ask for more. Linkwood 1991-2009 , G&M for Van Wees Cask #7271 , 53.1 % , € 69.95 Nose : Starting Sweet and lovely with a fruity backbone , lots of vanilla and sweet honeyed malty goodness.There’s a wee hint of smoke, and some caramelized biscuits (Lotus biscuits, if you insist). A nice sherry influence too […] - [SMWS 127.37 ‘Dinosaurs dancing to Stravinsky’ port Charlotte 9 yo - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/17/smws-127-37-dinosaurs-dancing-to-stravinsky-port-charlotte-9-yo-review/): It’s Winter, and the night are quite cool, as cool as they get in our neck of the woods… Yes, It’s not Canada cold (more like Canadian spring), but it’s the perfect time to sit back and relax with a lovely peat monster. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing lately, and this wee sample was sitting patiently waiting to get tasted (thank you Tom!). SMWS 127.37 ‘Dinosaurs dancing to Stravinsky’  , 66.50% abv Nose: A great nose. Signature port Charlotte from the get go : lactic. That baby vomit profile shines through. Sweet yet punchy with pepper and a huge alcohol  […] - [Mackmyra Bärnsten - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/16/mackmyra-brnsten-review/): A brief return to the Swedish distillery of Mackmyra with another one of their NAS special finishes casks, this time a whisky aged in Swedish Oak with a Cloudberry Wine cask finish (**Whatever that is!!) Released December 2013, 1550 bottles. Mackmyra Bärnsten , 49.8% abv , NAS Nose: sweet and fruity. Almost jam like sweetness. Berries galore. Some sugar and spice with cinnamon maybe and a hint of Clove and vanilla pods. Sweet desert wine and strawberry flavored ice cream. Palate: Lots of sweet juices over here. Sugary and fruity. Strawberry mousse. Sweet cereal. Berry jam and a Lucy sweet wine. […] - [A Source of Scottish Pride…and Beyond: The Top 5 Documentaries About Whisk(e)y and Bourbon for Enthusiasts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/15/a-source-of-scottish-prideand-beyond-the-top-5-documentaries-about-whiskey-and-bourbon-for-enthusiasts/): Todays we take a break from tasting notes, and look at whisky from another point of view: movie documentaries.  This guest post was written by Maria Ramos, Maria is a writer interested in comic books, cycling, and horror films. Her hobbies include cooking, doodling, and finding local shops around the city. She currently lives in Chicago with her two pet turtles, Franklin and Roy. You can follow her on Twitter @MariaRamos1889. To say that hard drinks are “acquired tastes” is something of a gross understatement. One either has the palate for liquor with the kind of distinct taste and overtones exuded […] - [A couple of SMWS bottlings–It’s Thursday !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/12/a-couple-of-smws-bottlingsits-thursday/): TGIT! The weekend is near, and no better way to end it with a couple of fruity, lovely SMWS bottling, a Longmorn and a Rosebank. SMWS 7.83 “Fresh, airy and sherbety” – 1993 Longmorn, 52.1%, £69 Nose: Nice and fresh. With zingy sour lemon , cucumber freshness and sine fruity touches too: watermelon and cantaloupe. It’s fresh and crisp but sweet too with old school candy and native lemon gummy bears.  Touch of oak and maybe dried coconut. Palate: Sweeter with baked red apples sprinkled with sugar and spice. Some pepper and creamy vanilla ice cream mixed with lime sherbet. Lots […] - [Millburn 1974 33 yo [Blackadder raw cask]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/11/millburn-1974-33-yo-blackadder-raw-cask/): This is the first Millburn I am reviewing on the blog – Another “V” next to a distillery I bet not many know much about, let alone tasted. Anyways, Millburn was founded in 1807 and was located in Inverness. It closed down in 1985 and the main building was transformed into a restaurant, and later on it was incorporated into the “premier inn” chains of hotels… I was lucky to have been offered a sample of this by my good friend Sjoerd (thank you again mate!), who has a few crackers in his collection. A Blackadder RAW cask is usually good […] - [Ichiro’s Malt Wine Wood Reserve -Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/10/ichiros-malt-wine-wood-reserve-review/): Day #3 of our little Japanese Whisky review series , and today with Ichiro’s Malt. For those who are not familiar with Ichiro Akuto, the grandson of the founder of now closed Hanyu Distillery. He started the Chichibu distillery in Japan’s Saitama prefecture in 2008, which by now released a few young (but good) expressions under the Chichibu label [check out my review of Ichiro’s first] This particular whisky includes whisky distilled at the closed Hanyu distillery and was finished in a French oak cask that contained Japanese red wine, bottled and blended (vatted) at the Chichibu distillery (Ichiro’s new distillery). […] - [Mars ‘Komagatke’ 10 yo – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/09/mars-komagatke-10-yo-review/):   Day #2 of our wee Japanese Whisky series, and today with a quite unknown distillery : mars Shinshu. It is  the located at Miyata village in the Nagano prefecture owned by Hombo Shuzo Co ltd. It was founded in 1985 and was operating until 1992, and re-opened in 2011). Due to the high altitude (800 meters above sea level) it gets quite snowy in the winter (as you can see from the images). This sample was sitting quietly for some time and waiting, thanks Yoav. Komagatake (駒ヶ岳) means : Horse mountain, and probably referring to mount Kisokoma in the Nagano […] - [Nikka Miyagykio NAS – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/08/nikka-miyagykio-nas-review/): The fact that Japanese whiskies are great is not a secret anymore. yes, we malt geeks have known this for a long while, but It seems most other people are just findint out about that, after this year’s Bible release and some major newspapers and sites picking up on it and claiming it has “defeated” scotch, or something like that. Nikka do make lovely whiskies, and their Nikka from the barrel is indeed a staple whisky  chez whisky Israel towers. This whisky came recommended by a whisky friend  (cheers Richard), and I was curios to try that one as I’ve not […] - [Caol Ila 25 yo OB - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/05/caol-ila-25-yo-ob-review/): This is the last 25 year old in our little series of 25 year olds this week. Caol Ila is the most prolific of the Islay distilleries and as such you find a lot of Indie CI bottling around, most of them are good, and some older ones are fantastic. But, is this 25 yo OB a match? The 25 yo was first introduced in 2010, and is bottled at 43% abv (yawn). As for pricing it is much better positioned than yesterday’s Aultmore 25, and at 148 Euro (whisky base shop here) , It’s not that expensive for a 25 […] - [More 25 year olders : The brand new Aultmore 25 year old – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/04/the-brand-new-aultmore-25-year-old-review/): more 25 year old malts review this week (more coming tomorrow), and today with a rather different 25 year old : the new Aultmore. Only released lately, it is a part of the “Last Great Malts” series of whiskies by Bacardi.  This is the oldest in the range (consisting of 12, 21,25) and is quite expensive at almost 300 quid (350 EUR or so). Is it worth this high price tag? I set to found out just that… Aultmore 25-year-old ,46% abv , £296 (at TWE) Nose: Nice and fruity without a lot of wood. Some marshmallow candy sweetness, ripe fruit […] - [Indie Balvenie Rocks! or Burnside 25 yo 1989, Maltbarn 2014, bourbon cask – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/03/indie-balvenie-rock-or-burnside-25-yo-1989-maltbarn-2014-bourbon-cask-review/): Balvenie is a brilliant distillery, and that is no secret. I find myself enjoying most of its OB releases very much, and it’s always nice to try an independent bottling from the distillery. Of course, Balvenie does not approve of bottling its casks by IBs under their name, so those casks need to be teaspooned (meaning we add a tiny amount of another malt to the cask making it a blended malt which can not be then labeled as Balvenie), and released under different aliases and labels, this time a “burnside” released by Maltbarn. a very nice cask laid in 1989 […] - [FEW distillery Bourbon - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/02/02/few-distillery-bourbon-review/): yes, another whiskey review. I know some die hard single malt (and scotch) lovers do not approve of these (yes, Stuart) but I do enjoy a dram of Bourbon from time to time, and this one is worth reviewing for sure. FEW Spirits is an American craft distillery based in Evanston, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. They pride themselves on producing everything from grain to glass; every aspect of the production of their spirits is done by them. They currently produce a range ofgins and whiskies, all using ingredients sourced as local to the distillery as possible. Paul Hletko (founder)  named […] - [Label 5 “Gold Heritage” Blended Whisky- Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/31/label-5-gold-heritage-blended-whisky-review/): Some people think I am a single malt snob. I am certainly not. I might have been biased against blends when I started my whisky journey 10 or so years ago, but I’ve grown older and smarter through the years. Yes, I do get to try some ultra rare expensive and old single malts, but I also get to try Blended whisky, and i love it. Blended whisky accounts for about 94% of all scotch sales, and it is the bread and butter if the scotch industry. Without it, there will be no single malt, as most distilleries sell most of […] - [Highland Park 24 yo [Signatory] Casks 753 & 754 – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/29/signatory-highland-park-24-yo-casks-753-754-review-tasting-notes/): Last week I was visiting a friend, when he shoved a sample into my hand and told me : taste it , it’s a good highland park! . I can never say NO, to a highland park (let’s admit it, I can not say no to good whisky. period), and I made a mental note to remember and taste it soon, and not to leave it to wait in queue.I did just that and I am quite thankful. A very cool Signatory bottling (at 43% mind you) , from too sister casks which were married together, and bottled in 2012 after […] - [Parker’s Heritage promise of hope](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/28/parker%e2%80%99s-heritage-promise-of-hope/): Time for a whiskey, don’t you think? and what better than a נםורנםמ from Heaven Hill? if you’re not familiar with PH : Parker’s Heritage collection is a series of rare, limited edition American Whiskeys offered as a tribute to sixth-generation Master Distiller Parker Beam for his 45+ years of distilling experience. This series tempts the growing number of Straight American Whiskey enthusiasts with a chance to sample these choice barrels that represent every major style of American Whiskey.  As the only remaining national distiller that produces Bourbon, Rye, Corn and Wheat Whiskeys, Heaven Hill will continue to release various super-premium […] - [Glenmorangie Dornoch [Travel Retail] - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/25/glenmorangie-dornoch-travel-retail-review/): The new Glenmorangie ‘Tusail’ is just around the corner (released already, and I shall review it shortly), but prior to that Glenmorangie released another Travel retail only expression by the name of “Dornoch”. It’s not surprising this is a NAS expression. Why Dornoch? Glenmorangie is Gaelic for ‘the glen of tranquility’ and the Dornoch expression was inspired by the distillery’s peaceful setting on the banks of the Dornoch Firth in the Scottish Highlands. This limited edition bottling is  exclusively available in WDFG’s specialist World of Whiskies stores and its World Duty Free stores, in all 21 UK airports in which it […] - [Glendronach 1994 Cask #3400 – Abbey Whisky – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/22/glendronach-1994-cask-3400-abbey-whisky-review/): Another big sherry whisky today after yesterday’s Glenlivet, and this time from Glendronach and Abbey Whisky. Abbey whisky does bottle some cracking stuff, and the last time I tasted a Glenronach they chose to bottle , the GlenDronach 1993 cask #33, It was good stuff (notes here). Apparently it was a big success and they were searciing to bottle a new cask, and came out with the  GlenDronach 1994 cask #3400 which was a large PX puncheon, and aged 20 year old. I was fortunate to find a wee sample of that nectar delivered to my doorstep (thank you whisky fairy), […] - [Glenlivet 1998, 15yo– Signatory for Whiskybrother – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/21/glenlivet-1998-15yo-signatory-for-whiskybrother-review/): Whiskybrother is a shop located in Johannesburg, SA, and owed by Marc Pendelbury who’s a fellow whisky blogger and friend. I had the pleasure of meeting Marc a few years back when he was visiting Israel, after knowing him online for some time, and he’s a real great guy and a gentleman. Marc has pursued his love of whisky and set up his shop a couple of years back, and now he’s doing other stuff too in the UK , but I salute him for making his dream come true and opening that shop, a true model for myself. Anyway, I […] - [The new Aultmore 12 yo - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/20/the-new-aultmore-12-yo-review/): Continuing this week’s reviews of new releases from the last month or so we arrive at Aultmore. John Dewar & Sons Ltd. unveiled the  new range of proprietary bottlings from Aultmore distillery only a few weeks ago – forming part of its ‘Last Great Malts’ of Scotland, with the  12-year-old,  21-year-old (in Travel Retail only) and 25-year-old in limited quantities. The new range of this was never released by the distillery before, launches from January 2015 and is available initially in 10 markets [Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Sweden, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Travel Retail] Aultmore has […] - [The new Ancnoc 18 year old– Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/19/the-new-ancnoc-18-year-old-review/): I’m a big fan of AnCnoc, especially after visiting the place and falling in love with this lovely distillery. The 12 year old is a staple dram chez Whisky Israel towers, and the 16 and 22 year old are also excellent (if we’re talking core range, non vintage). I’ve tasted most new Ancnocs in recent years ( check those out here), including the peated series (of which I love rutter , and own a bottle). anCnoc 18 Year is the new addition to the core range, and was matured in top quality hand-selected American oak ex-bourbon and European oak ex-sherry casks. […] - [A new vatted malt from Douglas Laing–“Rock Oyster” – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/18/a-new-vatted-malt-from-douglas-lain-grock-oyster-nas-review/): With nearly seven decades experience in the Scotch Whisky industry, leading independent Scotch Whisky specialist, Douglas Laing & Co announced the release of their brand new Island inspired “Vatted” Malt – Rock Oyster. This is the 3rd vatted malt release in recent years , after the “Scallywag” and “Timorous Beastie”. Paying homage the sea, Douglas Laing’s Rock Oyster is a Small Batch bottling created using the finest maritime Malts including those distilled on the rightly esteemed Islands of Jura, Islay, Arran and Orkney. Bottled at 46.8% alcohol strength and traditionally without coloring or chill-filtration , the4 design is also very attractive […] - [Tasting Karuizawa 1977 cask # 7026 Noh Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/15/tasting-karuizawa-1977-cask-7026-noh-whisky/): Last week when going through my stack of samples in several boxes, and trying to make sense of what I got and should taste, I came over a few gems, one of which was this whisky. I filled a wee sample of this last year when I visited Sjoerd who was lucky enough to buy some lovely Karuizawas when the price was much saner a few years back, and he kindly offered me to try some.  Last night a good whisky friend came over, and we shared a few lovely drams, and this one was one of them. I did expect […] - [Berry’s Own North of Scotland 1973 cask #14570 [single grain]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/14/berrys-own-north-of-scotland-1973-cask-14570-single-grain/): Quite a long time ago I was about to participate in a twitter tasting for BBR’s indie bottling (BBR being a very famous wine merchant from London, doing single cask bottling, and the current owner of the Glenrothes distillery – if you needed any introduction, probably not..) . I am not sure what happened, but probably samples arrived late, compliments of the Israeli sodding postal services. I did try most of the samples from back then, but this one waiting patiently until now, I am not quite sure why. Older single grain is lovely, and I always say that single grain […] - [Michel Couvreur 12 Year Overaged Malt Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/13/michel-couvreur-12-year-overaged-malt-whisky/): Michel Couvreur was a Belgian independent bottler (passed away in 2013) of single malt scotch (his actual company is located in France – Burgundy)  His cellars are located in Bouze-les-Beaune in the heart of Burgundy. Michel ages his single malts for years in sherry butts and then in demijohns or giant bottles kept in total darkness in his vast cellars.  This expression is a vatting from 54 whiskies aged more than 12 years (12 to 27 years) in first fill sherry oak casks  casks and finished in ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. I’ve heard some good things about MC, but have never […] - [Littlemill 24 yo 1988 ‘Sympathy for the Whisky’ [ The Whiskyman 2012]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/12/littlemill-24-yo-1988-sympathy-for-the-whisky-the-whiskyman-2012/): The Blind tasting competition Littlemill (here), which was a nice one, reminded me that I still have a sample of another very interesting indie LM i got from the UK a year or two back when I swapped samples with Dave, a whisky friend. Those cold winter nights are a fine time to taste more whisky, and why not some old and forgotten samples? This sample comes from the Whiskyman (a Belgian Independent bottler) bottling, distilled in 1988 ad bottled in 2012. Littlemill 24 yo 1988 ‘Sympathy for the Whisky’ ,54,2%, The Whiskyman 2012, 159 btl. Nose: This is nothing i […] - [Millstone 12 Year Old Sherry Cask Matured](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/08/millstone-12-year-old-sherry-cask-matured/): The winter is here finally (even in Israel), and we’ve had some lower temperatures the last few days (under 10C is considered chilly in these parts of the world). that’s the time you bring out the sherry, and heavy peat, right? Right. I sampled a few interesting Millstones last year, and this was one of them (a peated version and rye also are available). Basically if you’re not familiar with Millstone, it is the single malt label of the Zuidam Dutch distillery. Zuidam are a well known distilling company, making Genever, Liquors and Rum. I quite like their whiskies myself, and […] - [Tasting Yamazaki Puncheon (2012 edition)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/06/tasting-yamazaki-puncheon-2012/): Been quite a while since I posted any Yamazaki tasting notes, and it’s always good to come back to one of my favourite Japanese distilleries. If you have not tried the 12, 18 year olds by Yamazaki, do yourself a favour and check out my notes, then go get a bottle. Great stuff. Really textbook whiskies. This however is a bit different in the sense that it was aged in a quite large cask, the Puncheon. If you take a look at the whisky cask sizes chart below you’ll see the Puncheon is quite large, larger than the Hogshead at 480 […] - [Bruichladdich 10 yo – Fresh Sherry Cask # 1201 [Private cask- Morten Majholm]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/06/bruichladdich-cask-1201-private-cask-morten-majholm/): A few days ago I got a very interesting sample from my Danish whisky friend Jorn. I’ve written quite a few times about Jorn, who’s a big whisky fan, and knows his way around whisky (and has a good nose for choosing the right casks). This time he brought a nice generous sample of a 10 year old Laddie bottled from a private cask (not his), of a Danish owner. A 10 yo fresh sherry cask Laddie, and from the colour of that (It’s very dark) you could tell it’s going to be HEAVILY sherried, as this cask was very very […] - [First post of 2015 – SMWS 46.26 – Killer Bee Surf Wax – Glenlossie 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/01/05/smws-46-26-killer-bee-surf-wax-glenlossie-21-yo/): So… first post of 2015, right? Let’s starts this year with a bang, a lovely dram from the guys over at the SMWS. There are many SMWS releases, and I try to sample a few, yet i know I am missing on many good stuff, as it’s impossible to try everything, yet alone buy all those I end up wanting when I sample the good stuff… This wee dram came from Shai a good whisky friend in one of his bombs (thankful mate, you rock). A good opportunity to taste some Glenlossie, a distillery I don’t get to taste quite that […] - [Angel’s Nectar–the new Blended Malt - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/31/angels-nectarthe-new-blended-malt-review/): Robert Ransom has been working in the whisky business in the last 10 or so years, and after some time at the Glenfarclas distillery (as Director of Sales and Marketing) he decided to go independent and create a new whisky. I met Robert a few years ago when he visited Israel and he’s a nice guy, who obviously knows his way around whisky. I was quite intrigued when i got word of his new Blended malt, and was happy to give it a try. At any one time, there are an estimated twenty million casks maturing across Scotland, all exposed to […] - [Wilson & Morgan 1995 Caol Ila. 18 yo sherry cask #10027](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/30/wilson-morgan-1995-caol-ila-18-yo-sherry-cask-10027/): Been a while since I had a good sherried Caol Ila. Too few good sherried CI’s out there, and I wonder why don’t they fill more. I am a sucker for the peat and sherry combo, and from first nosing this one I know it was up my alley. What are friends for eh? Caol Ila 18 yo 1995/2013 ,57.5%, Wilson & Morgan, sherry butt, cask #10027,€ 129 Nose: Sweet and lovely with sherry tar and kerosene. Sweet bacon. Eucalyptus and ash. Prune compote and sweet smoke as well as crushed pepper, it has got a nice chocolate-y feel to it […] - [Adelphi Glenrothes 7 yo Cask # 3523](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/29/adelphi-glenrothes-7-yo-cask-3523/): If you read my random ramblings during the 18 days of the Blind tasting competition 2014, you must have noticed a sister cask was presented on day #16. That was a sister cask, one year younger, but quite the same style. Young, high ABV, sherry cask that imparted a hell lot of flavour onto the liquid. I’ve been told the 7 yo version is even nicer, and thanks to a sample from a good mate, i was able to try that for myself. Adelphi Gelnrothes 7 yo cask #3523, 67.5%, €73 Nose: A very dark sort of sherry profile, with a […] - [Top 7 whiskies of 2014](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/27/top-7-whiskies-of-2014/): It’s this time of year again, and it’s summing up time before the new year kicks in.. Today I am going to pick 7( a lucky number)  of my favourite whiskies for 2014. Not sure it’s THE BEST whiskies of 2014, but those i find memorable (i am quite senile), and worth your while. So, from 1 to 7, ignore the order as it says nothing. #1 – Benromach 10 yo & Benromach 100 proof Earlier this year the 10 yo was released, and then the 100 proof, which is a cask strength edition of the same dram. Both outstanding whiskies, […] - [Blind tasting Competition Day 18 (FINAL) - Imperial 1995 (Signatory) - ](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/24/blind-tasting-competition-day-18-imperial-1995-signatory/): So, yesterday was Day 18 and the FINAL (yay) day of the Blind tasting competition. I can’t believe I wrote this post and it got deleted by sodding WordPress, so I’m writing this post the 2nd time… The dram at hand was real tricky, it felt old and just up my alley, with the old varnish, spices, and everything I like in whisky. It was not an easy bet, but It did feel Highland to me, and I really thought this could be an Old Pulteney, a well aged OP, which left the 1990 peated cask as the main suspect. I’ve tasted that one before, […] - [Blind Tasting Competition day 16–Glenrothes 6 yo [Adelphi]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/23/blind-tasting-competition-day-16glenrothes-6-yo-adelphi/): Day 16 and we can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel (kidding!) but yes, it’s been a rollercoaster. The dram at hand is a youngish and HUGLEY sherried whisky. My first thought was maybe an Aberlour Abunadh or some other CS young whisky, but since there is no NAS in the competition, We had to look elsewhere. Finally I after some too much deliberation I went for a heavily sherried Ben Nevis, which was a viable option, sadly very wrong. 0 punten!! (0 points). oh well. you win some, you loose some. What the dram really was […] - [The new Teeling Whiskey–single malt – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/22/the-new-teeling-whiskey%e2%80%93single-malt-review/): A quick break from the Blind Tasting shenanigans, with a new product from one of the more interesting Irish whisky makes out there : Teeling. Really liked their line of products, and this one is the newest addition to the core range: Teeling Single Malt consists of aged Malt whiskey up to 23 years (the whisky is a NAS)  old that has been matured in five different wine casks including Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy and Cabernet Sauvignon. This combination of cask maturation techniques is quite unique to Irish whiskey  and like all the Teeling whiskeys, it is bottled at 46% […] - [Blind Tasting Competition 2014 - Days 13-14](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/20/blind-tasting-days-13-14/): Day 13 was day I will remember, since I guessed the distillery (Glendronach). one of my favourite distilleries, and the nose and palate screamed BIG SHERRTY DRONACH. I was a bit silly to not have opted for a high abv cask and guessed it was younger, so I did not get the entire score. Not sure why It did not feel that high and abv to me (59.1%!!), i should have known better and guess it was a single cask, and those are usually high in abv. oh well. 40 points. And to think I’ve tasted this one previously in a […] - [Blind tasting competition Day 12–Glen Keith 1992-2013 [TWA]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/18/blind-tasting-competition-day-12glen-keith-1992-2013-twa/): After 0 points in day 12, It’s time to score a few points, or so I thought. Obviously It can not be a Highland, and I was really debating between a Speyside and Arran. Today’s dram had a lot of sherry, and some peat (so i thought) , but again I could not place that anywhere, on the arran spectrum, so I decide to go for another Speyside Namely a Benriach. I knew it would match a younger maybe slightly peated , which turned out to be quite wrong, as this dram is 22 yo, and the ABV is high but […] - [The new GlenDronach 12 Sauternes finish – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/17/the-new-glendronach-12-sauternes-finish-review/): This is a brand new GD expression which replaces the 14 year old sauternes finish, which now has been discontinued. It’s bottled at 46% as most entry level GD , NCF,  matured in European oak (read: sherry) casks, and then finished in a small batch of Sauternes wine casks (Sauternes being a sweet desert wine, in case you’re not familiar with this popular wine finish for whisky). Glendronach 12 Sauternes finish, 46% abv, £41 Nose: lovely and fruity, with hints of fresh oranges and nectarines, with a touch of ripe apricot and red apple. Some exotic fruit (exotic if you’re in […] - [BTC2014–Day #10–The Balmenach fiasco](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/16/btc2014day-10the-balmenach-fiasco/): Day #10 is upon us, and after 20 points scored yesterday for the region (Blair Athol), arrived this dram which was an enigma. Sniffing revealed quite a salty nose and palate, and that was indeed a hint to look for maritime distilleries. One option I considered was Highland Park, which I quickly dismissed as I’ve not gotten even a hint of sherry in this dram, let alone any HP kind of peat or the heathery notes one associates with HP. I considered maybe a Campbell town as this region has not made an appearance in recent days, but also that did […] - [Benromach 100 proof – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/15/benromach-100-proof-review/): Time for a short break from the Blind tasting competition, where yours truly makes an ass of himself by guessing the wrong distilleries, regions and drams (I am not alone, so I am in pretty good company , right?). After tasting the 10 year old blind last week, and remembering how bloody marvellous that dram is, and how good it is for its age, and price (amazing VFM, go get one!), I set to try the new 100 proof version of that whisky, recently released. This whisky is essentially the same 10 year old bottled at 57% (100 proof, Imperials measure). […] - [Blind Tasting Competition -BTC 2014 days 6,7,8](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/14/btc-2014-days-678/): I was too lazy to write a post for each day, so here you go 3 days together. The competition is major fun, but it also very hard, much harder than you can imagine. It’s like trying to locate a needle in a haystack and that stack is my semi-senile mind. Anyways, It’s day 9 today, and so far I am doing OK.  17th place (out of 73) , with the last few days, scoring points, but not really hitting the big pointers (distillery), I hope one of these days I shall nail it, yet it does seem very difficult. Day […] - [Blind Tasting Competition Day 4 : Ledaig 8 yo [Whisky-Fässle]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/10/blind-tasting-competition-day-4-ledaig-8-yo-whisky-fssle/): After a shitty nose day (could barely smell that Balvenie), yesterday was much better, with me able to tell the whisky at hand was peated (not that hard, but it’s something), and after the fiasco of the other day things improved with me able to tell which distillery it was. This time after sniffing i got that farmy sort of compost-y feeling,and knew I had this distillery before, lots of time. It was not medicinal enough to be an Islay, and I also suspected an Islay would be too easy so the competition organizers would not make it easy on us […] - [Mackmyra Moment Vinterträdgård (Conservatory) – Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/09/mackmyra-moment-vintertrdgrd-conservatory-review/): Today I am taking a day off from the the Blind tasting competition, as my nose was not very usable yesterday, and I did not take any tasting notes for that Balvenie 15 single cask (that tasted like no other 15 single cask Bal… but, go figure single cask, right?). So we’re back with some Mackmyra whisky for XMAS, and today with a dram called Vinterträdgård Conservatory). Finished in ex-wild raspberry wine casks (Say, what?!) , ex loganberry & blueberry wine casks (Huh?), Swedish Oak & Bordeaux wine. That’s some funky cask finishes for you. Wonder how the liquid will taste. […] - [Blind Tasting Competition Day 2–Glen Garioch 1990 [Kintra]–or RTFM!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/08/blind-tasting-competition-day-2glen-garioch-1990-kintraor-rtfm/): Always trust your gut feeling. I usually follow that rule, but yesterday I did not, and scored badly because of that. I have no idea but I wanted to put Glen Garioch as the distillery ( I was wrong about abv, and age too), but I don’t know why, I decided against it. Always RTFM!! (in case you’re not sure what RTFM is, look here), and sadly I did not , or did not do that thoroughly enough, otherwise, I’d known not to guess a Speyside distillery when dram #1 was a Speyside (Never two whiskies in a row from the […] - [Blind Tasting Competition (BTC) 2014- Day 1–Longmorn 17 yo , 1996 [Van Wees]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2014/12/07/blind-tasting-competition-btc-2014-day-1longmorn-17-yo-1996-van-wees/): Day one of the competition and I was sure I was going to embarrass myself by making foolish guesses, but as it happens, I was not THAT off the mark. It was clear this dram was sherried (colour and nose), but what distillery? Initially I thought it might be a Aberlour (big sherry and all) or GlenDronach (some single cask). the ABV was very high, so i figured it should be an Indie, but which? I would have never guessed Longmorn, not that I have any reason, it just was not on my radar. Finally I decided to go with a […] - [SMWS 37.65, ‘Bursting with interest and imaginings’, Cragganmore, 29 years old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/02/smws-37-65-bursting-with-interest-and-imaginings-cragganmore-29-years-old/): There are some whiskies you know are going to be excellent just from a wee sniff of the bottle (or the sample bottle, as I’ve shared only a bit of this). A 29 year old Cragganmore, what can go wrong, right? Nothing as it seems. This is a lovely dram indeed. 192 bottles made, and shockingly there are still some on sale on the SMWS site (here).This baby comes from a re-fill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead,bottled at 46.5% (not much, but it feels right), distilled 19th December 1985. SMWS 37.65, Bursting with interest and imaginings, 46.5% , £124.60 (members) Nose : Oh yeah. […] - [Dalwhinnie 25 year old Special Release 2015](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/29/dalwhinnie-25-year-old-special-release-2015/): Dalwhinnie is one of those Diageo distilleries that you do not see much of, certainly not a lot of new releases. There’s the 15 year old which is a staple dram and enjoys a big following, and of course the Distiller’s edition , and a relatively new NAS that goes by the name of “winter’s gold”. However, Diageo seems not to invest a lot of effort in the brand, and that is a shame. Anyways, The last expression from 2015 Special Release I have yet to review is the Dalwhinnie 25 year old, and it’s time to change that. Distilled in […] - [When is a “Limited edition” really limited?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/28/when-is-a-limited-edition-really-limited/): The latest Highland Park ‘Elsa and Anna’ Edition (or “Ice edition” as some refer to it),  ignited an old discussion thread that always resumes when some whisky maker announces yet another “limited” edition, that is not very limited (say a few 10,000s of bottles or so). There are always the ‘industry house trained person’ that starts explaining to us that since this batch of whisky is only less than 2% of the total sales of the whisky brand, this is essentially a “limited” edition, and there are of course other cynical whisky lovers who explain that “Limited” is of course “Limited […] - [Elements of Islay “Peat” Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/24/elements-of-islay-peat-edition/): Elements of Islay is a small batch whisky label that consists of single distillery bottlings from various Islay distilleries, and has been around for some time, and is quite successful, there are some lovely expressions in the line, but each release is a one-off and quite limited. Some have been gaining quite a following ,selling at auctions for some steep prices, as to justify a post on the very funny and biting Whisky Sponge blog  (this Bn1 bottle selling for 700 quid..) Anyways, With the introduction of the new Peat edition the guys at specialty drinks (TWE)  have blended malt in […] - [A few pointers for the novice wannabe whisky blogger](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/23/a-few-pointers-to-the-novice-wannabe-whisky-blogger/): 1.Start from the basic range , and then go upwards. If you have not tasted any of the core range of a distillery do not start at a 50 year old expression , and then  do not speak about how the whisky matches a “distillery style”. 2. Astonishingly so, a whisky  does not have to be either a Peat Monster or a Sherry bomb. 3.Blogging is not all about getting free booze. 4.Trying to pronounce whisky distillery names in a false Gaelic accent does not make you a whisky expert. - [A Duo of Old Malt Casks–Arran & Inchgower 18yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/22/a-duo-of-old-malt-casksarran-inchgower-18yo/): Sometime ago I received two samples of OMC 18 year old bottlings from the W Club tasting panel to review. It took me sometime, but finally I arrived at tasting them, and although there’s nothing really similar in those two (except the fact that both are 18 yo, both IB and both are bottled at 50% ABV from the same bottler), I decided to put them H2H in one post.  If you’re not familiar with the OMC (old malt cask) series of bottlings, then I should probably tell you that Old Malt Cask is one of the limited edition bottlings from […] - [The (somehow less) tough life of an Israeli Whisky Lover](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/21/the-somehow-less-tough-life-of-an-israeli-whisky-lover/): Back in 2009 (yea, 2009, the blog has been online for almost 8 years now, believe it?) I wrote a blog that went by the headline of “The tough life of an Israeli Whiskey lover, in which I was complaining about how whisky is so expensive in Israel (it was very expensive back then) due to customs. I am not sure how this old post came into mind, Maybe it was after going over blog stats, and seeing which posts were popular. Anyways, I felt that I need to write an updated post about the state of whisky in Israel, so […] - [Kilkerran Calvados Single Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/16/kilkerran-calvados-single-cask/): Oddly this is my first review of a Kilkerran on the blog. I’ve had a few of them, but never properly written tasting notes, so it seems. Kilkerran is distilled at Glengyle and is virtually a sister distillery of Springbank,rebuilt in 2000 and re-opened in 2004, and owned by J&A Mitchell the same company that owns Springbank. A few months ago I tasted an outstanding Kilkerran work in progress, and loved it. This is a distillery to watch out for (not a big surprise,right?), and when somone suggested a  bottle share of a rather interesting Calvados cask, I was definetly in! […] - [Smith's Glenlivet 1974 , G&M Rare Vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/15/smiths-glenlivet-1974-gm-rare-vintage/): If you remember last week’s “The wood makes the whisky” campaign by G&M one of the most prominent IBs out there, whisky merchants, you might remember I promised more excellent whiskies notes from those guys, and the day after, another little package landed at WI HQ, with this 1974 gem of a whisky. It’s not often I get to taste whisky older than myself, and this one is one year older. A part of the Rare Range, with original distillery labels, this was bottled at 43% and aged in Refill American & refill Sherry casks. 43% might not be a lot, […] - [Glengoyne 14, 2000 [Malts of Scotland] cask #15012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/11/glengoyne-14-2000-malts-of-scotland-cask-15012/): My mate Niko who’s a big GG fan is getting married tomorrow (congrats dude). He chose to marry in Prague (not a bad choice at all), and after seeing some of his photos from the Whiskeria bar (you lucky bastard!), I remembered He brought this bottle over to one of our tastings not long ago, and that I quite liked it, but forgot to post notes. This is a nice IB by MOS of a 14 year old GG sherry cask I remember liking quite a bit back then. So, this one is for you Niko, enjoy your last day on […] - [Tasting Royal Brackla 21 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/10/tasting-royal-brackla-21-year-old/): Last August John Dewar & Sons Ltd. has unveiled a new range of proprietary bottlings from Royal Brackla distillery, one of Scotland’s oldest and most venerable distilleries. There are 3 such bottlings (12,16 and 21 year old).  Standing on the fertile farmland of the Cawdor Estate, Royal Brackla Distillery was established in 1812 by the fiery Captain William Fraser who returned to the family farm after military service and took advantage of the fine barley it grew. Within 25 years his distillery’s reputation for spirit of sterling taste received its crowning moment when King William IV bestowed ‘Royal’ status to Brackla, […] - [Ardmore 1996–Gordon & MacPhail [The wood makes the whisky]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/09/ardmore-1996-gordon-and-macphail/): Gordon & MacPhail recently launched their ‘The Wood Makes the Whisky’ campaign, highlighting the importance of this essential element in the whisky maturation process. for that matter they have selected a special series of whiskies to showcase their philosophy on carefully matching spirit with oak in order to ensure a premium taste. For over 120 years Gordon & MacPhail has carefully matched spirit with oak in order to ensure a premium taste which reflects the company’s philosophy. Through ‘The Wood Makes the Whisky, campaign consumers are invited to gain a more in-depth insight into how Gordon & MacPhail’s approach to matching […] - [Tasting the new Benromach 35 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/08/tasting-the-new-benromach-35-yo/): Last monday, Benromach revealed their brand new 35 year old expressions an exclusive expression crafted at the distillery before the Urquhart family, owners of leading whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail, revived it in 1998. I really loved the 1976 edition I reviewed some time ago, and needless to say I was intrigued to find out how good this one is… I was meaning to try it earlier, but due to a nasty cold last week, my plans were a bit delayed. So finally I set to try this last night, and boy I was in for a treat! Benromach 35 yo, […] - [More Old Pulteney–visitng the 21 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/07/more-old-pulteneyvisitng-the-21-yo/): This is the last OP I am going to review in this brief series of Ops. It has won quite some awards (including being selected as best whisky for 2012 by the notorious Jim Murray) which made it quite popular in recent years. Although I do not see eye to eye with old Jimbo, I must admit this is a very very good whisky, although it’s a far stretch to call it best whisky for 2012. Taking into consideration Murray’s other choices , this looks quite conservative now, doesn’t it? At any rate, I re-tasted it during a recent OP tasting […] - [Re-tasting the Old Pulteney 17 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/02/02/old-pulteney-17-review/): After hosting the OP tasting last week in Tel Aviv, I was reminded that for some reason I’ve not posted notes for the 21 year old, and I also wanted to re-taste the 17 year old, see how it changed since i last reviewed it in Jan 2011… (my palate has changed, and the whisky must have too). Let’s roll: Old Pulteney 17 yo, 46% abv , £59 (~380 NIS locally)  Aged mainly  in ex-Bourbon casks,  Oloroso Sherry and some PX sherry casks, so a nice mix of different whisky casks. Nose: Is this a Clyenelish or an OP? (Blindfold I’d […] - [Benromach 5 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/28/benromach-5-year-old/): The Benromach 100 proof and 10 year old were two of my favorite whiskies for 2015, and many fellow whisky lovers appreciate the exceptional quality and great VFM those two offer. The 10 year old has a new (not so new now, but fairly new) small brother – the 5 yo.  The 10 and 100 proof do feel older than their 10 year age statement, I was hoping the 5 would display a similar quality, let’s see about that. At any rate you’ve got to give it to Benromach for releasing a young whisky at only 5 with an Age Statement. […] - [Dailuaine 34 Year Old 1980 (Special Release 2015)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/27/dailuaine-34-year-old-1980-special-release-2015/): You can say whatever you want about Diageo, but you can not deny the fact that this big corporation is bottling some fantastic stuff be it the 16 yo Lagavulin, the 10 yo Talisker, if we’re talking standard afordable whiskies, or the latest 2015 Special releases. Stunning stuff, and while not exactly cheap (and very very expensive when we’re talking Brora /PE / other 30+ yo whiskies), they are indeed top notch stuff, as we’re about to find when tasting this lovely 34 year old Dailuaine. I was lucky enough to be able to afford a share of a bottle (10Cl), […] - [Old Pulteney vintage 1989 (Peated cask) - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/25/old-pulteney-vintage-1989-review/): I will be hosting another whisky tasting today, featuring the entire Old Pulteney core range (age statement versions), starting from the 12 through the 17,21 and then reaching the awesome 35 year old I reviewed in the past, this 1989 however is a whisky I’ve not yet reviewed, having liked the 1990 which is also a peated version, I was quite sure this one is going to be a cracker, and guess what – It is ! You might think that this peated version was distilled from peated malt , but this is not the case here (as in other peated […] - [Littlemill 24 yo 1990–Cadenhead’s Small Batch](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/20/littlemill-24-yo-1990cadenheads-small-batch/): Littlemill 24 yo 1990/2015 53.7%, Cadenhead, Small Batch, So, another Cadenhead’s small batch this time a Littlemill (yeah!)   distilled 1990 , bottled in 2015, it is officially a 24 year old single cask. The last Littlemill I tasted (that awesome 25 OB I tasted in October ) left me wanting more. This is an ex-bourbon cask and not finished in Oloroso, but something tells me this is going to be a cracker. Littlemill 24 yo 1990/2015 53.7%, Cadenhead’s, Small Batch, € 360 (or so) Nose: Rich and malty with quite some fragrant wood, vanilla and a metallic edge too. There’s some […] - [Tasting the Benriach Latada 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/18/tasting-the-benriach-latada-18-yo/): The Latada is another special release by The Benriach, aged 18 years just like its 18 year old siblings the Albariza and Dunder (reviewed here). The difference is again the cask finish, this time we’re talking Madeira finish instead of the dark rum / PX, which did work quite well for the other two (I preferred the PX to the Rum, but they were both very good stuff). This is quite the limited edition again with around 4,000 bottles, again Bottled at 46% abv, at natural color and non chill filtered – just as we like it. In case you’re wondering […] - [Elements of Islay BW5–Bowmore [1996] - review & notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/14/elements-of-islay-bw5bowmore-1996-review-ands-notes/): Another superb bottle I got to taste this week with friends (thanks Assaf!). This one is a vatting (mixing) of 1995 and 1996 casks, making it a 1996 vintage (we always take the youngest malt in the vatting), and the 5th such bottling from Bowmore in the Elements of Islay series (A good series of Islay bottling by The whisky Exchange). Always interesting to try 1990’s Bowmore (thank goodness no FWP here).   Elements of Islay  ,Bowmore Bw5 , NAS , (1996 unofficial) 50,2% abv , 0,5 Liter  ,£85 Nose: Starting off with wet fur, wet cloth, or whatever you may […] - [Laphroaig 21 , OB , 2015 edition (FoL)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/13/laphroaig-21-ob-2015-edition-fol/): Laphraoig released quit a few expressions recently, some of them better some are ok. This one being the oldest Laphraoig I can still  afford (the 32 year old does sound lovely, but it’s up there and I can not even think of buying it at around € 1200).It is a “limited” edition, released to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the distillery. The liquid was distilled in 1993, and matured in ex-Bourbon casks for 21 years.The expression is only available to Friends of Laphraoig (but anyone who ever bought a bottle, can join the club), and it does seem not to have […] - [Caol Ila 17 year old Unpeated– #Diageo Special Rel. 2015](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/12/caol-ila-17-year-old-unpeated-diageo-special-rel-2015/): Going back and tasting a few of the remaining SR 2015.. This Caol Ila is the second affordable whisky of the range (after the excellent Lagavulin). this is the 10th edition, and the whisky was distilled in 1997, aged in ex-bourbon casks , priced at 90 quid. Previous Unpeated CIs were excellent, and I was really looking forward to trying this one, the oldest yet (17..). Unpeated Caol Ila may sound like lacking to those who never tried any, but rest assured if you EVER tried an unpeated malt from this big Islay distillery, you’d change your mind in a minute. […] - [First review of 2016–Ardbeg Supernova 2015](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/10/first-review-of-2016ardbeg-supernova-2015/): We’re kicking off 2016 with a bang, literally. A supernova! well, almost. Ardbeg Supernova as the peatiest expression from the Islay distillery of Ardbeg , and only the mighty Octomore has more ppm of peat (not that ppm is a any measure of the quality of whisky, or how peated the whisky feels).  This is the 2015 Ardbeg Committee release, and I think it has to do with Ardbeg sending some liquid to space, and that wee ampule of whisky coming all the way back, and being analyzed in what was called the Ardbeg “white paper” , quite a funny conclusion […] - [Strathclyde 26 yo grain by Cadenhead's](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/01/07/strathclyde-26-yo-grain-by-cadenheads/): I’ve been in New Delhi, India all week long and will be returning to Israel this weekend. Actually I’ve not had a lot of whisky during my stay in India. Most good Indian malt whisky is not sold locally, and you can mainly get the local blended Indian whisky which can best be described as “ok-ish”. I’ve also been using this time off whisky for detox, and will be continuing dramming on Sunday. This specific whisky was part of a bottle share handled by Ben, and as you know, I have a soft spot for good Grain whiskies, this 26 SC […] - [Glen Grant 1950-2015, 65yo G&M for Wealth Solutions](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/29/glen-grant-1950-2015-65yo-gm-for-wealth-solutions/): Time to end this year with some really special drams,the first of which is a quite unique in a few respects : First of all it was distilled in 1950, yes nineteen fifty, yes 25 years before I was even born which is cool, very cool. What also makes it cool is the ABV it is bottled. At first I was quite sure it was a typo, but i checked and re-checked , and it seems to be correct: this whisky aged for 65 years, has been bottled at  59.3% !!! That is mind boggling. This wee dram has lost less […] - [SMWS 29.161 – A bodega is burning [Laphraoig]14 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/28/smws-29-161-a-bodega-is-burning-laphraoig14-yo/): Cool wintery nights are THE time for some cracking peated malts, and this SMWS Laphraoig is a good example as any.Another expression released not long ago by SMWS (UK) . I’m loving the name on this one, and boy is on the money.This is a Refill ex-sherry bottled at 60.4% . SMWS 29.161 – A bodega is burning  , 60.4% , Sold Out Nose: Intensely medicinal with quite a lot of bandages, some cough syrup as well as burnt wood smoke, burnt peat embers, , cumin and sweet wine on top of all that. there’s some sweet malt and burnt toast […] - [Ledaig 2004–The Ultimate, Van Wees , 2015](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/23/ledaig-2004the-ultimate-van-wees-2015/): A long time ago, when I was making my first steps in whisky, and when whisky used to cost an arm and a leg and not many worthwhile whiskies were available locally, Ledaig NAS OB was available and fairly cheap (relatively, ok). I admit to polishing off a few bottles of that peaty whisky, and since then I always have a soft spot for Ledaig. You can get some awesome young peaty monsters from Tobermory nowadays from IB, and this is definitely one of them. Luckily I was able to taste that a few days ago sharing with some friends (Thank […] - [Amrut 2009 cask #3434 WhiskyBase NL exclusive, ex-Bourbon](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/22/amrut-2009-cask-3434-whiskybase-nl-exclusive-ex-bourbon/): I’m a big fan of good Indian whiskies (Amrut, Paul John) , with Amrut defienrtly being one of the best whisky distilleries outside Scotland (and Japan). They have been really making good stuff in recent years, with quite some OB single casks released recently as well as the ‘Spectrum’. When this one came out on Whisky Base, I knew this was going to be something worth having, and luckily there were enough bottles for me and some friends. Anyways, I’ve not opened mine yet, but was lucky enough to enjoy a dram at a recent friends night out, this being the […] - [An ex-bourbon cask Glenfarclas? yes! –SMWS 1.194 Attractive, rounded and comforting, 16 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/21/an-ex-bourbon-cask-glenfarclas-yes-smws-1-194-attractive-rounded-and-comforting-16-yo/): A bourbon cask Glenfarclas? Blasphemy! some would shout, and indeed there are not that many cask GFs bottled from an ex-bourbon. Indeed, Glranfarclas is synonomous with sherry maturation, and although you’d never guess this was a GF blind, their spirit is top notch, and works perfectly well with ex-bourbon. I’ve tasted a bourbon cask sample way back when the Glenfarclas Ambassador visited a year ago or so, and it was very impressive. This one is no different as we’re about to see. Many thanks to the SMWS for bottling this stuff. SMWS 1.194 Attractive, rounded and comforting  16 yo, 60% , […] - [SMWS 27.109 Guns on the grouse moor [Springbank] 16 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/20/smws-27-109-guns-on-the-grouse-moor-springbank-16-yo/): Dirty Whisky can be wonderful if you enjoy that thing, dirty sherry especially, and whenever I come across such a cask, which displays enough dirtiness, without being way “off”, it is a time to be merry. This 16 year old Springer from the SMWS is such a dram. Distilled in 1992, comes from a big badass Gorda cask containing some 600 liters at a nice 58.3% abv. A true springbank, and a lovely dram. SMWS 27.109 Guns on the grouse moor  , 58.3% abv ,  Nose :that’s a very meaty springer. Starts off with oxtail soup sort  of nose. Meat consume,Gunpowder […] - [Review–SMWS 26.98 Lively as an electric acrobat–Clynelish 10 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/16/reviewsmws-26-98-lively-as-an-electric-acrobatclynelish-10-yo/): Time for some more SMWS , this time with a 10 year old Clynelish with this very nice name (we’re used to those from the SMWS, aren’t we?). The facts are : 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel , 10 year aging, bottled at a nice 60.5% abv ,and destined for the NZ market (so says whiskybase).  Some people will think a 10 year old whisky can’t be excellent, but this is a good example of how a relatively young whisky, can rock. SMWS 26.98 Lively as an Electric Acrobat , 10 yo , Clynelish, 60.5% Nose: starts fresh with lemon zest, Pepper […] - [A rocking chair dram - SMWS 9.80 [Glen Grant] 20 yo Sauternes Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/14/a-rocking-chair-dram-smws-9-80-glen-grant-20-yo-sauternes-cask/): Time for a few SMWS bottlings I tasted recently from the last year or so, and the first one is a delicious ultra sweet whisky from a refill Sauternes cask.  Distilled on the 16th November 1992, and bottled at 49.5%. Glen Grant 1992 SMWS 9.80 , 49.5 % , 20 years old  Nose: That’s a nice one indeed. Like eating sweets in a pine needle wood, lots of pine, as well as old school boiled sweets, waxy wood, with nice older dusty shelves, as well as icing sugar, sweet juicy fruit and barley sugars, some ripe apples in sweet nectar. Very […] - [Hyde 10 Year Old No. 1 Presidents Cask [Irish] Whiskey](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/10/hyde-10-year-old-no-1-presidents-cask-irish-whiskey/): So, another Irish whisky has arrived, named “Hyde” and sold by the  ‘Hibernia’ Distillers Company. They are actually setting up a distillery based in Cork , but this whisky was sourced from another distillery (most likely Cooley).  There is not a lot of info about the “Hibernia” company as their site is still under construction. The Hyde 10 Year Old “No. 1 Presidents Cask” is limited edition single malt Irish whiskey – quite a small batch of just 5,000 bottles. It’s bottled in honor of Douglas Hyde, the first President of Ireland from 1938 to 1945. The whiskey was initially matured […] - [Mortlach 18 OB–Review and thoughts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/08/mortlach-18-obreview-and-thoughts/): Quite some time ago Mortlach has undergone a complete revamp of its core range, with fancy new packaging, a NAS and a few Age statement expressions, all very luxurious (read Bloody expensive), and in 0.5 Liter decanters. The brand has been fully Dalmorized * fully, not without many Mortlach fans, and whisky fans displaying a lot of discomfort and disappointment in the direction the brand was going. More than a year has passed by, and this was the first time I tried any of the new bottles, this time the 18 year old (which sells for a whopping £180, yes.). How […] - [The whisky barrel 12 yo port Charlotte](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/07/the-whisky-barrel-12-yo-port-charlotte/): This is yet another sample I was fortunate to taste from the recent TWB Burn’s Malt range of single casks. There’s also a funny story here. You see, when I got all 3 samples each said 25 year old, which was quite true for the Aultmore, but a bit suspicious for a Port Charlotte, which has not been bottling whisky 25 years ago, right? (before the new Laddie management). Anyways, a quick twitter question to TWB and they cleared it was the 12 year old expression I was thinking it Was.  Anyways, one can not usually go wrong with any PC, […] - [Aultmore 1990–25 yo Burns Malt (TWB)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/02/aultmore-199025-yo-burns-malt-twb/): I received 3 samples for review some time ago from TWB (The whisky Barrel), and it took my some time to get to them. They all had lovely colors, and this being the darkest, was my first choice, as the evenings were getting chillier and I was quite in need of a good , heavily sherried older dram. I was not to regret this! Seems this bottling was quite a hit (maybe after Serge loved it – so it seems), and is all gone. Anyways, big sherried Aultmore? bring it on! Aultmore ,25 Year Old 1990 Burns Malt, 57.8%, butt #3241 […] - [Douglas Laing 'Yula' 20 yo - Blended Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/12/01/douglas-laing-yula-20-yo-blended-malt/): The folks at D.Laing are never resting on their laurels, and they have recently announced the first installement in a trilogy of limited edition island malt. The first whisky to be released is called “Yula”, comprised of a few malts from the Islands and Islay. So why Yula you ask? there’s a story, as always: Ancient Islay legend tells of a beautiful Norse goddess Yula, who went in search of her long lost love with an apron full of stones. The stones fell out as she travelled, forming a string of islands and leaving behind a trail of her empty quest. […] - [GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch #5](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/30/glendronach-cask-strength-batch-5/): Time flies, and we’ve reached the 5th batch of the very successful product that is the GD Cask Strength. As we’ve seen before there’s indeed quite a bit of variation among batches, each going its own way. I think I tried them all except batch #3.  As always, the new expression has been aged  in a combination of the Spanish Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso casks, bottled at 55.3% and baring no age statement (NAS) ,non chill filtered and at natural color. After the relatively disappointing ‘peated’ expression , this one has delivered beautifully: Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 5 , 55.3%, €69,99  […] - [The new Glendronach Peated - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/29/the-new-glendronach-peated/): As a big fan of the Glendronach distillery I was quite excited to hear they are releasing a peated whisky edition,  distilled using peated malted barley –  first matured in bourbon casks followed by a second period of maturation in the finest Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. As Glendronach are synonymous with good sherry matured whisky, It is really interesting to see how their peated spirit will come out, finished (or matured) in PX and Oloroso. Let’s get going! GlenDronach Peated , 46% abv , ~£36  Nose: Quite creamy and not very peaty on the nose. Not as much as […] - [Brora 37 yo [1977]–Special Release 2015](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/25/brora-37-yo-1977special-release-2015/): Yes. After the Port Ellen, comes the Brora 37 year old. relatively cheap compared to the PE at “only” £1,300 , which is still a lot of money. A closed distillery, with a cult following (not as big as PE obviously). I was looking at some 2012 pricing, and I was saying the Brora release is pricy at 400 quid… Boy, were we naïve or what? Anyways, I have not had a lot of old Broras  (I think I’ve had 4 so far) , So I am no expert on the distillery, but I must say I love the style, so […] - [Lagavulin 12 yo - Special Release 2015](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/24/lagavulin-12-yo-special-release-2015/): There are usually a couple of affordable whiskies in the yearly Special release by Diageo, and the Lagavulin is a dram you can always trust to be very good to excellent (At least in recent years). The Other is the Caol Ila, both can be had for under 80 quid which is not a bad price for Cask strength OB of that calibre, right? This year’s 12 year old Lagavulin is bottled at 56.8% abv and there a re plenty of bottles out there… Let’s get dramming   Lagavulin 12 Year Old (Special Release 2015) , 56.8%, £79 Nose: This is […] - [Laphroaig 15 Year Old (200th Anniversary Edition)–Review and thoughts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/23/laphroaig-15-year-old-200th-anniversary-editionreview-and-thoughts/): We’re taking a bit of time of from the Diageo SR 2015, to a more down to earth dram, we’re able to afford: The Laphroaig 15 has been a favorite of many whisky lovers, until it was replaced a couple of years ago by the 18 year old. Fortunately, the distillery has re-created this expression (it’s 15 year old alright, but it is not the same – let’s get that straight) and it is now available again as a 200th anniversary edition. I was very keen on trying the new edition, as I’ve heard good things, but it did take me […] - [Diageo SR 2015 Part III –Port Ellen 32 yo [1983]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/22/diageo-sr-2015port-ellen-32-yo-1983/): So, we come to the holy grail of whisky collectors and geeks : The Legendary Port Ellen from this year’s Special releases. Aged 32 years and distilled in 1983 – the final year of production at the PE distillery. Priced at £2,400, it is not really cheap, and my guess not many bottles will EVER get opened, as this is a purely collect / invest bottle for most of those who purchase it, and too bad about that. I feel lucky to be able to try as wee sample (cheers, Diageo). Expect a few more PEs coming your way (in term […] - [Diageo Special Releases 2015–Part II - The Cally 40 Year Old 1974](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/18/diageo-special-releases-2015part-ii-the-cally-40-year-old-1974/): The What?! Yes, that was also my reaction when I saw “The Cally” 40 year old as part of this year’s Special release. So, a grain whisky, cool! this is infact not the first ever Grain to be featured on the SR (There was one in 2011 by Port Dundas). The Cally actually stands for the Caledonian, which was a grain distillery owned by Diageo. Located in Edinburgh, and nicknamed “The Cally”. Established in 1887 and closed in 1988. The whisky itself was distilled in 1974 (one year before I was distilled haha)  This expression is limited to only 5060 bottles, […] - [Diageo Special Releases 2015–Part I–Clynelish Select Reserve [NAS]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/17/diageo-special-releases-2015part-iclynelsih-select-reserve-nas/): I was very lucky to have received this cool Special Releases sample pack from Diageo this year. I was totally not expecting it, as it landed in one cool box a couple of weeks ago. They have really outdid themselves with the design and packing, and they were smart enough as to put unsealed sample bottles , so the samples are were going to be tasted rather than be sold on auction sites for $$$$. Quite a lot of interesting stuff this year, with a 40 year old single grain from “The Cally” and the much anticipated Port Ellen and Brora. […] - [Two 18 yo Peated Benriach–Albariza & Dunder](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/16/two-18-yo-peated-benriachalbariza-dunder/): Time to try a few Peated Benriachs that have eluded me for some time (no idea why). Both are 18 year old, peated, what differentiates one another is the cask finish chosen. The first one Albariza was finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. The name Albariza comes from a type of chalky soil which is typical for Andalucia (in Spain). Most vineyards in the Sherry producing regions are planted on Albariza soil. What is a bit weird is that this particular type of sherry (PX) is not grown on Albariza , as most often It is Palomino grapes (used for other […] - [Tomatin Cù Bòcan Bourbon Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/15/tomatin-c-bcan-bourbon-cask/): In case you’ve been living on the moon recently  a no introduction to Cù Bòcan  is required.This is the only peated line of whisky from Tomatin. The “regular” expression  is matured in a combination of Sherry, Virgin Oak and Bourbon casks, while Tomtain has also released expressions that showcase only one type of wood used for the vatting of Cù Bòcan , and this is the third in this line (see tasting notes of the Virgin oak ,  and sherry cask) . This limited edition showcases the influence that Bourbon has on lightly peated Tomatin  single malt. Released a few months […] - [Lagavulin 10 Year Old 2005 (cask 200802) - A Rare Find (Gleann Mór)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/12/lagavulin-10-year-old-2005-cask-200802-a-rare-find-gleann-mor/): So, I am back from a wee vacation in Prague (which was awesome! ), A lot of beer and some whisky (and more about that in next week’s posts). Been a while since i wrote a tasting note and it’s time i think… I know a lot of people reading the blog are fans of Lagavulin, and this is no wonder with excellent OBs available regularly (16, 16 DE, and the yearly release of the 12), which are affordable and very fine malts. It’s however very hard to find IB Lagavulins (there are some, ok), and especially hard to find IBs […] - [Two OB new Single Grains–Port Dundas 12 & 18 -Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/05/two-ob-new-single-grainsport-dundas-12-18-review/): The single grain sector is indeed gaining popularity, and although I did not plan it, this is becoming a grain centric week here on the blog. Recently Diageo has launched a new line of single grain whisky from the now closed distillery of Port Dundas.  Based in Glasgow, the historic distillery closed in 2010 as Diageo moved the majority of its grain whisky production to Cameronbridge – leading to the loss of around 900 jobs. There had been quite a few IB bottling of the distillery, but not officially released by Diageo until now. The lineup currently will have a 12 […] - [Old Particular Strathclyde 27 yo [D.Laing] - Single Grain - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/03/old-particular-strathclyde-27-yo-single-grain-review/): Another single Grain from Strathclyde today, following the lovely 25 year old Sovereign reviewed here only a few days ago.. This one is a part of a 4 release of single grain by D.Laing consisting of  Cameronbridge 25 Years Old, Girvan 25 Years Old,North British 21 Years Old and this one. we’re above the 25 year old mark, so I am expecting lots of old grain goodness here, which I adore. Strathclyde 27 Year Old 1987 (cask 10804) – Old Particular , 51.5% , £85 Nose: Sweet pastries, vanilla, cinnamon buns (cinnabon), sweet syrup and some honey glazing on fresh buns […] - [The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch #2 - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/11/02/the-balvanie-tun-1509-batch-2-review/): What do you do when you have a winner, a cracking whisk called the Tun 1401 and you can not keep up with demand? You build a bigger Tun, that can hold a lot more. A good idea, right? I have not tried the first batch out of the 1509, but fortunately I was able to buy a share of a bottle from a whisky friends’ bottle share, as I was very curious about how this is. I’ve tasted 3 or 4 batches from the Tun 1401 line, and they were all excellent (some better, of course). Batch #2 of the […] - [Littlemill 25 Private Cellar Edition [oloroso sherry cask] –Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/29/littlemill-25-private-cellar-edition-oloroso-sherry-cask-review/): Some time ago I saw a twitter / Facebook call for bloggers willing (yes, willing!) to taste this new OB Littlemill and blog about it , and I kindly accepted the offer (yes, who am I kidding, I wanted to taste it). Littlemill is becoming very popular lately (in our own circles of whisky geeks , lovers and wannabees), and I’ve tasted a few nice IBs… so, why not? Anyways, you can always count on the Israeli mail to fuck up, and this time they fucked up magnificentlyl, as holidays were upon us, and whatever, so I got my package only […] - [Strathclyde 25 Years Old 1989 The Sovereign](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/28/strathclyde-25-years-old-1989-the-sovereign/): After the disappointment in the two single casks of yesterday, we come to taste another sample sent from the W.Club (Whisky Shop). This cask was bottled by Hunter Laing, for their Sovereign line of Single Grain whiskies. Strathclyde Distillery stands on the south bank of the River Clyde in the Gorbals district of Glasgow, and was built by the long established, London-based distiller and blender, Seager Evans in 1927. It was originally intended to produce spirit for rectification into gin and later, when they acquired the well-known brand, Long John, for whisky blending. 25 year old grains have a lot of […] - [A couple of indies from Langside Distillers (distiller’s art)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/27/a-couple-of-indies-from-langside-distillers-distillers-art/): I must be honest, I never heard about this label (distiller’s art) before I got the samples for review (thank you the W club). It seems this is a sub label of Douglas of Drumlanrig, the IB you may have heard about. So, basically I came to review those without any prejudice, hoping for the best. You never know what’s coming when single casks are concerned. this one is bottled at 48% so it’s not really cask strength… Braeval 13 Year Old 2001 – Distiller’s Art (Langside) , € 82 Nose: Spicy ginger with candied peel, creamy malt and vanilla. Damp […] - [Octomore 7.3 Islay Barley - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/26/octomore-7-3-islay-barley/): The last day or so was quite rainy an stormy if not very cold, and what better weather than this to be drinking peated malts, right? When you’re talking peat monsters there is one clear king in terms of power , PPM and quality, and that is the Bruichladdich family of Octomore malts.  The latest installment (like the 6.3) is made from local Islay Barley grown only 2 miles away from the distillery, at James Browns’ Octomore Farm.  It was distilled in 2010 from grain harvested on Lorgba field the previous summer, peated to 169ppm and matured  on Islay for in […] - [The New Dalmore 21 year old - Review and thoughts...](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/25/the-new-dalmore-21-year-old/): As much as I like Dalmore (I do, and I think they are capable of making awesome malt), it is really sad watching how Dalmore becomes a luxury brand with prices as high as they are and the liquid not matching it. What do I mean? take this new release for example , a 21 year old , at 42% abv costing 350 quid. Yes, you heard right – 350 quid. Now dear Dalmore – this is a tasty whisky, can not say it is not a good whisky (even if not excellent), but could you not walk the extra mile […] - [Compass Box - This is not a luxury Whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/22/compass-box-this-is-not-a-luxury-whisky/): After yesterday’s Epic Flaming heart 15th anniversary edition, we come to review the second new creation of John Glaser (and Compass Box), which goes by the name of ‘This is not a luxury Whisky’.  This is really a witty word game based on the same notion as René Magritte’s  famous work “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (originally named : la trahison des images). Compass box have created quite the luxury whisky here, priced at £150 , this is quite the luxury whisky. What Compass box was trying to do (according to them, and I am quoting) was “similar to the role […] - [Compass Box Flaming Heart 15th Anniversary edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/21/compass-box-flaming-heart-15th-anniversary-edition/): 15 years already? Yes, so it seems. The artisan whisky maker Compass box led by John Glaser has turned 15 and it is releasing some epic whiskies to celebrate that, the two i will be writing about are this , and the “this is not a luxury whisky” (coming soon). I’ve been a fan of the flaming heart for a long time now (since 2006), ever since the first edition came out , as a matter of fact. Flaming heart was back then the first of its kinds to combine the rich complex spice aged in new French oak with peated […] - [Quick Review -The Antiquary 21 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/19/quick-review-the-antiquary-21-year-old/): The Antiquary is a line of blended whiskies produced by the Tomatin distillery. Its original lie some 150 years ago when John & William Hardie set to ‘create the perfect Blended Scotch’.  The name ‘Antiquary’ is taken from the famous Gothic novel written by Sir Walter Scott, redolent with family secrets, stories of hidden treasure and hopeless love. Recently the entire range was redesigned, this is indeed a good reason for me to try this blend, which is not really available locally, and has eluded my until now.. The PR blabber goes: Matured in specially selected oak casks for over twenty […] - [A visit to the The Glenlivet Concept shop in Tel Aviv](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/18/a-visit-to-the-the-glenlivet-concept-shop-in-tel-aviv/): The Glenlivet whisky got its license to distil malt whisky in 1824 we all know that, since then a lot of whisky has been flowing and the Glenivet has become the #1 single malt whisky brand worldwide (as for 2014) passing the Glendiffich recently. The Glenlivet malt has been present in Israel for quite some time, but as it seems the Israeli Importer has decided to boost sales and to invest more in the brand, which is always a welcome ideas among us whisky fans. I was really happy to hear that the Glenlivet is going to open a concept shop […] - [Port Askaig 100 Proof–Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/15/port-askaig-100-proofreview/): Specialty drinks (a sister company of the Whisky Exchange) have been bottling the Port Askaig line of Islay malts for a few years now. Recently they have added new members to the family in the form of 16, 30 and 40 year old batches, in addition to a 100 proof edition. The 30 and 40 do sound lovely, but unfortunately I’ve not been able to taste any yet. However, they were kind enough as to share a sample of the 100 proof recently. We tend to think that every blended Peated Islay is basically some sort of Caol Ila in disguise […] - [English Whisky Co.–Peated–TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/14/english-whisky-co-peatedtwe-exclusive/): St George’s Distillery in Norfolk is showing the world that good whisky can flow from the stills in Norfolk, England and not only from Scotland. They also produce peated whisky, and this round TWE bottled two of their expressions, a peated and a non peated . Both are NAS, and come at cask strength (and are pretty young too as The distillery has been working since 2006). A nice peated whisky, showing all them Islay distilleries that nice peated whiskies can come from England too! And yes, the bottle looks awesome, right? let’s dive:   English Whisky Co.–Peated–TWE Exclusive  , 55.2% […] - [Green Spot Château Léoville-Barton - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/13/green-spot-chteau-loville-barton-review/): An Irish whisky finished in a Saint Julien appellation in Bordeaux wine? I admit it does sound a bit far fetched, but this is what we’re about to taste today.  If you’re not a wine buff, some information about Léoville Barton : It is set in the heart of the Saint Julien appellation in Bordeaux, one of the most revered winemaking regions in the world, Léoville Barton is a grand cru Château renowned for producing world class wine. Léoville Barton is overseen today by Anthony and Lilian Barton, direct descendants of Thomas Barton, a ‘Wine Geese’[1] winemaker who founded a wine […] - [Abbey Whisky Anon 13 yo - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/11/abbey-whisky-anon-13-yo-review/): Im quite the mystery fan myself , and what better than an Anonymous whisky? these ones turn out from time to time from all sort of IB’s and this time from the nice guys over at Abbey Whisky. They usually bottle pretty good drams and however this time around not much info is disclosed they were only stating that this whisky is from  : “one of Scotland’s finest distilleries” and finished in an Oloroso sherry cask”. I have a clue where this one was distilled, but I may be very wrong , so I shall leave the guessing work to you, my […] - [Kilchoman 2010 single cask TWE exclusive cask 679](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/11/kilchoman-2010-single-cask-twe-exclusive-cask-679/): for those who enjoy peated whiskies, TWE included two peated malts in their latest line of Exclusive single cask bottlings, the first is this 4-year-old Kilchoman, and the other is English whisky peated. I’ve long been a Kilchoman fan (though I am not doing a lot of peat these days – this might change as temperatures are dropping even here) , and It is really hard to find a bad dram made by this wee distillery. Some are awesome, while some are good. I happen to like their PX casks (and PX finishes) so I was  expecting something nice this time. […] - [Arran 2000 Private Cask #1106 TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/09/arran-2000-private-cask-1106-twe-exclusive/): We continue reviewing the latest batch of The whisky Exchange exclusive single casks, with this Arran 2000, which was aged for 14 years in ex-bourbon and bottled at a cask strength of 55.5% ABV. Priced at about 70 quid, it offers a good value IMHO, and is a very good example of classic ex-bourbon maturation, with a nice balance of fruit, cereal, and spice. Let’s go: ARRAN 2000 Private Cask #1106 TWE Exclusive , 55,5% abv, £70.95 Nose: Very nice ex- bourbon cask notes; sandalwood, vanilla and coconut and icing sugar. Lots of wood , but quite light  at that, if […] - [BenRiach 1998 17 Year Old PX Finish TWE Exclusive (Cask 7758)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/08/benriach-1998-17-year-old-px-finish-twe-exclusive-cask-7758/): After the lovely Glendronach exclusive I’ve reviewed yesterday, comes the bottle from the “sister” distillery of BenRiach (they we released together), this one is 17 years old, a Tripe distilled whisky  and was only finished in PX, rather than aged in it for the entire length of maturation. Actually I’ve bought a bottle if this one (even before I tasted it, it looked nice..) and I am very glad I did. I love it. BenRiach 1998 17 Year Old PX Finish TWE Exclusive (Cask 7758) , 48.9% , £99 Nose:  lovely sherry influence with a nutty edge , as well as […] - [Glendronach 1995 19 Year Old PX Puncheon TWE Exclusive - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/07/glendronach-1995-19-year-old-px-puncheon-twe-exclusive-review/): MaltStock is over, and I am settling down (a separate post about that soon). As always I was very happy to meet so many nice people, share a few drams, and on the way collect a few samples people were kind enough to bestow upon me. Billy from the TWE was kind to share samples of the exclusive bottling for The Whisky Exchange, Two of them were this GD PX cask, and the Benriach finished in PX (which I already ordered blind, and not tasted it at that time ). Let’s start with this one, and continue to the BenRiach 1998 […] - [The Famous Grouse Mellow Gold](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/05/the-famous-grouse-mellow-gold/): Another blended whisky, twice in a row? Yes, indeed. And why not? It is not a port Ellen, but it is something that most people buy, and that is what keeps Single malts in motion, Blended malts, we heart you (although we drink you only from time to time, which is a shame btw). So what’s new about this version of the Grouse you ask? The PR blurb says this:   The Famous Grouse Mellow Gold has been Blended for Smoothness and carefully crafted by Master Blender Gordon Motion. The master blender’s art is on full display, blending the finest scotch […] - [Johnnie Walker Rye cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/10/04/johnnie-walker-rye-cask/): Yea, you heard that right, Johnnie walker Rye cask finish, that is no mistake. Now , the guys at JW have been quite busy of late , with quite a few new editions (mostly the Duty free edition, with the Explorer’s club. This time we’re speaking about  another range called the “The select casks”.  The first installement has been finsihed in Rye casks, and thus, called “Rye Cask”, there will be others coming in the future, as per JW. The whisky is a blended JW that is matured for 10 years in first-fill American Oak casks that have previously held Bourbon and […] - [Scapa Skiren - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/09/21/scapa-skiren-review/): Scapa the “other” Orcadian distillery (Orcadian meaning located on the island of Orkney), has just recently opened its gates to visitors, as it opened a new visitor center in April 2015. From a whisky geek’s point of view Scapa is a bit different than the other distilleries as it hosts A unique barrel-shaped Lomond wash still – the only remaining working Lomond in the Scotch whisky industry (which is said to result in a richer and fruiter honeyed spirit). As it seems Scapa has gone NAS too (as quite a few distilleries have gone – not there’s anything wrong with that…), […] - [The Dalmore distillery exclusive 2015 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/09/20/the-dalmore-distillery-exclusive-2015-edition/): Distillery exclusive bottling are always sought after by malt geeks, and It’s always nice to visit a distillery and buy a limited bottle you can not get elsewhere, it does remind you of fond memories when you revisit it when at home some months after the actual visit. If you ask the average whisky geek, the preferred format should be a cask strength edition, preferably bottle your own, from a single cask or so, right? Well, think again. The Dalmore have created such an exclusive recently, but sadly it’s bottled at 48% abv (which is a tad higher than usual for […] - [Glenallachi 1995 cask #1257 - Malts of Scotland](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/09/16/glenallachi-1995-cask-1257-malts-of-scotland/): Going over my sample box, I discovered the last MOS single cask sample form the epic bottle share organized by Sjoerd a few years ago. Many of the bottles in that share were crackers, and I had high expectations from this one (and boy was I let down). Single casks are singular , that’s pretty much what you can say about them before tasting. Most are nice since IB tend to bottle good stuff, but once in a while they let an under par casks pass, and apparently this was the case here. Anyways, this is my first Glenallachie  (I think), […] - [And today : Whiskey - Redbreast 12 cask strength](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/09/09/and-today-whiskey-redbreast-12-cask-strength/): It’s September and it’s still pretty hectic around here. Today was dusty (Mars like), and hot and humid as you can imagine in HELL. I was thinking about which whisky I should have and after a beer, or so decided to review the Redbreast 12 CS. This bottle has been sitting around for a few months, having opened it for an Irish whisky night with some friends. I never got to review it, and that is indeed a shame since it’s such a good whisky IMHO. This mind you is the cask strength edition, at 57.7%, which adds a lot of […] - [SMWS 73.55 apples and pears [Aultmore 21]–A funky weird dram…](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/09/08/smws-73-55-apples-and-pears-aultmore-21a-funky-weird-dram/): Our noses and Palates are very different, that’s given. Some people love certain whiskies other people can not appreciate and vise versa, and this single cask from SMWS (I got from Tom, a long time ago – thanks bro!) is a terrific example of such a whisky. Before I tasted it, I was browsing Tom’s site (weird, as I try no to read about a whisky I am about to taste as not to allow prejudice)  to see what I should expect, and it seems he was quite fond of it himself. I took a sniff, and from the very first […] - [SMWS 127.39 'Intensely Tasty' (Port Charlotte 11 year old)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/09/07/smws-127-39-intensely-tasty-port-charlotte-11-year-old/): Not long ago I reviewed two other SMWS PCs – 127.37 ‘Dinosaurs dancing to Stravinsky (which was EPIC) and 127.40  –  Mango chicken vindaloo, which again was excellent. It’s quite clear I am fond of young PCs, and I wonder how this one will going to be when we compare it to those two monsters. At 11 years old and aged in a Refill Sherry Butt , bottled at 66.7% this is not going to be a delicate dram, is it? SMWS 127.39 Intensely Tasty  , 11 yo  , 66.7% , 579 bottles Nose: starts very laddie like with the signature […] - [Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail Review and impressions](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/09/06/mortlach-75-years-old-by-gordon-macphail-review-and-impressions/): Phil is our correspondent in London (as well as helping out with certain muling operations which are top secret (hehe). He was kind enough to accept the opportunity and go to the Mortlach 75 year old unveiling event last week in London. Here’s his lovely guest post. He’s a natural isn’t he? Being the official mule of the Whisky Israel blog for the London-Israel trade route has its advantages. I get to preview the samples I bring over, and I also score the occasional invitation to a whisky launch or some such other event when our host Gal cannot attend. This […] - [Glenfarclas 1993 oloroso sherry casks [2012 ed.]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/09/01/glenfarclas-1993-oloroso-sherry-casks-2012-ed/): Glenfarclas are lucky to have a lot of stock aging in their warehouses, so they are able to release interesting , aged whiskies from time to time. (this is what happens when you’re a family owned distillery , and putting your stuff into single malts rather than using it as blending fodder).  I am not sure where I got this sample from. It has been sitting around in my sample box for quite some time, so whomever sent this my way, thanks buddy! Glenfarclas 1993 oloroso sherry casks (2012 edition) , 46% abv , € 62 Nose : That’s an interesting […] - [Tasting Barrel Bourbon Batch #4](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/08/30/tasting-barrel-bourbon-batch-4/): Time for some Whiskey, and today with a brand I’ve never tried before : Barrel. BB are sort of an independent bottler for Bourbon and Whiskey, they source casks (well, yeah from big factories in Idiana… ) and they bottle them at cask strength, as they claim each batch is different (well single barrels tend to be). This one I am reviewing today is a mix of corn, rye, malted barley (as for mashbill), distilled in Kentucky, Aged for 6 years, 4 months in charred white oak barrels, and bottled at 116.7 proof (58.35 % abv). Thanks for the nice samples […] - [Springbank Green 12 yo - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/08/26/springbank-green-12-yo-review/): Time for some malt review, after a long time (that Indian blend was not a malt, right?), and what better distillery to start the review season with, than Springbank? This Springbank is quite special in two ways : first of all I was distilled using Organic barley (which is trendy and cool), and was aged in 100% ex-Bourbon casks, which is unusual for springbank as they love using sherry casks vatting most malts. This has been quite a limited edition (9,000) bottles, and bottled at the nice 46% abv, aged for 12 years, did I say that already? I was fortunate […] - [Indian Whisky–Signature Rare Aged - review and notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/08/24/indian-whiskysignature-rare-aged/): Just a few days ago I returned from a three-week long vacation in northern India (Himachal Pradesh), which was Fabulous. For me it was the first time in India, and I was really impressed with this amazing (yet different) country. One thing I knew before going there – There will not be a lot of whisky, or there will not be a lot of Good whisky, to be more precise. I was traveling to small towns which had no whisky bars I am sure bigger cities have. Also, as most of you know, The well known Indian single malts (Amrut Paul […] - [Whisky news for August - Recap](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/08/23/whisky-news-for-august/): Well, I am back from a long vacation in India (which was FAB! if you’re wondering). during this time of silence there were quite a few whisky news I decided to aggregate into one post. So here is this months’ Whisky news Digest.   Old Particular Grain expressions released Douglas Laing & Co., leading purveyor and creator of the finest Scotch Whiskies, announces the release of its Old Particular Single Cask Single Grain Whiskies. The Old Particular range, a ‘particularly’ unique series of individually hand-selected aged Whiskies from all over Scotland, launched in 2013 to resounding success. Until now, the award-winning […] - [Classic Glen Moray–The Classic and the New Make](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/28/classic-glen-moraythe-classic-and-the-new-make-2/): I’ve Tasted a few Glen Morays recently (peated, Port,Chardonnay versions ) and funnily I’ve not reviewed the classic NAS, so this is a good opportunity as any. Its just fitting we start with the New make which is where everything starts (this time with no peat). Let’s go.   Glen Moray New Make, 69 % abv Nose: Yeasty and fruity with mostly ripe pear sugar vanilla and gum. Citrus too. Palate: Candied popcorn, lemon , sugar and cocoa. Sweet vanilla fudge. Pear pie. Alcoholic bite (well, yea, it’s 69% abv!) Finish: Sweet fruity and creamy.   that’s a rather nice new […] - [A Trio Of Whisky Barrel Exclusives [Linkwood 24 , Tobermory 20, Littlemill 26]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/27/a-trio-of-whisky-barrel-exclusives/): A while ago the lovely guys at The Whisky Barrel were kind enough to send me a few of their exclusive bottlings in the form of wee samples (cheers, guys!). Today I am going to review 3 of them : A Littelmill 1988 , Tobermory 1994, and Linkwood 1990 . The first one is an Old & Rare exclusive bottling for TWB, whereas the other two are bottled under the “Burns Malt” label that is the house label for indie bottlings for TWB. Littlemill 26 Year Old / 1988-2015 / Single Cask Hogshead exclusive for The Whisky Barrel , 54.6% , […] - [A young 7 yo (said to be) Lagavulin Creative Whisky Company [Whisky Import NL 10th Anniversary]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/23/a-young-7-yo-said-to-be-by-lagavulin-creative-whisky-company-whisky-import-nl-10th-anniversary/): Whisky Import NL were celebrating their 10th anniversary or birthday, and to commemorate the occasion they bottled a special mystery Islay single malt with the help of the CWC, a total of 314 bottles, a sample of which found its way to me by means of Niko (Thanks dude), who knew I would like that dram. It’s a mystery Indie, but sources tell me it’s a Lagavulin, and after tasting it, I pretty much am sure this is the case (having tasted other young said to be Lagavulins from say, Jack Wiebers better known as the Classic of Islay ). Let’s […] - [To Space and beyond! –Tasting Ardbeg Galileo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/20/to-space-and-beyond-tasting-ardbeg-galileo/): while writing some notes for an Ardbeg Special releases tasting events I am hosting today I noticed I’ve not published any notes on the Ardbeg Galileo , which has been around for a few years now. This was released in 2012 with a nice shaker and sample bottle for press (now being sold on auctions for 100’s of pounds)… Cult, right? So why call it Galileo you ask? Story goes that Ardbeg sent some whisky into space (to test how whisky matures in zero gravity), and this bottle is all we got… Or something like that. It’s not really important what […] - [Bruichladdich High Noon– Feis Ile 2015 edition–Review and thoughts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/16/bruichladdich-high-noon-feis-ile-2015-editionreview-and-thoughts/): Most of the whiskies I write about are fairly good, but sometimes I try whiskies that underwhelm me, disappoint me, or just leave me totally perplexed.  This Laddie is one of them. A Feis edition from a well respected distillery like Bruichladdich, should be quite good, right? Well prepare to be surprised. As I was trying to sample most of the FE 2015 bottlings I bought a nice sample of this (Thank you Steve for the share) , thinking it should be cool. I waited and brought this to a whisky night with some good whisk friends that have tried quite […] - [SMWS Feis Ile 2015 edition - 3.243 - "Dark, smouldering flamenco gypsy [Bowmore 17 yo]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/15/smws-fies-ile-2015-edition-3-243-dark-smouldering-flamenco-gypsy-bowmore-17-yo/): After yesterday’s Ardbeg , It’s time for a cracking dram from the SMWS. at a much nicer price (If you are a member and was lucky enough to buy one in time).  They have decided to bottle a really nice edition for this year’s Feis, a 17 years old cask , distilled 25th September 1997 at 57.1% abv, refill ex-sherry butt  which yeielded  594 bottles. So, a Dark , Smouldering Flamenco Gypsy you say? Let’s give this peaty dark dram a try, shall we? SMWS Fies Ile 2015 edition – 3.243 – “Dark, smouldering flamenco gypsy [Bowmore 17 yo] , 57.1% […] - [Ardbeg Perpetuum Distillery Release - Review and Thoughts...](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/14/ardbeg-perpetuum-distillery-release-review/): Another review of Feis Ile whiskies, this time from Ardbeg. Tasting quite a few of the Special releases the other day at a tasting I hosted, reminded me I have yet to review this year’s release. Fortunately enough I was able to source some of the Committee release edition which is a bit higher in ABV than the widely available edition that was sold online and at Ardbeg embassies.  This expression is a commemorative bottling to celebrate Ardbeg’s 200 year anniversary. This is another NAS, which is said to include both old casks and young casks (I fear many more young […] - [More Signatory Goodness : Laphroaig 1998 / 16yo / Signatory cask #700389 – Exclusive for TWE](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/09/more-signatory-goodness-laphroaig-1998-16yo-signatory-cask-700389-exclusive-for-twe/): Time to end the week with another Indie bottling by Signatory sold exclusively on the Whisky Exchange  : and this time  a sherried Laphroaig.  Sherried Laphs are really good fun, and I doubt someone will be able to say they ever had a really bad sherry cask Laphroaig. At least for me Sherry and Laphraoig do work well together almost always: the wood smoke and medicinal notes integrate nicely with the sweet sherry , and if there’s a safe bet, let it be this. Of course, some casks are better than others, some shine while others are highly approachable and very […] - [Clynelish 1996 , 18 yo Cask #6509 – Signatory Exclusive for TWE](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/07/clynelish-1996-18-yo-cask-6509-signatory-exclusive-for-twe/): After the superb Glenlivet 1981 I was keen on trying another of the newly released Signatory Exclusives,This time a younger Clynelish, in a refill sherry casks as well. we’re talking 55.5% here, distilled 28/6/1996 and bottled 8/4/2015 yielding 606 bottles , Natural color , NCF. Nice, right? Clynelish 1996 , 18 yo Cask #6509 – Signatory Exclusive for TWE  , £79.95 Nose: Starts with beeswax and nice sherry notes, which are more evident at first, then are toned down as it breathes in the glass. If you’re worried about smoke / peat- there’s mellow smoke and peppery peat,then some fragrant wood.  […] - [The new Benromach 15 yo–Review and Tasting notes–#BenromachTT](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/07/the-new-benromach-15-yoreview-and-tasting-notesbenromachtt/): The Benromach 10 year old and its Cask Strength sibling the 100 proof have been favorites of mine for quite some time now, both priced very competitively at a level few other whiskies can even come near. I was quite happy to be able to try the new 15 year old in a twitter tasting held last night. The lineup was quite brief : the 10 and the 15 (It would have been nice to have the 100 proof, just to put them head to head). We started with the 10 year old , which is an old school kind of […] - [TWE Exclusive: Glenlivet 1981 33yo, signatory Cask # 9464 - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/07/06/a-lovely-twe-exclusive-glenlivet-1981-signatory-33yo/): It’s really hard to find BAD signatory bottlings, I’ve tasted quite a few, and you can be fairly sure that you’ve got a nice dram when you bought one. I’ve blogged about a few over the years, and drank others, and mostly loved them. A very good IB. So when I got 3 wee samples of exclusive Signatory bottling for the Whisky Exchange, I was quite thrilled. I decide to start with the oldest and the most interesting for me (having tasted a younger Signatory ‘Livet bottled for Whisky Brother and loved it – here). A 33 year old Glenlivet at […] - [Bowmore Feis Ile 2015–Virgin Oak , NAS - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/30/bowmore-feis-ile-2015virgin-oak-nas-review/): It’s time to start sampling some of the bottling from this year’s Feis Ile (Islay Festival), beginning with this lovely Bowmore. Bowmore did two different  bottles for this year’s Festival : The very expensive 26 year old 1988 vintage (at a whopping 350 quid – way out of my budget), and the NAS Virgin oak (at 55 quid). Luckily I was able to score a nice sample of the latter, which I’ve been told by friends who went to Islay, is quite good (As Billy would say). Essentially this expression was matured in Virgin Oak (meaning fresh barrels which held no […] - [A Couple of Peated Glen Moray](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/29/a-couple-of-peated-glenmoray/): When life gives you Lemons, make Lemonade. Right? I was supposed to participate in a Glenmoray  tasting but due to some issues with delivery and timing, I was able to taste those only later on. But as they say, better late than never, and so I set to taste the peated spirit and the Peated Whisky (NAS) one after another (not in that order , of course). Glenmoray have been making some nice whiskies recently (the Port edition is just yummy, as well as the Chardonnay casks), how about adding some peat into the game? Why not I say.   Glen […] - [Glendronach Cask Strength Batch #4 - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/24/glendronach-cask-strength-batch-4/): After the disappointing (for me, at least) new edition of the ‘Hielan’ 8 year old that lacks enough sherry effect, I decided to try another new expression, the cask strength version of Glendronach, now in its fourth batch. I’ve reviewed batches 1,2 and they were cracking drams, I was hoping #4 would continue the tradition. Will it deliver?   GlenDronach Cask Strength – Batch 4 , 54.7% , £52 / €64,99 Nose: Lovely and full of wood spice, but not a big badass sherry bomb as you might think. I am getting Cinnamon up front as well as ginger, stewed fruit, […] - [The New Glendronach The ‘Hielan’ (Or Where is my Sherry?)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/23/the-new-glendronach-the-hielan-or-where-is-my-sherry/): The great Glendronach core lineup has been expanded recently to include a young sibling by the name if ‘Hielan’. It is only 8 years of age, and as opposed to most GD offerings, is a combination of both Ex-bourbon and Ex-Sherry casks (I suspect more ex-Bourbon is used).  if we’re talking younger GDs there is also the Octarine which is available only in some markets, but as you can imagine from the color of the Octarine (reviewed here a quite some time ago : here), that vatting included more sherry than the Hielan. Let’s try this , shall we?   GlenDronach […] - [The new Scallywag Cask Strength [D.Laing] - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/22/the-new-scallywag-cask-strength-d-laing-review/): Douglas Laing’s original Scallywag was launched in November 2013 and was quite successful (reviewed here)  I liked it quite a bit . However D.Laing were not  content with letting sleeping dogs lie, and they now reveal its Cask strength version:  Scallywag Cask Strength bottled at 53.6%, and is more limited .This edition bottling is created using only the finest Speyside Malts including, amongst others, Mortlach, Macallan and Glenrothes, and only 1,000 cases are available globally. Generally this looks like a more sherried-centric edition, and it is also indicated by D.Laing.   Scallywag Cask Strength Limited edition #1 , 53.6% Nose: starts […] - [Ardbeg & Craigellachie – Double Barrel (Douglas Laing)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2015/06/17/ardbeg-craigellachie-double-barrel-douglas-laing/): What do you get when you mix a bit of peated Ardbeg from Islay, and some Speyside Craigellachie? You get a very nice blended malt which is the the double barrel A/C bottled by Douglas Laing. They have quite a few of those mix and match blended malts, which for some reason I’ve never tasted, until now. Some would say it is sacrilege, some would sat it’s science. I do love a nice blended malt from time to time. Let’s see how the mix turned out. Ardbeg & Craigellachie – Double Barrel (Douglas Laing) , 46.0% , £57 Nose: Gentle whiffs […] - [The Balvanie DCS Compendium Chapter #1 - tasting with David Stewart , Balvenie Malt Master](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/18/the-balvanie-dcs-compendium-chapter-1-tasting-with-david-stuart-balvenie-malt-master/): “I have no reservations in saying that I have the best job in the world. There are only a handful of others in the industry doing the kind of job that I do and to hold this unique position makes me feel very proud. So selecting the CASKS for this COMPENDIUM was never really work. I had a good idea which ones were destined to be part of this collection, even if it took some work and time to track them down. I had to LEAF THROUGH LEDGERS, search computer records, and had to hop, quite literally, barrel over barrel to […] - [Glenglassaugh the octave cask sc6 [whiskynyt.dk]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/16/glenglassaugh-the-octave-cask-sc6/): The Glenglassaugh Distillery, at the east end of the Sandend Bay, was founded by Col. James Moir in 1875. He quickly established a reputation for making a quality whisky and the company prospered. Col. James Moir ran the distillery with his two nephews until 1892, when Glenglassaugh was purchased by Highland Distillers. After being completely re-built in 1960, the distillery continued to produce whisky until 1986 when it was mothballed. The distillery sat silent for over 20 years until it was purchased by a group of investors and started production again in December 2008. In 2013, the BenRiach Distillery Company took […] - [Royal Lochnagar Distiller's edition 1998](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/10/royal-lochnagar-distillers-edition-1998/): Royal Lochnagar (The Royal name was bestowed upon the distillery following a visit by Queen Victoria on the 12th September 1848. Apparently at the end  the first ever distillery tour, Queen Victoria enjoyed a dram of Lochnagar highland single malt. The distillery also is situated next to the Balmoral estate owned by the Queen) . Re-whisky the  distillery does not produce a lot of OB whisky (Not that there are many IBs as well), and the expressions it does release are far from exciting or spectacular.There’s the 12 year old which is an average whisky, but does not tickle my fancy that much, […] - [A Duo of Springbank 12 Cask Strength](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/09/a-dou-of-springbank-12-cask-strength/): Springbank 12 Cask Strength is has been around since 2010, and is regarded by many (and rightfully so) as an excellent CS Springbank at that age, packed  as Springbank are releasing one or two batches per year. The current 2016 release was Batch 13 release last August. I decided to compare two such batches from different vintages so to speak, one from batch 10, and one from 2015 and one from 2012, just to see how batches vary. I’ve got a few more batches to taste, but I am not sure I will compare them H2H, unless I see people asking […] - [Whisky Israel Awarded Top 40 whisk(e)y blog award](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/08/whisky-israel-awarded-top-40-whiskey-blog-award/): We’re very happy to have received the ’40 top whiskey blogs award’ badge, which means we’re in  fine company with quite a few very well known blogs. thank you! - [More young & Newish Glen Grant - the 12 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/05/more-young-newish-glen-grant-the-12-year-old/): After the the not-so-special 18 year old I reviewed earlier this week, I am taking a look at the younger sibling , a 12 year old, also available in the new bottle design, and priced at a modest £31. The 12 year old is not the entry point GG, by no means as there are younger 5 and 10 year old expressions. Glen Grant 12 Year , 43% , £31 Nose: The nose is quite fresh and fruity with peaches, oranges, and a general fruity feeling, with icing sugar, some wood spice and sweet dough (baked buns, or baked donuts or so), it’s […] - [Glen Grant 18 Year Old Rare Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/03/glen-grant-18-year-old-rare-edition/): Glen Grant for me is synonomous with great old whisky, as it ages exceptionally well for long periods of time. I was able to enjoy  quit a few outstanding old G.Grants ( such as the amazing 1954 G&M edition  , the even older 1950 G&M edition i was fortunate to try  as well as the 1948 vintage by the same G&M…) , that left me with a big smile.  But how does younger G.Grant feels like? Previous editions of young NAS, or young age statement expressions were not quite that special. This new 18 year old , was released last June, […] - [Mortlach 58 yo 1954 , MacPhail ‘Rare Vintage’ 2012 - G&M](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/29/mortlach-58-yo-1954-macphail-rare-vintage-2012-gm/): 2016 is almost over, and looking back, it has been quite an awesome year whisky wise (at least round here at Whisky Israel towers). I’ve certainly had some amazing drams, so very old and very fine, some of them from G&M, that stocks some of the most outrageously good and rare casks , and bottles them regularly for example this epic Strathila, or this old Glenlivet, both from G&M as well as outstanding drams such as the Brora 38 and Lagavulin 25 year old . Precious drops of liquid gold. So, to end 2016 with a bang, a nice tasting note for […] - [Caol Ila 15 yo 2000 ‘unpeated style’ , Special release 2016](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/25/caol-ila-15-yo-2000-unpeated-style-special-release-2016/): This year’s Caol Ila is a 15 year old ‘Unpeated Style’, this is in in line with the recent few expressions of the Unpeated CI’s appearing over the last couple of years at various ages between 10 and 17… While they are not bad, I do not recall an excellent CI, and I find it that I prefer Peated Coal Ilas, or that those unpeated ones are just not THAT exciting Let’s hope this year’s edition is different. Caol Ila 15 yo 2000 ‘unpeated style’ 61,5%, OB 2016, €107 (TWE) Nose: Starts sweet and spicy, with pine resin on the one end and […] - [SMWS 128.6 'Rumbling, reverberating, resonances' -7yo Madeira Cask Penderyn](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/21/smws-128-6-a-festive-dram-from-pendereyn/): Festive times call from festive drams, and this is a very unusual XMAS dram, or Hannuka dram, or whatever. Usually we opt for big sherry monsters coming from a Speyside / Highland distillery at these festive times, but this one is hardly scotch at all. It’s a single cask bottled quite some time ago by the nice guys at the SMWS. A welsh whisky? Yes, why not, with world whisky gaining popularity, and SMWS bottling American / Japanese and other world whiskies. One would argue that Penderyn are not often very good whiskies, and I must say that except the nice […] - [Best and worst of 2016](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/19/my-best-drams-of-2016/): 2016 is coming to a close, and It’s time for a quick post about what I liked and disliked in 2016, starting with the best whiskies released in 2016. I’ve drank a lot of good whiskies this year, some excellent stuff, and some rather boring drams as well. it’s very hard to choose the very best of 2016, so I won’t start counting points or half points, in order to calculate the best drams released this year. What I am going to do is just take a couple of good examples , one that are not very expensive (yet, not dirt cheap […] - [Wemyss Batch Strength: The Hive , Spice King & Peat Chimney](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/17/wemyss-batch-strength-the-hive-spice-king-peat-chimney/): Not long ago Wemyss Malts released a Cask Strength version of their blended malts The Hive, Spice King and Peat Chimney, after having dropped the age statement from those expressions and boosting the ABV % ץ  The three such expressions,  presented as a limited edition of 6,000 bottles, and priced from  £45 to £50. I’ve tasted the basic released long ago, and some are really nice daily drams, let’s see how the alcohol boost has changed them (i hope it’s only % change and having them reduced to very young blended malts..) Wemyss The Hive ‘Batch strength’ ,54,5%, batch 1  Nose: Sweet , with honey, […] - [Lagavulin 25 yo, 200th Anniversary edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/14/lagavulin-25-yo-200th-anniversary-edition/): Lagavulin is celebrating its 200th Anniversary this year, and they are doing it in style, releasing special expressions throughout the year. First they released the 8 year old 200th Anniversary edition I reviewed in May (notes here), which was nice, but not quite what we were waiting for… Then they released the brilliant 12 year old CS (After this one i know..)  I think we know that was not he last edition that was coming out , as Diageo was going to release something really special, and so they did. This 25 year  bottle has been released in honor of the […] - [House of Hazelwood 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/13/house-of-hazelwood-18-yo/): If you’ve flown recently, you might have noticed a new range sold exclusively on Travel Retail by the name of “House Of Hazelwood”. This is a new range created by W.Grant & Sons. House of Hazelwood is inspired by Janet Sheed Roberts (1901-2012), a Grant family member, and her “rich and vibrant” life. She lived in Hazelwood House, an art-deco property close The Glenfiddich distillery, with the brand created to evoke the 1920s, both a “heyday” for Scotch drinking, and the wider worlds of theater, fashion and design. Three expressions are available in the line : an 18-year-old, inspired by Paris in […] - [Glenkinchie 24 Year Old 1991 (Special Release 2016)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/08/glenkinchie-24-year-old-1991-special-release-2016/): Glenkinchie is quite common as a 10 year old / 12 year old in recent years,  and there’s even a distiller’s edition finished in Amontillado, but other than that, you do not see many interesting bottlings from this distillery. I am not a huge fan of the young 10/ 12 year olds, so a Glenkinchie aged 24 year you say? Why not. Let’s have a go at it… This expression is Matured in refill European oak butts : 5,928 natural cask strength bottles were produced, making it the oldest official bottling of cask strength Glenkinchie ever released as well as the first matured […] - [BenRiach 21 Year Old Tawny Port Cask Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/07/benriach-21-year-old-tawny-port-cask-finish/): The second new finish by Benriach which was launched a few months back is this 21 year old Tawny port cask finish, which replaced the 15 yo of the same wood finish. This 21 year old malt is yet another part of BenRiach’s Wood Finish or Cask Finish range, where whiskies mature in refill American oak casks before spending a finishing period in a more active wine or fortified wine cask. In this one , has been finished in ex-Tawny Port hogsheads, bottled at 46% abv, NCF and no coloring added. BenRiach 21 Year Old Tawny Port Cask Finish, 46 % abv, £90  […] - [Auchroisk 25 Year Old 1990 (Special Release 2016)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/06/auchroisk-25-year-old-1990-special-release-2016/): Not all Special Release expressions are created equal, ans while some are outstanding, some are less intriguing at least for me, which is exactly the case with his Auchroisk. Auchroisk (if you’re wondering it’s pronounced ar–thrusk) is also a new-ish distillery, founded 1974,  and not featuring often on the Special Releases. OBs are also very scarce, with the Flora & Fauna 10 as the only OB that comes to mind..   Auchroisk 25 Year Old 1990 (Special Release 2016) , 51.2% , £233  Nose : Sour entry with green vegetal notes, granny Smith apples,lemongrass and citrus notes,hints of vanilla,Clove and star anise, as well as […] - [BenRiach 17 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Sherry Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/05/benriach-17-year-old-pedro-ximenez-sherry-finish/): Taking a short break from unicorn milk and Special Release whiskies we mostly can not afford, for a much more accessible BenRiach. This is quite a new release,  replacing the 15 year old Matured in American bourbon barrels, and finished in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks sourced from the bodegas of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucia, Spain.  As winter is approaching and it’s getting colder, PX finishes and such are the whiskies I’m reaching out for, and XMAS is THE time for a good old PX cask whisky, right? BenRiach 17 Year Old Pedro Ximénez Sherry Finish , £66.95  Nose:  very nice […] - [The Half-Century Blend [Master of malt] - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/12/01/the-half-century-blend-master-of-malt-review/): If you’ve been following the blog for sometime you know that I am quite fond of aged blended whisky, having tasted a few awesome expressions made up of old Grain whisky and some old Malt whisky (Black bull 40,Compass Box The Circus , The Golden Age Blend) , I can assure you some of them do not fall short of excellent aged single malts. Launched in the latter half of 2016, The Half-Century Blend is The Blended Whisky Company’s homage to to the days of whisky production where “less efficient barley-strains, sprawling on-site floor maltings, inefficient brewer’s yeast, lengthy fermentation times, mucky […] - [Linkwood 37 Year Old 1978 (Special Release 2016)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/30/linkwood-37-year-old-1978-special-release-2016/): A Linkwood on the Special Release range is not a common sight, and the last time a Linkwood features on the SR was eight years ago, so this is another very interesting and uncommon OB Linkwood. The cask profile for this one is not uncommon , being a  refill American oak hogshead and refill European oak butts.  There were exactly 6,114 bottles of this dram made, and it’s retailing for £590 (ouch), which is more than twice the price of the excellent Mannochmore 25 I reviewed the other day (have a look here). I’ve heard favourable opinions about this one, so […] - [Mannochmore 25 Year Old 1990 (Special Release 2016)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/29/mannochmore-25-year-old-1990-special-release-2016/): OB Mannochmore , or any Mannochmore  for that matter are quite rare, and it’s really a treat to be able to sample liquid from this distillery. Mannochmore is quite a young distillery , founded in 1971 and is mostly distilling malt to be used in Diageo’s Blends. This expressions is quite intersting in its cask profile: as it’s matured in fresh American oak and European oak casks as well as first fill ex-bourbon American oak barrels and ex-Sherry European oak butts. Only 3,954 bottles were produced. Mannochmore 25 Year Old 1990 (Special Release 2016) ,53.4%,£245  Nose: Red apples and a waxy note , wet […] - [The Macallan 'Double Cask' 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/28/the-macallan-double-cask-12-yo/): The industry is moving to NAS, and we’re seeing more and more of these expressions, and here the Macallan has surprised us with an Age statement (a move from the color coded NAS expressions of yesteryear? I mean the Gold,Amber,Sienna etc), I was not expecting this. However, Spanish Sherry casks are scarce and expensive, and this is a combination of American and European Sherry oak. FYI -the proportion of American oak ex-Sherry casks is higher than in the 12 Year Old Sherry Oak, but no ex-bourbon casks are used as in the  12 Year Old Fine Oak release. The macallan is a […] - [Redbreast Lustau Sherry finish edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/26/redbreast-lustau-sherry-finish-edition/): Redbreast has introduced a few months ago a new, permanent expression to its decorated Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey family; Redbreast Lustau Edition. Finished in hand selected, first-fill sherry butts that are seasoned with Oloroso sherry from the prestigious Bodegas Lustau in Jerez, Spain, this release celebrates the iconic sherry influence found throughout the Redbreast range. Matured initially in a combination of exceptional ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks, Redbreast Lustau Edition has been wholly finished for one year in prized sherry butts from Bodegas Lustau in Jerez. I am quite the fan of the redbreast line having reviewed and loved both […] - [Lagavulin 12 , Diageo 2016 Special Rel.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/25/lagavulin-12-diageo-2016-special-rel/): Time for a fairly well priced whisky from this year’s Special Releases:  after the Brora, and Cambus which are hardly affordable drams. The Lagavulin 12 CS priced at under £80 , is certainly the best seller of the Special Releases, and offers one of the best (if not THE best) VFM in the series. I’ve tasted most of the recent 12 year olds released, and they were all excellent, so I was expecting this one to be good too.A younger Lagavulin , bottled at around 57% is no brainer, right? Lagavulin 12 yo, 16th Release Special Releases 2016, 57.7% , £78.95  […] - [Laphroaig 20yo , 1996, TWE Masterpieces 2016](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/22/laphroaig-20yo-1996-twe-masterpieces-2016/): I first had this dram at a blind tasting at Maltstock, held by Billy from TWE, and I might say that it was one of the highlights of Maltstock for me, such a great dram (I did not guess right, but I had a few other good guesses in that tasting..). This bottling is said to be selected by Sukhinder Singh, Owner of the Whisky Exchange, and this was sold at the Whisky show, as well on the site I am told (sold out, do not bother).  At any rate, this is a 20 yo cask strength PX sherry cask, that […] - [Brora 38 yo vintage 1977 (Special Release 2016)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/21/brora-38-yo-vintage-1977-2016-special-release-ob/): Brora. The 2nd most sought after whisky (or 2nd most pricy whisky) in the Diageo Special release line of whiskies. For me, Brora (I’ve tried a few, not a lot but enough) is more exciting than Port Ellens even tough they are not as collectible for some reason (Maybe since Clynelish is still working?) , at any rate, after trying last year’s Excellent Brora 37, I was really looking forward to this one, knowing it would be good, and I am happy to say, I was not wrong… This Brora is a 1977 vintage , and is a vatting of  both […] - [Cambus 40 yo , Diageo Special Rel. 2016](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/20/cambus-40-yo-diageo-special-rel-2016/): Diageo Special Releases. Love them, Hate them, whatever you think of them you can not ignore them  (ok you can, but it’s got so damn good stuff inside, which is a pity to ignore) . Every year they do seem more expensive and out of reach, for most of us mortals, but again, It’s a limited release not aimed at the mass market, but probably aimed at very rich collectors, or those who have the pennies and want to treat themselves or someone they like to a unique gift, and money is not a concern to them. Sadly, I am not […] - [Caol Ila 2005, Cask Strength, G&M](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/18/caol-ila-2005-cask-strength-gm/): I was reading a tasting note for this whisky on twitter, and I was quite surprised someone (nevermind who) was describing it as “Smooth” on the palate. I knew i had a sample of this stashed somewhere in my sample cabinet, and I’ve never tasted a young CI at over 57% abv which I could describe as “smooth” so I set to taste this dram immediately. Well, here’s my 2 cent’s worth of tasting notes.. The whisky was distilled in 2005 and bottled 20/7/16, at a very potent 57.3% abv. Caol Ila Cask Strength, 2005 , 57.3% abv Nose:   Sweet on […] - [Inchgower 2002 (G&M) - Connoisseurs Choice](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/17/inchgower-2002-gm-connoisseurs-choice/): Quite a few G&M releases to review, and this one is the first in this batch. An inchgower distilled in 2002, aged in a refill sherry hogshead, and bottled at 46% for the Connoisseurs Choice series, and as a part of their ‘The Wood makes the Whisky’ campaign. Inchgower 2002 (G&M) – Connoisseurs Choice , 46 % abv  , €64.50   Nose: Rich malty notes, fruit cakes, orange, and a sour-ish note too (sherry, right?) ,  some raisin and bits of dried citrus peel candy,  a wee smoke maybe too, with old wood casks sort of dunnage house mustiness, which is  rather Interesting . […] - [Benrinnes 20 yo, Time Series II - The Whisky Exchange](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/10/benrinnes-20-yo-time-series-ii-the-whisky-exchange/): We arrive at the oldest expression of the ‘Time’ series , a Benrinnes 20 yo aged in a ex-Bourbon cask, and bottled at 50% abv. Rather interesting, after the first 15 and 11 year old, we’re about to experience some older wood influence. Benrinnes 20 yo, Time Series II – The Whisky Exchange  , 50% abv , £79.95 Nose :Quite a lot of wood on first sniff, I quite like that. If you give it a few minutes to breath this subsides and it becomes fruitier and more perfumed. Fresh grass, peaches,a sour note as vanilla custard and some rose petals. Palate […] - [Ledaig 11 yo - 'Time' Series IV (The Whisky Exchange)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/09/ledaig-11-yo-time-series-iv-the-whisky-exchange/): I’m continuing the review of the new expressions released by The Whisky Exchange in their ‘Time’ Series. Following the 15 year old ‘Family owned distillery‘, this is a younger, Ledaig bottled at 48% , and priced under 60 quid. I will always have a warm spot for Ledaigs , I like their peaty profile, and when I started drinking peated whisky, NAS Ledaig was one of my daily drams. Let’s take a look at this one: Ledaig 11 yo  – TWE ‘Time’ Series IV  , 48 % abv , £54.95 Nose: a lovely briny note, green olives, with a sweet malty backbone […] - [Book review : Malt Whisky Yearbook 2017](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/06/book-review-malt-whisky-yearbook-2017/): It’s that time of the year again, Xmas is almost around the corner, and The Malt whisky yearbook is out with a new edition. This is the 11th year this book is published, and it is as relevant as ever with new articles, insights and a lot of information, as you come to expect from previous editions.  This year’s articles are very interesting (as usual) and very relevant : Gavin D Smith is visiting the (growing) single grain category, how the ugly duckling of the whisky industry and formerly thought of as “blending fodder” is turning into a sipping whisky with […] - [TWE 'Time' series take I : 'Family owned distillery' 15 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/03/twe-time-series-take-i-family-owned-distillery-15-yo/): The Time series, is a new set of bottlings from the well known TWE (The whisky Exchange) shop, which aims to catch different casks at different states in the maturation process. There are 4 of these, and the first of which is a 15 year old from an undisclosed ‘family owned’ speyside distillery. Not very hard to guess the distillery name, and I will leave it to you my smart blog readers 😉 All i can say is this distillery is well known for its sherry matured whisky. say no more LOL. TWE ‘Time’ series take I : ‘Family owned distillery’ […] - [Glendronach 13yo single cask # 4097 for Whisky Brother shop (South Africa exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/11/01/glendronach-13yo-single-cask-4097-for-whisky-brother-shop-south-africa-exclusive/): I’ve written about Whisky Brother shop in Jo-burg SA before, A lovely place owned by Marc who’s also a whisky friend. They do bottle exclusive single casks from time to time, and I was happy to receive another sample of their latest exclusive single cask they bottled from the Glendronach distillery. Luckily a friend was visiting SA (thanks Shane), and he was asked to kindly take a wee sample and give it to me. Now a single cask Glendronach is quite common these days, but it is still always fun tasting a whisky from the lovely distillery, right? A bit of info […] - [Compass Box - 3 Year Old Deluxe - Review and thoughts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/10/27/compass-box-3-year-old-deluxe-review-and-thoughts/): ‘How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you was?’ – Satchel Paige So, another new whisky from John Glaser and Compass box, after the excellent Spice Tree extravaganza, comes this 3 year old whisky. You got to love compass box and Mr. Glaser for taking old whiskies, and mixing in a wee part of 3 year old whisky, then selling it at over 200 Eur, making it the most expensive 3 year old whisky I’ve seen.  most distilleries create NAS whiskies to hide the age of the whisky, and Compass box do the opposite, this is hillarious, […] - [Compass Box - Spice Tree Extravaganza](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/10/25/compass-box-spice-tree-extravaganza/): It has been quite a while since i posted the last tasting notes (vacation you know – later on that), and It was very nice arriving home to find two very interesting new releases from Compass Box. The first one I am going to review is this Spice Tree Extravaganza, which is an older , higher end version which takes its name from the well known original  Spice Tree expression, the exact one that was banned by the SWA, after Compass box have decided to use charred wood staves inside the casks, which were deemed “illegal”…  if this is the first time […] - [On vacation in India! ](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/10/08/on-vacation-in-india/): Blog posts will resume when I’m back. Goa and kerala. Mostly beer and some whisky so far at Paul John distillery,  Goa (pic below)  See you soon!  Gal.  - [Black Bull 40 year old - Blended Whisky (Batch #4)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/09/29/black-bull-40-year-old-blended-whisky-batch-4/): Black Bull 40 is a high-end blended whisky expression, blended by Duncan Taylor, and has been on the market for a few years now , now reaching batch #7 if I am not mistaken. It’s essentially 90% blended malts (from Glenfarclas, Springbank, Glenlivet, Highland Park, Bunnahabhain, Tamdhu, Miltonduff)  and 10% Grain from Invergordon, all above 40 years old. I’ve tasted bacth #2 quite a long time ago back in 2011 (my notes here), and loved it. Hopefully batch #4 will be as good.  The latest batch (#7) sells for over 500 quid on MOM, and I’ve seen it priced even higher on […] - [Two more 'Grainman' single grains - Carsebridge & North British](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/09/27/two-more-grainman-single-grains-carsebridge-north-british/): The Grainman is the single grain label under which Medaowside blending co. (known for their Maltman bottlings) bottle  its single grain. Today I am featuring two more single grains, they are above the 25 year mark, but not very old yet. Like previous grain posts, one is aged in ex-bourbon casks, while the second one is finished in a sherry cask, something i see more and more in Single Grain bottlings. Finishing in a sherry cask can mean the original cask was not very interesting to begin with, and that the bottler wanted to make the liquid a bit more appealing (most […] - [Two Glenglassaugh Octave casks (peated and non peated)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/09/26/two-glenglassaugh-octave-casks-peated-and-non-peated/): A few months back GG has announced these to NAS whiskies, aged in Octave casks , s, which are made from staves of a used cask and are approximately 1/8th the size of a butt. Like The BenRiach’s “Quarter” casks,  which I reviewed some time ago –  a smaller cask allows for more interaction between the wood and the spirit, giving the whisky greater depth and aroma in a shorter period of time. In short : younger whisky, that is supposed to age faster and taste “older”. Let’s give this a try.   Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic , 44% abv , £46  Nose: Quite creamy […] - [A quick friday note: Banquet of Fruits 1994 (bottled 2015) - Wemyss Malts (Aberfeldy)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/09/23/a-quick-friday-note-banquet-of-fruits-1994-bottled-2015-wemyss-malts-aberfeldy/): Summer has officially ended, and Autumn is upon us. Not that it says much over here,as its still mostly too hot to enjoy a dram outside, but things are looking better with the occasional milder day or so. I was feeling like an Aberfeldy, no Idea why, and I did remember I have this one i’ve been meaning to try for quite some time now. Bottled in 2015 , and bearing the enticing name of A Banquet of fruit, this could be exactly what i need… Banquet of Fruits 1994 (bottled 2015) – Wemyss Malts (Aberfeldy) , £85  Nose : baked apples, strawberry […] - [Loch Lomond Single Grain](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/09/17/loch-lomond-single-grain/): Loch Lomond is quite an interesting distillery since it is the only one that is able to create a single blended whisky (meaning whisky that contains both single malt and single grain distilled at the same distillery), but this Single Grain my friends is not ANY single grain, but something quite unique … I am not speaking about quality, but about the process in which this whisky is made. Well, usually single grain is made from maize, wheat or some other grain, that is not malted barley, right? and malt whisky is made in pot stills out of malted barley, right? well […] - [Benromach Hermitage 2007](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/09/15/benromach-hermitage-2007-tasting-note/): The latest offering from Benromach is yet another vintage of Hermintage cask finished whisky. this one was Initially matured in bourbon barrels for six years, the spirit was transferred to oak casks that once nurtured wine from the Hermitage Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, in the northern Rhône region of France, and finished for a further 31 months. It is bottled at 45% abv, and priced at an RRP of £40.25 (expect some discounts from some retailers, and EU pricing should be even a bit lower). Benromach are making some great whiskies, but the main challenge here is to make a whisky that is as tasty […] - [A Hodge Podge of G&M Casks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/09/04/a-hodge-podge-of-gm-casks/):  Quite a few samples of different malts landed at WI towers quite some while ago, nothing in common (other than bottling dates circa 2014/15), and belonging to the entry level series (Connoisseurs Choice / The MacPhail’s Collection) which means they are quite affordable. But do they offer a good VFM? let’s try and see:  Glenallachie 1999 (bottled 2015) – Connoisseurs Choice , 46% abv , £41 Nose: A mix of citrus and creamy notes with lemon pie, creamy vanilla and dine wood. Hint of coconut and peach and pear drops.   Palate :toasted oak, spice and pepper. Vanilla and creamy malt. Then more cracked peppercorns […] - [A couple of late 1980's Invergordon Single Grains](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/08/28/a-couple-of-late-1980s-invergordon-single-grains/): Today’s post is all about Single Grain whisky, and to be more precise, two single grain bottlings from the Invergordon grain distillery, distilled in 1988 and in 1987. Always nice to be able to compare two quite ‘similar’ whiskies, from almost the same year, and see how the wood changed the liquid. The first is a single cask by The GrainMan (Meadowside Blending), which is a sister line of grains to the well known “The Maltman”, while the seconds grain is a Wemyss Malts bottling (bottled 2015). My rule of thumb (which not always works, but ..) is that single grain whiskies […] - [Balblair 2000-2014, Single sherry cask #1341 A.K.A - 'The Black Balblair'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/08/24/balblair-2000-2014-single-sherry-cask-1341-a-k-a-the-black-balblair/): This ‘Black Balblair’ (not the formal name, just a name I’ve given it) caused quite a stir (a few comments, really not much of a stir, but I love drama) when I posted a sample bottle of this very dark sherried whisky. I had not planned on writing tasting notes, but quite a few people asked me how it was, and is it worth looking for, and paying big money for, so, as a service to community (and since I feel like writing about it) here’s a wee post. This single cask aged for only 14 years (when you look at […] - [Whisky news for August](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/08/22/whisky-news-for-august-2/): A few new expressions out this month let’s review them: Benriach releases Batch #13 of their single casks: The cask details are as follows: 1975 cask # 7028 / 40 years old / Sherry Butt / Peated / 53% vol. 1976 cask # 5462 / 39 years old / Port Hogshead / Peated Tawny Port Finish / 53.8% vol. 1977 cask # 3111 / 38 years old / Port Hogshead / Tawny Port Finish / 43.1%vol. 1978 cask # 3114 / 37 years old / Port Hogshead / Tawny Port Finish / 48.8% vol. 1986 cask # 3183 / 30 years old / […] - [Exile casks Take II - 'The Wanderer'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/08/16/exile-casks-take-ii-the-wanderer/): The first ‘exile cask’ edition (Trojan, reviewed here a few months ago ) was very good, and sold out quite fast, this one seems to be just as good (and selling out very fast as well). Neil & Joel the bottlers do not reveal much , expect that it was distilled in 1992 at a Speyside distillery, and bottled 2016 , making it a 24 year old, the cask has traveled  around spent time in quite a few warehouses as it traveled and was even exchanged for another cask, until they came across it somewhere, and decided to ‘liberate’ it and bottle it […] - [Elements Of Islay - Ln1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/08/15/elements-of-islay-ln1/): The last (but not least) of the Elements in this batch  is yet another first, Ln1. Like the Ma1, this is just another line of peated whiskies from Bruichladdich. As you well know Bruichladdich bottle a few lines of whiskies: Starting from the ‘unpeated’ Bruichladdich , the heavily peated ‘Port Charlotte’ line (~40 ppm) , and the Ultra peated Octomore (over 100 ppm) The Lochindaal  is something in the middle peated to ~50 ppm, so essentially we’re talking a peatier Port Charlotte , if you may.  I love me some peat from time to time, so let’s get sniffing: Elements of […] - [Elements Of Islay Ma1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/08/14/elements-of-islay-ma1-peated-bunnahabhain/): When I first seen the PR for the new Elements of Islay, the first thing that caught my eye was the Ma1 expression. I was asking myself, what is Ma?! there’s no distillery on Islay that I know that matches this element, right? After doing some reading online, I figured out it was essentially a peated Bunnahabhain. A peated Bunna is nothing really new, there are quite a lot of those going around the OB and IB circles , so why not bottle one too? Pricing wise this is quite a ‘cheap’ expressions when Elements are considered, even though you have […] - [More Elements of Islay - Lp7 (Laphroaig)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/08/09/more-elements-of-islay-lp7-laphroaig/): Ardbeg or Laphroaig? Well, I know a lot of people who will say Laphraoig, and frankly I have to say that if we’re talking modern Ardbeg or Modern Laphraoig , I mostly go with Laphraoig, especially with Independent bottlings, there are plenty of good ones (love me some sherried ones) and at a good price, and they are not snatched the moment they are placed online by Ardbeg (Collectors) Fans. Luckily there’s a new Elements Laphraoig out, the 7th edition, or Lp7 as Specialty Drinks calls it.  Bottled at a nice  52.8% abv , and can be yours for ‘only’ £89.95 (per 0,5 […] - [New Elements Of Islay part I : Ar6 (Ardbeg)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/08/07/new-elements-of-islay-part-i-ar6-ardbeg/): Speciality Drinks (a sister company of TWE) has introduced 4 new expressions in their highly popular “Elements of Islay” series, this time introducing some “New elements” in addition to a new Ardbeg (Ar6), and Laphraoig (Lp7) :  Ln1 (Loch Indaal – a quite heavily peated bruichladdich) and Ma1 (Margadale, heavily peated Bunnahabhain), we’ll start the reviews with the Ardbeg (no scpecial reason, just felt like trying it first). This is an ex-bourbon matured whisky, bearing no age, as usual. Ar6 , 55.7% , NAS , 0.5l  Nose:  It’s a rather ‘creamy’ and sweet Ardbeg, at least for me, it’s big and bold, but […] - [A couple of Bowmore by Wemyss Malts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/08/04/a-couple-of-bowmore-by-wemyss-malts/): Today I am tasting two “sister” casks bottled by Wemyss Malts, both from Bowmore, but they are quite different, as you’re about to see. Wemyss usually bottles its single casks at 46% so no CS single cask bottling here, but still they offer quite a rich profile, and are both very good IMHO. Wemyss Malts Bowmore 18 Year Old 1997 ‘Shellfish Platter’, 46% abv, £71.56  Nose: Quite mineraly and maritime, with brine, seaweed, shellfish,and a nice warm smoke, further nosing reveals some wet hay, a sweet malty note , and some melon and passion fruit add a nice exotic touch. Palate: […] - [Summertime....](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/07/31/summertime/): You may have noticed blog posts are a bit slow recently, well, yeah. It’s summer, and it’s damn hot, humid and you know the drill… I am drinking mostly Beer, and cocktails that involve Ice, and lots of it. Even with AC,  July-August is certainly not THE time for malt. is it? Expect some more tasting notes and whisky related blog soon, but not as often, until we get back to normal. And yea, counting the days to Maltstock 2016 , see you all there. G. - [Four (new-ish) Dalmore Travel Retail (Duty Free only) editions](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/07/27/four-new-ish-dalmore-travel-retail-duty-free-only-editions/): Quite a lot of people like the Dalmore, and I guess quiet a lot of them are going to go on vacation this summer,right? A few weeks ago, The Dalmore have announced an addition of 3 new whiskies to their Travel Retail range (with the Valour, launched last year) which will be available in the duty-free near you. Dalmore is mostly associated with Sherry and wine cask finishes (or aging), and those 3 are no different. All do not carry an age statement and prices range from €75 for the valour to the most expensive Dominium at  € 135. Let’s have a look, going from […] - [Caol Ila 2007 - 8 yo, Signatory Exclusive for TWE](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/07/13/caol-ila-2007-8-yo-signatory-exclusive-for-twe/): After reviewing the Oldest latest exclusive for TWE by Signatory (reviewed here the other day)  I am going to review the youngest of the bunch, at a mere 8 years of age (but age does not matter right?). When it comes to peat, young whisky is often the best way of getting your peat fix, as peat gets weaker as it is being tamed by the wood when the liquid ages.  I was going to taste this one sometime later, but I saw Serge rate it quite high, and I was intrigued to see, how come.. As this is not a signatory vintage, this […] - [Blair Athol 1988 (Signatory Vintage) Exclusive for TWE](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/07/11/blair-athol-1988-signatory-vintage-exclusive-for-twe/): Four new single casks bottled Exclusively for TWE by Signatory were released a few days ago (This one, a 2007 Coal Ila, a 1995 Imperial and a 1998 Mortlach), and I will be taking a look at those new releases in the coming days or so. I’ve chosen to start with the oldest, a 1988 vintage Blair Athol. This is a 27 year old whisky, matured in a refill sherry butt. Not many Blair Athol tasting notes on the blog until now (two, to be exact), and I was quite curious. 565 bottles of this are available and i am sure they will […] - [The Glenlivet 'Cipher'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/07/07/the-glenlivet-cipher/): The Glenlivet PR machine is constantly at work, this time they have created another enigmatic expressions (If you remember the black bottled ‘Alpha‘ from a couple of years back). What they were aiming now is to create a whisky ‘Crafted from a unique cask combination that has never before been used by The Glenlivet’, which we the whisky drinkers would need to taste and as the PR notes: “Those that accept the challenge will begin their journey on the label by searching for one of the official flavours hidden within a cryptic code, before being directed to cipher.theglenlivet.com to face the […] - [Benromach 1974 single cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/07/04/benromach-1974-single-cask/): A few weeks ago Benromach released their latest single cask bottling, a 1974 vintage , matured in a sherry butt and bottled at 49.1% abv. As you can imagine this is quite a limited release with 452  bottles, and exclusivity does not come cheap: this time around £1,200. This is only a few years older than the excellent 35 yo (review here), but being a single cask and older costs 3 times as much or so. How will it compare to its younger sibling? let’s dram. Benromach 1974 single cask  , 49.1% abv , £1,200  Nose:  Imagine sitting in and old library, with antique wood […] - [BenRiach peated quarter casks - Review and notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/06/28/benriach-peated-quarter-casks/): Recently both Benriach and its sister distillery Glenglassaugh released a peated expressions aged in small quarter casks, both not bearing an age. AS you may well know, aging whisky in smaller casks allows for more interaction between the wood and spirit and according to the PR this was done to “generate “a great depth of flavor and aroma in a shorter period of time. So basically we have a younger whisky, bearing no age, aging in a smaller casks, and time to bottle is reduced. I am not against these sort of methods, as long as the whisky benefits from this “quick” aging, […] - [Springbank 13 yo , 'Green'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/06/26/springbank-13-green/): Springbank is one of those distilleries you buy whisky from and you KNOW it is going to be good. There are not many of those nowadays, but thank goodness for Springbank. They package their whisky in the simplest cases, the labels are not very impressive, and they do not invest much in PR, but they make a hell of a whisky, Period. This 13 year old “green”, is distilled from organic barley, hence the name green, aged for 13 years in sherry casks, and bottled at 46%.  Last year Springbank released a 12 year old Bourbon cask “Green” edition, Which I […] - [Compass Box Enlightenment](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/06/20/compass-box-enlightenment/): After the quite excellent Circus blended whisky, here’s another one of the latest expressions from Compass Box, this time a blended malt. As you well know Compass box is fighting towards more transparency in whisky, meaning full disclosure of the age of the whiskies used in their creations, and have started their Transparency Campaign after their Flaming heart release was deemed “violating SWA laws” by the SWA…  They can not state the age of the components here but they will tell us what they can : this blend is made of 48% young Clynelish from first-fill American oak barrels , 37% […] - [The Circus is coming to town… [Compass Box The Circus]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/06/15/the-circus-is-coming-to-town-compass-box-the-circus/): ‘If you’re looking for rainbows, look up to the sky.’ – Charlie Chaplin, The Circus, 1928 There are many new whisky releases in the last year or so, but more and more I find myself disappointed with the new whisky distilleries and IB’s are coming up with : often young, immature, or just plain random uninteresting stuff , sometimes at a high price. It is really only once in a while a whisky expressions , which is really good gets released, this is sad, but it’s quite true (been discussing that with a fellow whisky friend and blogger, and it seems […] - [Tomatin Contrast - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/06/13/tomatin-contrast-review/): Tomatin has been making a lot of good whisky lately, with many special releases aimed at the serious (or aspiring) Whisky Geek. Take a look at the “Cuatro” series (reviewed here) , and the other two releases (mainly for NL/DE)  in which they paired the sherry in which the whisky was aged with the whisky (PX, and Oloroso and 2 single casks). It’s exciting to taste whisky that way, isn’t it? The Contrast is another combo, this time of two whiskies (no sherry here), which share a common vatting (vattings from the same six years (1973, 1977, 1988, 1991, 2002 and 2006), but […] - [Bunnahabhain 2006 unpeated gordon & MacPhail](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/06/06/bunnahabhain-2006-unpeated-gordon-macphail/): Another G&M bottling today (another member of the Wood makes the whisky) , with an Unpeated young Bunna. Most young Bunna’s I’ve tasted recently were peated , and most quite heavily peated, and it’s no wonder so many IB’s bought casks of the young peated spirit, and bottled it (peat tends to be at it’s peak – flavor wise when young, that is , if you’re looking for a big peat monster, and not just for peat as another flavor / aroma). Anyways, I do not think I’ve had such a youngster (9 yo or so) unpeated Bunna, So – it’s […] - [Benriach 1997 Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon and MacPhail)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/06/05/benriach-1997-connoisseurs-choice-gordon-and-macphail/): Back to reality, with more affordable drams (That Strathisla was awesome, but… ) bearing 2 digit prices, rather than three, for us mortals. This 1997 Benriach is a very nice dram, bottled at 46%,  and priced at an affordable £65, and another good example for good casks selection in the “The wood makes the whisky” campaign. BenRiach 1997 – Connoisseurs Choice , £65.75  Nose : Fresh and fruity with exotic notes of Kiwi,peaches and melon,  very buttery as well with vanilla frosting and oak. Palate : Spicy oak, with hints of toasted oak, butter and shortbread, with more fruit, and quite […] - [Strathisla 1967–G&M [The wood makes the whisky]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/31/starthisla-1967-gm-the-wood-makes-the-whisky/): Strathisla distillery is the oldest continuously operating distillery in Scotland, founded in 1786 and operating since then, but as you may well know, there aren’t many bottling of the stuff to be found, since most goes into the Chivas line of blends, as the distillery is owned by the Chivas Bros. (Pernod Ricard). This semi “official” G&M bottling comes from a first fill sherry filled with whisky in 1967, and bottled in 2015.  The colour says it all. I think this is maybe the first very old Strathisla i am tasting, and it’s just lovely. This is another dram from G&M’s […] - [More Duty Free Editions: Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01 (Travel Retail Exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/25/more-duty-free-editions-port-charlotte-2007-cc01-travel-retail-exclusive/): Yesterday we explored the ‘unpeated’ Laddie 8, which is also a Travel Retail Exclusive (Travel retail , as some people asked is what you call “Duty Free”, only editions), and today we continue with yet another Bruichladdich TR Exclusive, this time a heavily peated whisky, from the renowned Port Charlotte line of products. The dram at hand was distilled in 2007, and was then matured in an Ex-Cognac cask for the entire time, allowing for quite some French oak and   residue of eau de vie from the western Cognac region, to affect the liquid. Bottled at a hefty 57,8% abv, this […] - [The new Laddie 8–Travel Retail](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/24/the-new-laddie-8-travel-retail/): Feis Ile is in full swing as you know, with Bruichladdich hosting a very nice tasting , which was also broadcast online (good work there guys!), with some very interesting drams (and one Octomore Black Arts..). Not sure if most of us will get a chance to taste those, but surely if you’re flying anytime soon, Bruichladdich have released two very interesting Travel Retail (TR, or duty-free) exclusives which might be of interest, which I have tasted quite recently, and are well worth your time. we’ll start with the Laddie “eight”, which is a younger sibling of the “Laddie Ten” which […] - [Springbank 16 local barley](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/19/springbank-16-local-barley/): It’s Springbank Open day today in Campbeltown , the next best thing to being there actually is drinking some of their lovely liquid. This 16 year old was released a couple of months back, and was in high demand, and sold out quickly, with only 9,000 bottles produced.  I was lucky to be able to secure both a bottle and a sample, as I knew it was bound to be good stuff, as springbank is making some awesome whiskies, with real character. Let’s get tasting shall we? Springbank 16 Year Old Local Barley 54.3% , Sold Out Nose: wham! This is […] - [Tomatin 1996 (bottled 2013) - Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/18/tomatin-1996-bottled-2013-connoisseurs-choice-gordon-macphail/): Another bottling by G&M which is a part of their ‘The Wood makes the whisky’ Campaign. A Tomatin 1997, bottled in 2013, at 46%. Can’t be bad, right? Tomatin 1996 (bottled 2013) – Connoisseurs Choice , 46 % , £70  Nose : creamy sweet vanilla on top of fried banana in caramel. Some citrus too to balance the sweetness and a hint of pear drops. Fresh. Palate : oak wood, golden syrup and ripe banana,  melon and a touch of mango there is also some chocolate and a touch of tea leaves. Finish : creamy vanilla. Dried banana and milk chocolate. […] - [The Golden Age Blend](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/17/the-golden-age-blend/): Master of malt have quite a lot of product lines, and one of those is the ‘Blended whisky Co.”, this time they chose to bottle a very interesting older whisky profile blend, which is made of whisky distilled in the “golden age” of distilling : from the early 1960s to the mid 1970s, as you might expect the ingredients that go into the blend are quite old and well aged, all over 40 yo. Malts from Macallan, Glenrothes and Tamdhu are used, along with a little peated Bunnahabhain to add the ‘seasoning’. Interesting right? It’s a blended whisky, so we need […] - [Exile Casks ‘The Trojan’ 25 yo [undisclosed Speyside]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/13/exile-casks-the-trojan-25-yo-undisclosed-speyside/): The dynamic duo Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley (of Caskstrength.net) seems always to be busy with new whisky ventures, after they have released a few bottlings in their whisky A-Z project (some very nice stuff), they have now created a new brand named ‘Exile Casks’. This project is created to ‘Liberate’ forgotten malt casks, that are destined to go into blends, and as such they will be liberated and bottled as Single Casks Single Malt, but as we see, without revealing too much about their origin…  The whiskies will be bottled in 50 ml bottles (as to make them cheaper , or […] - [Benriach Cask strength Batch #1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/12/benriach-cask-strength-batch-1/): I guess after the quite excellent and successful GlenDronach Cask Strength (currently in batch 5 or so), reviewed here on the blog, It was only a matter of time until the sister distillery of Benriach would come with a CS NAS edition, and this is it. If you’ve been following whisky news lately , you probably know about Brown-Forman (the company that makes Jack Daniels, and Woodford Reserve) has purchased The Benriach , Glendronach and Glenglassaugh quite recently, and this I guess is the last “Independent” expression coming from the Benriach. Hopefully, it’s not going to change much, and the 3 […] - [Highland Park 1999 16 yo Single first-fill American oak barrel #4260 (TWE Exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/10/highland-park-1999-16-yo-single-first-fill-american-oak-barrel-4260-twe-exclusive/): This is the second TWE Exclusive recently released, and bottled especially for TWE by Gordon & MacPhail. This is not your regular HP, since the cask used to aged the spirit in this case is a  first-fill American-oak barrel, rather than the standard sherry casks usually used by highland park. Interesting, Isn’t it? It’s common knowledge that G&M hold a massive cache of superb whisky casks, and this is one of them, aged on site at G&M. Highland Park 1999 , 16 yo, Cask #4260, 56.6% abv, £79.95 Nose : starts quite creamy with honey and vanilla balanced by gentle citrus and a faint […] - [New Whisky review: Aberlour 16 yo single Cask # 4738 - TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/10/new-whisky-review-aberlour-16-yo-single-cask-4738-twe-exclusive/): Aberlour is mostly associated with Big Badass sherry bombs, with a nice lineup of sherry influenced whiskies, at the top of which (not quality per se, but for sheer power and sherry prowess) sits the Abunadh NAS , loved by many, but probably quite young (not a bad thing, just a fact). I was quite happy to be able to try an older version of such a big bold sherry dram, from Aberlour, which is just out as an Exclusive release especially bottled by the distillery for The Whisky Exchange. Cask #4738 is was first-fill sherry cask, where whisky sat for 16 […] - [Lagavulin 8 Year Old - 200th Anniversary Edition - Review and notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/09/lagavulin-8-year-old-200th-anniversary-edition-review-and-notes/): As you probably know (if not, you will know pretty soon with all the anniversary celebrations) Lagavulin is Celebrating it’s 200th Anniversary this year. They will probably be releasing some interesting whiskies for Feis Ile 2016, and this is the first. It comes as good news for Lagavulin fans / collectors as Lagavulin has not released  many new whiskies (except the yearly 12 yo Special Release). Although some would argue that releasing a 8 yo is not THAT impressive, you got to hand it to lagavulin for releasing such a young whisky with age statement , while many other whisky makers […] - [Port Ellen 1978 24 Year Old 2nd Release - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/04/port-ellen-1978-24-year-old-2nd-release-review/): Port Ellen is the holy grail when it comes to Peated whiskies, for some whisky lovers, and as you know prices are on the rise, with the distillery closed and bottles become scarcer and scarcer, the whisky is gaining popularity, mostly for being very ‘collectible’ .  The 2nd release  was bottled in 2002, making it a 24 year old. Prices now are quite steep, as you can see here. Port Ellen 1978 24 Year Old 2nd Release  , 59.35% abv , £1,500 (TWE)  Nose: Quite grassy , with hints of basil and eucalyptus some farmy notes ( yea stables, manure ) […] - [More French whisky : G.Rozelieures Whisky Tourbé Collection](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/05/01/whisky-tourb-collection-g-rozelieures-french-review/): World whisky is gaining popularity. France is a top whisky market, and there are quite some local distilleries doing a good job. My last French whisky review was of a whisky from Brittany ,this distillery however is located in Lorraine. They seem to produce a few lines of whisky : a Regular (aged in sherry, sauternes, and other casks), Smoked (Tourbé), and Smoky (Fumé – peated to 20 ppm). Today I shall be tasting the Tourbé edition,  which was aged i n ex-Bourbon and French oak casks (no sherry). G.Rozelieures  Tourbé Collection  , 46% abv , € 59  Nose: this feels […] - [More Armagnac for Passover : Saint Christeau vintage 1950](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/04/27/more-armagnac-for-passover-saint-christeau-vintage-1950/): Passover is upon us, and I’m taking this week off malt and whisk(e)y, to taste some kosher drams, mainly Armagnac and maybe some Mezcal if time permits. I’ve written about the older vintage 1940 of the same distillery (S.Christeau) which was quite epic, and I had high expectations for this one as well. 10 years younger, but 19 bloody 50 is enough time for it to become awesome, right?  Let’s dive in. Saint Christeau vintage 1950, 40% abv  Nose: Heaps of dark chocolate and raisin on top of old wood, figs and sweet desert wine , spice and leather with hints […] - [Kornog PX Cask #14- Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/04/19/kornog-px-cask-review/): Kornog is the peated range of whiskies distilled by the Glann ar Mor (Meaning : By the sea in Breton)  whisky distillery , located in the Brittany region in France (yes, France!). Brittany is a region of Celtic Origin, and many of the distillery expressions are adorned by Celtic names, (this one is not for some reason).  Glann ar Mor  also produced non peated whiskies as well. The distillery itself was created in 1997 , and was said to be closed last year after whisky regulations in France changed (but has not closed eventually, as it seems and is still distilling malt) […] - [A peated Lowland? Ailsa Bay–Review and notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/04/18/ailsa-bay-review-and-notes/): When one thinks of Lowland malts, one often thinks about light whisky, malty, leafy and certainly not a peated spirit, right? Well, think again, as the new Ailsa Bay distillery is going to change all that. Ailsa Bay is owned by William Grant & Sons, and this is the first ever release from this relatively new distillery. Ailsa Bay is a state-of-the-art distillery created in 2007 from Peter Gordon’s vision and initially built to combine the purpose of increasing capacity and supply of malt whisky for blending and growing demand, plus the capacity to develop a new style of peated whisky. […] - [Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish 2007](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/04/10/benromach-sassicaia-wood-finish-2007/): A new Benromach , is always a reason to be merry, and as they’ve been making some outstanding whiskies recently, I had high hopes for this one. It’s a limited edition (this time really limited with only 3,500 bottles), consisting of a 2007 vintage BR , aged in ex-Sassicaia wine casks from Bolgheri. I did not have a chance of trying the former edition, And i do think i’ve had only a few Sassicaia wood whiskies so far (It’s not a hugely popular wine cask to use with whisky as it turns out). Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish 2007 , 45.0%, £40.25 […] - [Highland Park Ice Edition–Review and tasting notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/04/05/highland-park-ice-editionreview-and-tasting-notes/): There has been much ado about this release by Highland park, mostly because of the Packaging, and also because of the pricing. You either love this bottle or you hate it, and I am not a big fan of this cologne looking bottle, with the wooden box, that surely adds a few 10’s of EUR to the pricing which is steep as is.. There has also been talk about how “limited” this release really is (30,000 bottles, just as a reminder) and I’ve written about that in some length in the “When is a “Limited edition” really limited?” post (read more […] - [Israeli Blind Tasting Competition 2016 (BTC) Day 1–Singleton Of Dufftown 12 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/04/04/israeli-bling-tasting-competition-2016-btc-day-1singleton-of-dufftown-12-yo/): So another blind tasting? yes. This is the 2nd Israeli Organized BTC, which is organized by Tapuz whisky and Alcohol forum of (An Israeli forum dealing with booze), and includes 18 bottles to be tasted blind, just like the NL version (more or less), selected by the Ewald’s israeli counterpart Assaf who also administers the forum. (cheers for the effort  mate!). I never have high expectations of scoring in any of those competitions, as it’s so hard to pick a whisky blind even if you’ve drank it a few times before. The Israeli selection is however a bit narrower than the […] - [Amrut Spectrum - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/31/amrut-spectrum-review/): The guys over at Amrut are not resting on their laurels and  are producing some tasty and sometimes innovative drams: well, this is indeed one of them. The Spectrum is named after the unique spectrum of wood that was used to age it. We all know that the wood makes the whisky, and this time they have gone a bit further with whisky geekery and aging techniques : First, they aged the whisky for 3 years in ex-Bourbons cask (well, this is nothing new), then in a very unique experiment,  Amrut has created 5 separate casks in which the whisky would […] - [A visit to the Milk & Honey Whisky distillery , Tel Aviv](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/30/a-visit-to-the-milk-honey-whisky-distillery-tel-aviv/): I’ve been talking about the M&H distillery for quite some time now, but I waited for it to be quite ready before I visited. A few weeks ago, the M&H officially opened its visitor center (Which looks fab!). They have been distilling whisky (and Gin) for quite a few months now, but until now they were not ready to welcome visitors, but now it’s all changed. The M&H distillery was founded in Tel Aviv 3 years ago, but it took some time for the founders to find a location, and get all the whisky making equipment made (both locally and overseas […] - [More Bruichladdich Micro Provenance : Cask #543 (Full term Port)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/29/more-bruichladdich-micro-provenance-cask-543-full-term-port/): Released along with Yesterday’s 2 single cask releases (the sherry, and sauternes cask) This full term port cask concludes the Micro Provenance tasting notes for this week. As many port cask whiskies, this is again a very pink whisky, some love that color, and some don’t, but what really matters is the whisky, right? let’s try that one too…  (cheers Stu). Bruiclhaddich CASK 543 , 60.1%, £90  Nose: As you can expect with a port cask, this is quite a feast of red fruit : berries : strawberries, blackberries, blueberry jam, and quite a lot of the signature Laddie with lactic […] - [Two Bruichladdie Micro Provenance single casks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/27/two-bruichladdie-micro-provenance-single-casks-229-013/): Going over my sample cabinet I spotted a few Bruichladdich bottles from quite a distant twitter tasting that features 3 of their Micro Provenance single casks, No idea why I have not posted notes so far, but they were pretty nice ones, and a pity to ignore them altogether. We’ll start with Cask 229, which is a full term sherry, 12 years in a cask, bottled at 62.2% which is quite nice Cask 229 Full term sherry , 12 yo , 62.2% ABV Nose : a lovely combo of rich sherry notes with a bonfire BBQ sort of quality to it. […] - [More Armagnac : Saint Christeau vintage 1940](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/27/more-armagnac-saint-christeau-vintage-1940/): The two lovely 1987 and 1990 Armagnac left me wanting more, and I decide to try this older one right after. 1940 whisky releases are quite rare, but as it seems there’s a lot of old Armagnac lying around at good prices. How will a 40’s Armagnac differ than an old 1940’s whisky? let’s see. Saint Christeau vintage 1940 (bottled 2006) , 40% abv Nose:  that’s nice. Old wood and an old profile, sweet desert wine, caramel and treacle toffee with ripe red fruit : ripe berries , dried fruit and some mulled wine. Then the wood makes another comeback with […] - [Two Armangacs by Distillery G. Miclo [Saint Christeau 1990 & 1987]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/22/two-armangacs-by-distillery-g-miclo/): It’s not a secret whisky has become very expensive in the last few years, and people searching for value are looking out for well priced alternatives, such as Rum, Armagnac. For some reason Armagnacs  are still not very popular as other aged spirit, and you can find excellent stuff for very affordable prices. Even Armagnac from the 1930’s /1940’s and such are so cheap (relatively) that you can get bottles from before WWII , for less than you would pay for a 25 year old whisky, which is insane. Seems that people are discovering this, and Armagnac prices are on the […] - [Glen Grant 1954 (G&M)–The wood makes the whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/20/glen-grant-1954-gmthe-wood-makes-the-whisky/): I am a sucker for old whisky, mostly because I love how the spirit is changed by so many years in the cask. I love big , old wood notes, and drinking drams from the 1950, is a fine way to experience that. Glen Grant ages well, we all know that. I’ve had the opportunity of tasting some awesome older GG’s [see here the 1948 GG , and here for the 1950 vintage  and they shine after their 30’s and fell great in their 40’s and 50’s (and 60’s yeah).  well, this one is no slouch as well, it’s quite stunning […] - [BenRiach 20 Year Old 1994 (cask 5626) Peated, Madeira Cask Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/17/benriach-20-year-old-1994-cask-5626-peated-madeira-cask-finish/): Benriach make some awesome whiskies, and they also release a lot if single casks to many markets, whisky shops, etc. You can not complain about the scarcity, of single cask bottlings, however prices are not quite cheap these days. One of those single casks release quite some time ago (bottled 2014), as part of Batch #11 of the single casks releases. The whisky was finished in a Madeira cask (A fortified Portuguese wine), which adds a nice fruitiness and sweeter notes. BenRiach 20 Year Old 1994 (cask 5626) Peated, Madeira Cask Finish, 53.2% Nose: Quite gentle with wood smoke and peat […] - [Arran : The White Wizard & The Dark Lord](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/16/arran-the-white-wizard-the-dark-lord/): This does sound like a fantasy book review or something, but it is not – I promise you. We’re talking whisky… The Arran malt have released quite a few of single casks in EU, and these two lovely named casks were a part of a special release for NL by Van Wees , which is the NL importer of arran. This happened way back in 2014, and not sure why I missed on this (I have a few friends in NL as you know…). Apparently they were really popular and they sold out very fast over there.  So, The White wizard […] - [The lost distilleries blend batch #6](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/13/the-lost-distilleries-blend-batch-6/): Long ago the nice fellas at Master of Malt send me a box of Xmas crackers for review, and to celebrate the new year with, there was some nice whisky inside those wee packages, and this one one of them. I had not heard much about that before, but this seems a highly interesting blend made up of whisky from closed distilleries, and apparently batch #6 includes whisky from Brora, Caperdonich, Glen Mhor, Glenisla, Imperial, Mosstowie and Port Ellen, with the grain coming from Port Dundas – Nice isn’t it? some epic distilleries that are no longer, all blended to make […] - [Angels' Nectar Blended Malt - Rich Peat Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/13/angels-nectar-blended-malt-rich-peat-edition/): The peated blended malt market is gaining popularity and there are more and more examples of well made peated (mostly NAS) blended malt coming from various IBs. The latest addition is the Angel’s Nectar Rich peat. If you’re not familiar with Angel’s Nectar Have a look at my Previous review for the “basic” edition Here. AN is blended by a small whisky maker called Highfern and led by whisky Robert Ransom, who’s been working in the whisky industry for the last decade or so.  The whisky itself was Created from a selection of Highland malts, the Rich Peat Edition has been […] - [Wemyss Malts ‘blowing on a sea breeze’ - Bunnahabhain 1990](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/09/wemyss-malts-blowing-on-a-sea-breeze-bunnahabhain-1990/): It’s really been ages since I last reviewed a Wemyss single cask, and I am happy to do that again with such a lovely dram as we’re going to see shortly – this 1990 Bunna. Bottled at 46% abv (I was wishing for CS), only 209 bottles in that batch, and surely a 25 year old Bunna can not be bad, right?  This little gem was released in 2015. Blowing on a Sea Breeze 1990 – Wemyss Malts (Bunnahabhain), £114 Nose: gentle and lovely with soft wood smoke coming from distant bonfires. Sea breeze and brine, as well as slightly flinty […] - [Invergordon 1972, 43 yo, Whiskybase 70,000 bottles celebratory release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/08/invergordon-1972-43-yo-whiskybase-70000-bottles-celebratory-release/): Readers of this blog are familiar with WhiskyBase, the encyclopedic website where you can find information and ratings on EVERY whisky available (more or less), a very useful site/community/shop that us whisky lovers and geeks use daily as a reference. Recently they celebrated the 70,000th whisky in their database, and as they sometimes do, they released a special release (this time really limited – only a few 100’s bottles). The price was right € 145 for a 43 year old single grain (In today’s whisky price atmosphere, this is a very good price), that is older than myself (oh my). It […] - [Octomore 07.4/ 167 PPM [Virgin Oak] –Review and notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/07/octomore-07-4-167-ppm-virgin-oak-review-and-notes/): The latest 7.X Octomore to hit the market is this Virgin oak edition. I’ve read around about this edition after tasting it and it seems “virgin oak” is quite close to the maturation process that was used for the vatting of this Octomore. it did not stay 100% of the time in virgin oak (that is 7 years, mind you-  a very long time for a virgin oak maturation since it’s so powerful) . so it seems only 25% of the vatting did spend the entire period in virgin oak, where the rest of the 75% consists of  3 year old […] - [SMWS 48.56 ‘Popcorn in a sauna’ 13 yo Balmenach](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2016/03/06/smws-48-56-popcorn-in-a-sauna-13-yo-balmenach/): Yet Another SMWS sample I found myself sharing with some whisky friends (Thanks Ben, I think). Like F.Gump once said : A SMWS is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get (or do you?). Nose: fruit infused frozen yoghurt, mainly peach. Old school sweet shop, thick dollops of vanilla and a hint of fresh sweet dough. A sour note too that balances  out the sweetness. Fairly big aromas over here with lots of alcohol. Water is a good idea…  Palate : big and bold indeed. Lots of spicy goodness ,with a mix of wood spice […] - [Golan Heights distillery - Brewer’s Whisky BBX Amber (Distilled Beer)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/02/20/golan-heights-distillery-brewers-whisky-bbx-amber-distilled-beer/): The first edition of  “Brewer’s Whisky” bottling (dubbed Spicy Hummus) was quite a success locally (as far as I can see from reviews and comment online), and was quickly followed by edition #2 which is a bit different : this time we’re talking ‘real’ beer distillation. The beer (or wash) was made at the Golan Heights brewery (which is a different business altogether), and David Z, has chosen the Amber ale , made at the GH brewery (sold under the “Bazaelet” brand) as the base product for the distillation. The previous edition was quite hoppy even after the distillation, and I […] - [Anon. Batch #2 - 17 yo, peated from Orkney - Abbey Whisky 10th Anniversary](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/02/14/anon-batch-2-17-yo-peated-orkney-abbey-whisky-10th-anniversary/): One more Anniversary whisky from the guys at Abbey Whisky, after yesterday’s lovely 10 year old Glenrothes Single cask. This time we’re off to the Isle of Orkney , where there are currently two operating distilleries (Scapa, and Highland Park), and this one’s certainly not Scapa… 😉 Not many details, but Abbey Whisky reveals a few: The third release in our series of special 10th Anniversary drams shall remain ‘Anonymous’. What we can reveal, is that this stunner of a dram, released under our Rare Casks Anon. is a A peated malt, distilled in 1999 at a famous distillery on the […] - [Glenrothes 10 yo, 2006 cask # 5469 - Abbey Whisky 10th Anniversary](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/02/13/glenrothes-10-yo-2006-cask-5469-abbey-whisky-10th-anniversary/): An OB single cask Glenrothes? we do not see many of these, although this year we’ve seen a few pop up…   At 67.1% , and a sherry cask, this is one monstrous dram, and a very fitting way to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Abbey Whisky. As you well know I am a big fan of big sherried cask strength Glenrothes, and quite a critic of their regular OBs which are colored, and diluted, and are all quite boring. This one looked fab, and I did have some high expectations building on Adelphi IBs which were crackers… Glenrothes 2006 – single cask […] - [Port Charlotte 2003 14 yo Whiskybroker bottling Cask #857 (Sweden)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/02/12/port-charlotte-2003-14-cask-857/): With Port Charlotte casks aging  for quite a bit in the Bruichladdich warehouses  we’re seeing more and more older (circa 14) year olds getting bottled by IB’s which is fun. I think PC at this age are really improving, although some argue that the very first ones at under 8 were best… It’s a matter of preference, as always. De Gustibus… Another PC, this time bottled by WhiskyBroker for the Swedish market. A private cask, from cask # 857 bottled for friends in Holmsund/Umea. This one’s a Refill Sherry cask, bottled at 60% abv, and was kindly sent to me for […] - [A smokey version of Monkey Shoulder? Smokey Monkey...](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/02/07/smokey-monkey/): We all know Monkey Shoulder, right? The Blended malt from the makers of Balvenie, Glenfiddich, Ailsa Bay and Kininvie , William Grant & Sons. It’s been around since 2005, and is quite a basic Blended malt intended for mixing and cocktail creation , rather than a neat sipping whisky, and as such is a lovely ingredient in many cocktails.  In case you’re not familiar with the name- Monkey shoulder is named after a medical condition caused by the long process of turning barley by hand on the malting floors, a manual labor historically which  affected the malt men. After long shifts of […] - [anCnoc peatheart - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/02/05/ancnoc-peatheart-review/): As you well know I am quite an anCnoc fan, and recently reviewed most of the range after it started being sold locally in Israel (12,18,24 only). anCnoc has three main lines : The regular ones, the Peated ones (all bottled in a distinct bottle) and the travel retail range. I’ve visited a few of the peaty expressions way back  in 2014 when they were first introduced (see post here), but since then quite a few additions to the peaty range have emerged, and the latest is the ‘PeatHeart’. Peatheart uses barley, specified anCnoc Master Blender, malted to 40ppm, then matured in […] - [Glenmorangie Spios - Private Edition #9](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/01/31/glenmorangie-spios-private-edition-9/): Glenmorangie have been releasing a “private edition” release yearly for the last 8 years, and this year’s 9th edition has been announced yesterday (and leaked label has been around for quite a few months now on TTB) – the Spios. The name Spios, means  ‘spice’,  in Gaelic , and it’s easy to think why they chose it, as this expressions wood profile is quite unique:  it has been matured solely in casks that previously held American rye whiskey. This is the first time a single malt scotch is fully matured in ex-Rye casks… and as we all know, Rye is a funky […] - [Kilchoman 2007 single sherry cask [TWE exclusive]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/01/29/kilchoman-2007-single-sherry-cask-twe-exclusive/): if you’re been following the TWE site. you may have noticed there’s a new Kilchoman Exclusive bottled for TWE…  A 10 year old Kilchoman, can’t be bad right? I remember the times when Kilchoman was pretty young and only chugging out 3 yo expression, and I was saying to myself, in a few year’s time they are going to be bottling whisky so damn good, if this is what we’re getting at 3 yo.. And this time, I was right. It seems Kilchoman are getting better and better, and since their starting point was quite amazing, those older bottlings are just […] - [Two Single Grains - 10th Anniversary bottlings by Whisky Barrel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/01/28/two-single-grains-10th-anniversary-bottlings-whisky-barrel-dumbarton-30-yo-carsebridge-44-yo/): Along with the brilliant Glenlivet 11 I reviewed last week, TWB have bottled two older single grains (bottled actually by Hunter Laing, but exclusively for TWB). The first of which is a 3o year old from Dumbarton grain distillery. Dumbarton distillery was a single grain distillery in Dumbartonshire built in the 1930s. It closed in 2002. The distillery is now demolished. This one  was aged in a Single cask refill barrel #14247 distilled March 1987 and bottled September 2017 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Sovereign series, bottled at cask strength of 55.3%. Interesting.. Dumbarton 30 yo, single grain,  #14247  , 55.3%, £91 Nose: Quite fresh […] - [Glenlivet 11 Year Old 2006 Signatory 10th Anniversary First Fill Sherry cask #900552](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/01/25/glenlivet-11-year-old-2006-signatory-10th-anniversary-first-fill-sherry-cask-900552/): The whisky Barrel ( a very good online whisky shop) is celebrating 10 years, and the guys have bottled a few commemorative bottles, the first of which I am to review, is this 11 year old Glenlivet. This beauty comes out  from a Single cask first fill sherry hogshead #900552 bottled August 2017 by Signatory Vintage for the Un-Chillfiltered series. This is a specially selected release to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of The Whisky Barrel. 316 bottles at natural cask strength.  A sherried Glenlivet is always something that interests me, and this one looks absolutely faboulous (look at the color, all […] - [Big peat 25 year old 'The Gold Edition'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/01/23/big-peat-25-year-old-gold-edition/): Douglas Laing & Co has announced last month they are adding  an old and rare limited edition trilogy collection to their Big Peat range, The debut of which is this 25 Years Old Islay “Vatted” Blended  Malt, entitled The Gold Edition, the first ever Big Peat to carry an age statement. Like it’s younger brethren It is comprised of Islay Single Malts, as this is the first part in the trilogy expecto two more aged Big Peats in the near future… Big Peat 25 Years Old is bottled at cask strength (52.1% ABV) without coloring or chill filtration and only 3000 bottles […] - [Golan Heights 'Spicy Hummus' (Distilled chickpea beer)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/01/15/golan-heights-spicy-hummus-distilled-chickpeas-beer/): Hummus is a very popular Israeli dish (it’s not really Israeli, but rather middle eastern, and eaten in many countries nearby : Egypt, Lebanon,Syria, Jordan etc), I like it from time to time, but a Hummus distilled Spirit? Spicy Hummus beer distillation? I must be kidding right? Well… No. This isn’t an April fools joke or anything, it’s a real product. David Zibell of the G.Heights distillery up north has come up with an idea to make a line of distilled beers, aged in oak, not something that has never been done, right? Some artisan distilleries do just that.. The beer […] - [Golan Heights Distillery 3 yo Single malt cask #10 (Ex-charred American cask)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/01/03/golan-heights-distillery-3-yo-single-malt-cask-10-ex-charred-american-cask/): Two months ago I reviewed the very first single malt aged 3 yo released by the GH distillery, Located in Katzrin (Israel). That one was aged in ex-wine casks, which gave it a very wine-y profile, and for the  second offering in the single cask releases , David Zibell , distillery owner has chosen a different path, using a cask previously used to their two grain whisky – the Golani Black (distilled from malted barley and wheat), the cask initially started its life as a charred fresh american oak , so this is basically similar to ex-bourbon first fill cask, when […] - [Top drams of 2017](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/01/01/top-drams-2017/): Now that’s 2017 is officially over, let’s take a few minutes and remember the top drams of 2017. These are not the BEST whiskies in any category, just a few whiskies that I think deserve an honorary mention for being very good, ultra interesting or a real Value for money. I shall split the choices to three price ranges, and pick one item i fancied this year.  since one can not compare apples and oranges, and what I expect from a 250 EUR whisky is hardly what I expect from a 50 EUR whisky. This is not the “best of 2017” […] - [Douglas Laing Rock Oyster 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/12/27/douglas-laing-rock-oyster-18-yo/): I have reviewed the younger NAS Rock Oyster, and Rock Oyster CS earlier last year, and it’s time to review the latest addition (although not quite new) to the RO family, an 18 year old expression, the first RO to bear age. I quite like the regular RO, while the CS is a bit ‘too young’ IMHO, but this one’s a different story alright. It’s bottled at 46.8% and bears a price tag of £89, which is not very cheap, but given the age, and the current pricing climate for whisky… It’s also a recent addition to the D.Laing range imported to […] - [Merry Xmas !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/12/24/merry-xmas/): Whisky Israel, wishes you, all, dear blog readers, a merry Xmas. Happy holidays, and Season’s greetings. Drink up, enjoy time with your families. Gal. - [Octomore 7.1 - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/12/17/octomore-7-1-review/): After the triple 8.x Octomore review of yesterweek , It’s time to review the 7.1 which for some reason I’ve not written notes for until now. A good excuse is the import of this expression into Israel- The first EVER Octomore to arrive to Israeli shops, as a regularly  imported whisky. It’s about time, Isn’t it? At any rate, Octomore 7.1 is made from Barley grown on the mainland (not quite Octomore farm as one would come to think), peated to 208 PPM and bottled at 59.5% after a 5-year aging period in American Oak. 5 years may sound to young to […] - [A trio of 8.x Octomore (8.1, 8.2, 8.3)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/12/13/trio-8-x-octomore-8-1-8-2-8-3/): Last week I reviewed an Indie Octomore which was quite interesting and unique. Today however we’re back to OB Octomores, with a triplet of the latest 8.x releases. There’s always debate about Octomores among whisky nerds, some loving them and willing to pay the extra buck, while some saying they are overpriced young whiskies, with bottles looking too much like vodka. I guess the truth as always is somewhere in the middle. I am quite in favor of Octomore, and always have been, although with my low peat intake, I find myself reaching out for a bottle only in the coldest […] - [New Whisky distillery to be set up in Jerusalem - Jerusalem Distilling Co.](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/12/10/new-whisky-distillery-set-jerusalem-jerusalem-distilling/): Not much details yet, but today there  Jerusalem Distilling, announced it’s going to set up a distillery based in Jerusalem, Israel .The distillery will produce peated whiskies as well as other distillates while the whisky matures. Distillery co-owner is David Zibell founder of the Golan heights distillery based in Katzrin. (see my review I posted not long ago) Currently they are in the process of raising funds (looking to raise 6 m NIS [$ 1,7 m]  from private investors), they will also raise some funds from crowd funding platforms in the coming year. The whisky will be distilled in J-M  with […] - [Highland Park 'Full Volume' vintage 1999](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/12/07/highland-park-full-volume-vintage-1999/): A lot of new Highland park releases lately , and this is yet another one. Basically this is a US (and some other select markets only) release called ‘Full Volume’, a single malt distilled in 1999 and matured exclusively in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks. During 1999, a combination of 481 casks – 200 liter barrels and 250 liter hogsheads – were filled at strengths of between 63.6% and 63.7%. The whisky was filtered at just over 4oC both barrels and hogsheads were used, and there is NO SHERRY butts involved in this. Highland Park is mostly aging whiskies in European Oak, so this is […] - [Octomore Farm 2009 Cask #335 [private cask bottling]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/12/06/octomore-farm-2009-private-cask-bottling-335/): A few days ago, I met a bunch of good friends, who appreciate good whisky for our monthly dramming session which happens to take place on the first Monday of each month , this time the Theme was ‘Octomore’, and we had quite a few i am about to review in the next few posts. This was the only private Octomore bottling we tried (as the rest were OBs from 6.1 to 8.3), and i was quite intrigued by it, naturally. This Octomore was distilled Feb 2009, and bottled on December 2016, making it a 7 yo whisky, bottled 62.1 % Vol. […] - [Heaven Hill 2001 - Islay Cask Finish - Malts of Scotland](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/12/03/heaven-hill-2001-islay-cask-finish-malts-scotland/): I enjoy a good bourbon / whiskey from time to time, and when I heard of this release a year or so ago from my good friend and whisky lover Sjoerd, I decided to opt for a 10 cl sample, before i buy a bottle. It’s not everyday you see an indie bottling of a 15-year-old Heaven Hill, finished in ex-Islay casks. Now, finishing a whisky in Islay casks is not actually THAT rare, but it’s usually done to single malts (The Balvenie for example , or Balblair 1990), I don’t think I ever tried an American whisky finished in an […] - [Bushmills Bourbon #3 char cask reserve](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/29/bushmills-bourbon-3-char-cask-reserve/): I know Bushmills is not highly regarded by malt snobs, but I guess many people are quite fond of this basic blended whisky, a few versions of which are currently available in travel retail shops. Bushmills have recently  (a  month or so back) announced the launch of bourbon #3 char cask reserve – the third and latest edition in the steamship collection – a unique range of Bushmillsirish whiskeys inspired by the extraordinary voyages of the steamship ss Bushmills. As a global travel retail exclusive, this new variant follows the successful launch of Bushmills Iirish whiskey port cask reserve and sherry cask reserve, marking the 125th anniversary of […] - [Benriach 10 years old (2006) single cask #7360 batch 14 (virgin oak)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/27/benriach-10-years-old-2006-single-cask-7360-batch-14-virgin-oak/): Another cask from 2006, this time a Virgin oak cask, meaning new oak! for 10 years.. that’s quite some time in a virgin cask, and I trust this cask will leave a significant impression on the liquid. Shall we expect a whiskey sort of whisky? Let’s find out Benriach 10 years old (2006) single cask #7360 batch 14 (virgin oak) , £67.99  Nose:  This is going to be big on wood, and the nose is really rich and woody…  Lots of vanilla, wood spice, and sandalwood, with a bourbon-y edge to it (and no wonder..) Fresh cut wood shavings, sweet syrup, […] - [The Gauldrons - D.Laing (Remarkable Regional Malts series)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/26/gauldrons-d-laing-remarkable-regional-malts-series/): A few weeks ago Douglas Laing has added ‘The Gauldrons’ to its Remarkable Regional Malts series. If you’re wondering about the name – it literally means ‘bay of storms’. As you well know the R.Regional malts already contains malts from Islay (big Peat) , Lowlands (The Epicurean) , Islands (Rock Oyster), Speyside (Scallyawag) and Highlands (Timorous Beastie), so a Campbeltown malts expressions was only a matter of time. The Gauldrons is inspired by the eponymous dark sandy coves on Campbeltown’s west shores and literally means “bay of storms”. It was here King Robert the Bruce, having been defeated by his enemies, was […] - [The Whisky Exchange #BLACKFRIDAYWHISKY](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/24/whisky-exchange-blackfridaywhisky/): Black Friday is upon us and TWE is spreading some whisky joy on this year’s shopping holiday. Rather than discounting whisky on the site (or raising prices, then discounting them as some shops do), they decided to take a different approach this time and bottle a special edition single cask. This cask , aged for 16 long years in a cask that yielded 582 bottles bottled at Cask Strength of 54.6% from an distillery in Speyside will be on sale exactly today from 0600 am (GMT) on the TWE blog. Fortunately, i got a sneak preview of the whisky, and managed […] - [Benriach single cask batch 14 vintage 2008 Peated Marsala cask #7880](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/23/benriach-single-cask-batch-14-vintage-2008-peated-marsala-cask-7880/): Another single cask from batch 14 from BenRiach, this time it’s a peated Marsala wine cask , rather than Peated Oloroso cask… vive la difference… Benriach single cask batch 14, 9 years old (2008), Peated Marsala cask #7880  Nose: Sweet stewed fruit in syrup, earthy peat, but quite soft, with a nice sweet smoky edge. burnt leaves, quite earthy in a way and also dusty. not your everyday Marsala cask, but lovely. more fruit return on the 2nd wave of aromas. quite restrained for the ABV. Palate: Sweet fruity start, with a woody backbone, which adds bitterness to balance the sweet wine, […] - [A duo of Benriach 2007 : casks #101 & #105](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/19/duo-benriach-2007-casks-101-105/): We’re back to the BIG Benriach batch 14 tasting notes series, after a very good 2005 bottling, we’re going forward in time and tasting a duo of Peated & Sherried casks, both Oloroso, but both very different in color, and profile.. Let’s start with the ‘gentler’ one (if you can call a whisky at CS of 62.2% ABV gentle)… Benriach single cask batch 14, 10 years old (2007), peated/sherry cask #105 , 62.2%  Nose: Sweet cough syrup and a nice sort of dirty peat, mixed with cigar boxes, and a sweet meaty marinade. Some mint, and spices, mix well with the fruit , […] - [Golan Heights distillery - Inaugural release (3 yo)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/16/golan-heights-distillery-inaugural-release-3-yo/):   There are 3 commercial whisky distilleries currently operating in Israel : M&H (Milk and honey) , Pelter and Golan heights which is the one getting the least headlines, and PR, probably since it’s a family run small distillery, and used to be a one man show, and not a subsidiary of a winery (Pelter) or a heavily funded operation (M&H), with a rich private investor. It also has to be a decision taken by David Zibell , owner and distiller. David , a Canadian Jew who made Aliyah a few years ago, and settled in the Golan Heights (In the […] - [Two D.Laing Old Particulars : Bruichladdich 12 & Ben Nevis 21](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/12/two-d-laing-old-particulars-bruichladdich-12-ben-nevis-21/): Today I am about to take a look at two Single casks bottled by D.Laing in their ‘Old Particular’ range : both are about to be sold locally in the coming months, but have been selling online for some time now.  The first is the a 12 year old :  bottled distilled in May 2005 and aged in a first-fill bourbon barrel for a dozen years until August 2017, when it was bottled for the Old Particular range. 253 bottles were produced. Bruichladdich 12 yo 2005 (cask 12013) – Old Particular (Douglas Laing) , 48.4%,£75  Nose: Boom! this is a laddie alright, with […] - [Highland park 1995 22 year old TWE exclusive G&M Cask Cask # 1498](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/09/highland-park-1995-22-year-old-twe-exclusive-gm-cask-cask-1498/): The next exclusive bottling for TWE i am about to review is this 22-year-old whisky which was distilled at Highland Park in 1995.  The liquid was aged in a single refill hogshead (American oak). It is bottled at 53.2%, and is currently available on the TWE site for £150. Highland park 1995 22 year old TWE exclusive G&M Cask Cask # 1498 , £150  Nose:  A nice spicy entry with some pepper, and lemon zest, quite a bit of coconut and ex-bourbon notes (I guess this one ain’t sherried), quite sharp, and in need of some water to soften it down and tame the […] - [Bowmore 2001 15 Year Old (cask #20117)- TWE Exclusive Signatory](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/06/bowmore-2001-15-year-old-cask-20117-twe-exclusive-signatory/): TWE have recently added some very exciting Exclusives, of which I am about to review three. The first of which is already online and is a signatory bottling, of a very popular Islay distillery – no other than Bowmore. Drawn from a single cask, there are just 233 bottles of this stuff.  Not really sure about cask profile, but from the color , it seems like an ex-bourbon cask…  bottled at CS of / 55.6%, NCV and no coloring added as always with Signatory Vintage. Bowmore 2001 15 Year Old (cask #20117)- TWE Exclusive Signatory , 55.6% , £160 Nose: Imagine you’re walking inside and […] - [AnCnoc 24 yo - Now In Israel (review)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/11/05/ancnoc-24-yo-now-israel/): Some very good news on the local Israeli whisky scene as AnCnoc whisky is official imported (At last!). I’ve been waiting a long time for this to happen, as I’ve been a fan of the distillery for quite a few years now. Initially the 12, 18 and 24 yo expressions are available locally, and at great prices in some stores (and online: sipil.co.il), prices that are in par with EU/UK prices – Good stuff! I reviewed the 12 and 18 a long time ago, but somehow the 24 yo which came later, was never properly reviewed here – time to make […] - [Compass Box 'No Name'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/30/compass-box-no-name/): After the white labeled Phenomenolgy , comes it’s counterpart the Black labeled ‘No Name’. The name sounds mysterious indeed, but as it happens Compass Box have discolosed quite a lot of information about this one. The key components are  as follows (described by CB, and annotated by me): “The recipe is primarily sourced from the Pier Road distillery (read: Ardbeg). The tempering single malt is from the Islay distillery in Port Askaig( read: Caol Ila) , with its more elegant, restrained peaty malt whisky. To add dimension, fruit character and an ethereal element, we have added a small portion of malt whisky from a much-loved […] - [Compass Box - Phenomenology](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/29/compass-box-phenomenology/): I am going to review both new CB whiskies released lately, the first of which is the Phenomenology. This is an Enigma of a dram, since this time (in spite of Compass Box’s Transparency Act – and only for a limited time until revealed) Compass Box are not giving us any clue as for the age, content or wood profile of this whisky.  as Glaser puts it: “We’d long been working on a blend of single malts that combines seemingly dissonant flavor profiles, but together creates something compelling. We landed on a recipe that elicited a surprising range of reactions and […] - [BenRiach 12 Year Old 2005 (cask 2679) - Batch 14](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/23/benriach-12-year-old-2005-cask-2679-batch-14/): Time to kick off a series of tasting notes for the latest batch of single casks from Benriach, Batch # 14. This year there were 7 single casks in total, the oldest being 12-year-old and the youngest 9 years of age – What is noticeable is that no cask has been laid before 2005!! no cask from the 1990s… I guess stocks are indeed low. 2005 Cask # 2565 /  12 years old  / First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt / 58.8% vol. 2007 Cask # 101 / 10 years old  / First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt / Peated / 61.9% vol. […] - [Benromach 1977 vintage single cask #1268](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/21/benromach-1977-vintage-single-cask-1268/): Time for another single cask from Benromach. This one is slightly “younger” than the last one (1975), but still quite old.Only 225 bottles of Benromach 1977 are available worldwide. The release of this product builds on the success of previous vintage releases from the 1970’s.Quietly maturing for 39 years in a single Refill American Hogshead, Benromach 1977 (ABV 56.0%) this would surely be lovely… Benromach 1977, cask #1268, 56% abv,  RRP €1,500 Nose:  Quite somber with a hefty amount of oak, wood lacquer , pepper and spice, there’s also some dark honey note, as well as conserved lemon, a hint of tobacco leaf and very weak distant […] - [Port Charlotte 15 - Double Wood](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/17/port-charlotte-15-double-wood/): Time flies, and today we’re actually tasting  a Port Charlotte aged15 years! I remember the ones released at 5 and 6 years of age – they were stunning. With time the PC has evolved , and we’ve seen many different casks and different styles. This bottling is quite different and special in two ways : First it’s a private bottling (but those are not so rare, and I’ve tasted some in the past), the REAL anecdote here is this is the only PC that was recasked into a different cask per the choice of its owner Kjell Öberg.. Kjell tells the story: “This whisky […] - [Highland Park 'Magnus' (US market)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/14/highland-park-magnus/): Two new NAS whiskes have been released recently by HP, one is the ‘Dragon Legend’ intended for the EU  market, and the ‘Magnus’, especially made for the US market. Both are different mostly as the ‘Dragon Legend’ is heavier on the peating levels, while this one is a sherried  and crafted using a high proportion of Sherry seasoned American oak casks along with refill casks. The end result of this is a 40% whisky, with a vanilla / sherried profile, and not so much smoke. The pricing is not bad at all at $40, but with surging whisky prices, i wonder what […] - [Two more #TWE Whisky Show limited edition bottlings (Springbank 24 yo, Glenrothes 27 yo)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/12/two-twe-whisky-show-limited-edition-bottlings/): The good news is that the whisky show bottlings were finally let loose online, however the bad news is that the lovely Clynelish I intended on getting and the Springbank I am about to review today sold out in no time… Gladly the Glenrothes 27 yo I am about to review as well, is still availble on the TWE site (at this instant anyways, It may be sold out by the time you read this..) Let’s begin with the 24 year old Springer, this one was most expensive of the linited edition bottlings, retaling at £225, which didn’t matter much, did […] - [Clynelish 21yo Art of whisky distilling [TWE whisky show 2017 Exclusive]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/09/clynelish-21yo-art-whisky-distilling-twe-whisky-show-2017-exclusive/): Like every year TWE held its whisky show event in London, and sadly I could not attend due to a family vacation on Portugal (which was mucho fun!), but anyways, I was happy to have received a few samples of the exclusive show bottling bottled by TWE. The first of which is a 21 year old clynelish I’ve heard many good things about (and frankly, what can not be good in well-aged Clynelish, right?).   The bottle labels (including this one) look quite awesome : reflecting this year’s show theme of The Art of Whisky, award-winning designer and fellow of the Royal […] - [Israeli Pelter Distillery Inaugural release - Notes and thoughts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/08/pelter-distillery-inaugural-release-notes-thoughts/): The Israeli single malt scene is growing and now boasting 3 operating single malt distilleries (M&H, Golan Heights, and now Pelter). Pelter distillery is the latest to release a first single malt whisky aged over 3 years old. If you’re familiar with the Israeli wine scene, the name Pelter might ring a bell, as this is a small but very good winery, operating from the Golan Heights (actually they have two wineries, one is a Kosher one and one without Kosher certificate). The Pelter family has a distilling history originating from the 1920’s in the USA. Two of the older Pelter […] - [Tasting Ardbeg 'AN OA'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/06/tasting-ardbeg-oa/): Ardbeg An Oa (pronounced “an oh”) is inspired by the most untamed part of The Ultimate Islay Malt’s remote Scottish island home. Released this September 2017, it is the first new permanent expression to emerge from Ardbeg for almost ten years.  As untamed as the mull of OA is (The Mull of Oa is Islay’s most untamed spot.  Situated at the end of the Oa peninsula, its dramatic cliffs form the most southerly point of Islay.  On one side, this rounded headland – 202m at its height – bears the brunt of storms that rage in from the Atlantic.  On the […] - [Benromach Triple Distilled - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/02/benromach-triple-distilled-review/): Benromach are on a roll, and have been releasing some interesting whiskies in the last few years, apart from the staple 10 and 100 proof which have become favorites of many whisky lovers, they have released a few finishes such as the Sasicaia , Hermitage as well as older whiskies (the 35 yo for example). This time they have decided to experiment with triple distillation, meaning the liquid was distilled once in the wash still, and then twice in the spirit still, before being matured in first-fill bourbon barrels for eight years. Triple distillation strips the heavier chemical compounds from the […] - [Chivas Ultis Tasting with Colin Scott](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/10/01/chivas-ultis-tasting-colin-scott/): After a short hiatus (mostly due to holidays, and family vacation in Portugal) we’re back to whisky business. I’ve been meaning to write this post for some time now, having attended this event in mid September.. Chivas Ultis is not a new release, but has only arrived in the Israeli market recently. As it happens, Colin Scott (former Chivas master blender, and now custodian master blender at Chivas) arrived to present the new whisky to the local market, and I was very happy to accept an invitation for a non formal tasting event, food and conversation with Colin, a whisky legend who’s […] - [The Big Gin Post ... [that boutiquey gin company & co.]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/09/10/that-boutique-y-gin-company/): A couple of months ago I met my friend Gal for a beer. When we met he said “you are a gin fan aren’t you? Here I brought you something” and handed me a couple of boxes with 10 little 3 cl bottles from Drinks by the Dram. I thanked him and promised to write a post about them with my tasting notes. When I came back home I placed the boxes on a small shelf in my spirits cupboard and forgot all about them. Tonight I found myself alone, after my wife and children went to sleep, with an urge […] - [Jura 'One and All' 20 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/09/10/jura-one-and-all/): Been a while since A new interesting Jura expression was released, and I mean one with actual Age. This one has everything we’re looking for in a whisky : Age (20 yo!) , Cask Strength (51%!), No Additional coloring (am I dreaming?!) , and no chill filtration and all this for £120, which in today’s price climate is not a bad price (oh dear!) ,  In short:  A de-Dalmorized Jura – Let’s rejoice! So, where’s the catch you ask? Well, the only issue might be with the casks : One And All is matured in American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels and specially prepared […] - [The Israeli Whisky Society Cask # 196/0008 4th Edition - [distilled at Arran, Aged in Israel]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/09/05/israeli-whisky-society-cask-1960008-4th-edition-distilled-arran-aged-israel/): A few years ago The israeli Whisky Soc. (which has nothing to do with the Whisky Israel community and is not affiliated with me in any way) imported a few whisky casks distilled in the Arran distillery, to be aged in several location locally. This can be thought about as a very interesting experiment in whisky maturation, as Israel does have quite a few climate regions which differ greatly (from the hot and humid shore, to the scorching hot desert, which is quite cool at night, to mountains and plains). I’ve written about the 2nd experiment some time ago (here). previous […] - [Douglas Laing Mortlach 8 yo (Provenance)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/08/22/douglas-laing-mortlach-8-yo-provenance/): Time to review a dram from the basic ‘Provenance’ line by D.Laing after a couple of the Old Particulars. The Provenance bottlings are released at 46% abv, rather than actual Cask Strength, and are mostly younger in age. This one we’re visiting today was distilled in 2008 and bottled in 2016, and sourced from the Mortlach distillery. Mortlach as you well know has undergone a change in recent years, with a new look and feel, as well as getting ‘premiumised’ ,meaning the range as a whole is now priced higher, and looks more ‘expensive’. I’ve reviewed a few of those in […] - [Mars Shinshu - Iwai Tradition (Blended whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/08/14/mars-shinshui-iwai-tradition-blended-whisky/): With the surge of Japanese whisky, and everyone so keen on owning a Japanese whisky, more brands are hopping on the Japanese trend bandwagon, and the latest addition to the local market is the Iwai Tradition, A blended whisky from the Hombo whisky house, which own two distilleries : Mars Shinshu and New Tsunuki. I’ve tasted some Mars malt some time ago, and they were decent enough, this one however is an entry-level sort of (not the very cheapest of the range, but still).  The whisky at hand is made from 25% Grain and 75% Malt, and has been aged in a combination […] - [Glen Garioch 21 Year Old cask 11471 - Old Particular (Douglas Laing)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/08/13/glen-garioch-21-year-old-cask-11471-old-particular-douglas-laing/): Another single cask from the Old Particular range (which happens to be imported to Israel as well) today – a 21 yo Glen Garioch (read: Glen Ge-reee), from a refill hogshead , distilled september 1995 (just before the distillery was mothballed)  and bottled at 21 years of age, the cask yielded 290 such bottles, at a nice 51.5% abv, NCF.  That Can’t be bad right?   Glen Garioch 21 Year Old 1995 (cask 11471) – Old Particular (Douglas Laing) , £85 (MoM) , 500.00 ₪ (Sipil, IL)  Nose: Old school candy (boiled sweets if you may) , a certain maltiness beneath, with fresh dough, […] - [Douglas Laing Old Particular Glenrothes 12 yo Cask 11601](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/08/12/douglas-laing-old-particular-glenrothes-12-yo-cask-11601/): Continuing the series of D.Laing expressions , this time we’re taking a look at a single cask aged 12 yo from the Glenrothes distillery. While OB Glenrothes are often quite mediocre, colored with lots of Caramel, and bottled at boring 40% , NAS (Although some vintages are quite nice but expensive), Indie Glenrothes can be spectacular. If you’ve tasted some of the 6/7 year old Adelphi single casks, those amazing sherry monsters, you know what I’m talking about. This is a sherry cask, distilled in 2005 and bottled in 2017, at 48.8% which is not bad at all. This is NCF, […] - [D.Laing - Scallywag 13 (sherry cask)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/08/09/d-laing-scallywag-13-sherry-cask/): Time for a whisky review, and this week as Douglas Laing & Co. has made ‘Aliya’ to Israel (meaning: there’s a new local importer) and some 10 expressions are already imported and sold locally online (check out Sipil’s site – if you can manage hebrew). I will be reviewing a few of the DL expressions sold locally starting with the 13 year old sherry matured Scallywag. You probably are familiar with the Scallywag lineup of products, which consists of the original, Cask strength and now this sherried expression, all are vatted Blended malts, from the Speyside whisky region. A blended malt […] - [The Balvenie 14 yo Peated Triple Cask [travel retail] - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/08/03/balvenie-14-yo-peated-triple-cask-travel-retail-review/): The Balvenie is a favorite distillery of mine, and of many others I know. They do have quite a few expressions in their core range, and travel range, all are of high quality, with some being plain ‘good, and yummy’ and others really lovely indeed. The last time i posted notes about a few Balvenies it was mainly of their high end, expensive and quite rare single casks belonging to the DCS Compendium . Today I am happy to post notes for a very affordable, new Travel Retail exclusive, aged for 14 years, distilled from peated barley made at the distillery, and […] - [Douglas Laing Rock Oyster Cask Strength & some D.Laing news](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/07/31/douglas-laing-rock-oyster-cask-strength-d-laing-news/): I tasted the original Rock Oyster way back in 2015, and quite liked it (score 85, if I recall). Soon after a cask strength version ensued , adding some more Oomph to this blend of Island single malts, and I am not sure why I did not review that expression sooner, as I’ve certainly tasted this version quite some time ago on several occasions. If you’re not familiar with the Rock Oyster family, this one is a blended malt containing whiskies from the scottish  islands : including those distilled on Islay, Arran, Orkney and Jura. If we’re talking D.Laing, this is a […] - [Mackmyra Moment Tolv (Twelve)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/07/25/mackmyra-moment-tolv-twelve/): Mackmyra Moment is a series of whiskies from our most exclusive casks, handpicked by Master Blender Angela D’Orazio. Each edition comes in a distinguished black carton with a specific colour scheme and a modern bottle design with an engraved metal plaque.Since the number of casks per bottling are so few, the editions in the Moment series are very limited. The first editions to be released were Moment Medvind and Moment Urberg who where launched on 15 December 2010 in the exclusive range at the Swedish monopoly store Systembolaget. We’re going to be visiting another expression –  the ‘Moment Tolv’, Tolv means twelve […] - [Highland Park Valkyrie - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/07/17/highland-park-valkyrie-review/): Highland park recently announced a re-design of their core range bottles with the 10, 12 , 18 getting a facelift, and a very sexy bottle design, feauturing more Viking Lore and Viking art. In addition to the core range getting facelifted , they have released a new NAS edition which replaces the Dark Origins (released in 2014), called the Valkyrie. The bottle and box were designed in partnership with renowned Danish designer Jim Lyngvild. Having once been part of Denmark and Norway, Orkney became the raiding headquarters for Norwegian Vikings in the 8th and 9th century, shaping a unique past for the island. Magnus […] - [Redbreast Dream cask - #RedbreastDreamCask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/07/13/redbreast-dream-cask-live-tasting-review-redbreastdreamcask/): Earlier in May (on world whisky day), a week or so before I flew to Feis Ile, Readbreast Irish whiskey a Facebook Live Tasting from the Midleton Distillery. Head Blender Billy Leighton and [Apprentice] Blender Dave McCabe unveiled a very rare whiskey , code named: ‘Redbreast dream cask’ and given the FB hashtag of  #RedbreastDreamCask. It appeared that quite a few samples were shipped to people who wanted in, and to a few bloggers as well. They really gave no details beforehand, only saying that it was a very special whisky tasting, and so it was… As the event unfolded Billy Leighton revealed what we’re […] - [Craigellachie 31 years old - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/07/11/craigellachie-31-years-old-review/): It’s summer , and it’s pretty hot over here in Israel, this is why I am drinking less and less whisky (even when sitting in my perfectly AC’ed room I feel less of an urge to drink whisky straight, or whisky at all), But this malt was high on my whisky wishlist, and when finally I got a sample, It didn’t take a long time for me to sit down , enjoy it and take some notes too. I previously reviewed the 19 year old (duty free only) and the lovely 23 year old (review : here) , both were great […] - [Kavalan 2007 peaty cask TWE Exclusive cask #R070507029 - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/06/28/kavalan-2007-peaty-cask-twe-exclusive-cask-r070507029-review/): Another Exclusive Kavalan from TWE? yes please! the last one i reviewed some months ago was pretty awesome ( have a look here) . A peaty Kavalan you say? that’s a first for me anyways. It’s not your average Kavalan but recently we’ve seen a few of those peaty ones go on sale (LMDW etc). The peaty entry in Kavalan’s range used to be only available to buy at the Taiwanese distillery, but recently, some single casks have been bottled exclusively for retailers around the world. As peat is not available in Taiwan ( locally), the single malt is instead aged […] - [Mackmyra 'Expedition' NAS , [Travel Retail]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/06/25/mackmyra-expedition-nas-travel-retail/): Another new-ish Mackmyra today, this time a Travel Retail exclusive (meaning you can buy it at Duty Free shops: on boats, planes, airports etc).  This is a NAS expression but the little angels have whispered in my ears that it’s actually  7 to 9 year old… bottled at 46,1%, and mostly matured in bourbon casks as well as Swedish oak casks that previously held Swedish cloudberry wine (never tried any of that cloudberry wine, but it’s supposedly fruity – duh.).  Not so sure why the folks at Mackmyra are so fond of cloudberry casks or any berry cask… oh well Mackmyra ‘Expedition’ […] - [Glen Garioch 1994, 21 Year Old - The Rare Casks Rel. 6 (Abbey Whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/06/25/glen-garioch-1994-21-year-old-rare-casks-rel-6-abbey-whisky/): Quite a long time passed since I tasted the last Abbey whisky Rare casks release , that one was an Anonymous cask, aged 13 yo. The latest release (the 6th) from the Rare Casks range is a Glen Garioch 1994,21 years old.. The sixth release in the series. Distilled in 1994 and fully matured in a refill hogshead until 2016, only 126 bottles have been filled exclusively for Abbey Whisky. As with each previous release in The Rare Casks series, the whisky has been bottled in it’s natural form, at full cask strength, without chill filtration or colour additives. So a Glen […] - [Method and Madness - Review and Tasting Notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/06/19/method-madness-review-tasting-notes/): single graingrain Irish whisky is the rage right now, if you have not noticed, and as new distilleries are opened in Ireland, Irish whiskey exports are up, It’s certainly good times for Irish whiskey lovers, and Irish whisky makers. Irish distillers (makers of Jameson, in case you’re not familiar with them) have recently introduced  M&M  a new range of experimental super premium whiskeys ‘designed to push the boundaries of Irish whiskey’. M&M  launches with a series of  four unique whiskeys that underpin a continued commitment by Irish Distillers to experimentation and innovation at the home of Irish whiskey in Midlelton, Co. Cork, Ireland. M&M aims […] - [Mackmyra 10 year old OB](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/06/12/mackmyra-10-year-old-ob/): Mackmyra has really come of age, and it has released its first ever 10 year old whisky as a core line expression. Although this is not the oldest whisky EVER released by the swedish distillery – a  10-year-old expression is indeed a landmark which means  the distillery  has enough stock to support a continuous expression. The whisky itself is  matured for ten years in  high quality bourbon, Oloroso and new american oak casks, and bottled at 46,1 % abv. I’ve tasted quite a few different whiskies from this lovely distillery, most of which were NAS – and I was very intrigued to try […] - [Compass Box Double Single (2017)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/06/08/compass-box-double-single-2017/): Compass Box one of the most original and innovative, and certainly one that creates awesome whisky (which is not easy to come by these days – #rant) has a new whisky out, and this is certainly something that makes me happy. You never know what John Glaser (whisky maker and whisky god ) has up his sleeve, and this time he’s prepared a new blended whisky for us. Yes, Blended whisky, you malt snobs, it has both single malt and single grain inside. So what’s so exciting / different this time you ask? John has decided to create a blended whisky out […] - [Bowmore Feis Ile 2017 ed.11 yo [Oloroso Sherry & Bordeaux Wine casks]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/06/01/bowmore-feis-ile-2017-edition-11-yo/): It was Bowmore day  yesterday with the Inevitable queuing for the Golden and Silver ticket. This year , The Golden ticket “winners” could get hold of a 26 Year Old Port cask at 350 quid, while “silver” got you a 11-year-old Oloroso Sherry & Bordeaux Wine casks both at Cask strength. I was tempted to wait inline and score both, and after getting up really early (4-ish) and hurrying over to Bowmore, we joined the line. Luckily this year, the heavens were merciful, and we had a bit of sunshine, and no rain at all. 3 hours later i was the lucky owner of a […] - [Laphroaig Cairdeas Feis Ile 2017 festival bottling - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/05/29/laphroaig-cairdeas-feis-ile-2017-festival-bottling-review/): The Islay whisky festival is in full swing , and fortunately I am on the Island with friends, having an awesome time, and tasting some fabulous whiskies. I was not planning on posting any tasting notes from Islay, but as I have some free time, and I’ve tasted this one a few times already, and since there’s quite a lot of those around, so people can purchase them well after the fest is over, let’s review it, right? This year’s edition is based on Quarter Casks, which make it a Cask Strength edition of the well-known and quite popular QC, the […] - [Israeli Whisky distillery M&H release their first ever 3 yo single malt whisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/05/22/israeli-whisky-distillery-mh-release-first-ever-3-yo-single-malt-whisky/): Israeli Whisky distillery, Milk & Honey, based in tel aviv held a press conference yesterday (I was fortunate to take part in), announcing some recent news, and their first edition of Single malt whisky aged more than 3 years. The single malt is the first in a series of ‘Experimental’ series, which were distilled by Tomer Goren, master distiller , on a small scale distilling system prior to setting up the full scale operation a few months after. The whisky was distilled using a 250 L. copper still, using the same malted barley used today by the distillery, over a series […] - ['The Ships Decanter' 1991 - Wemyss Malts (Bunnahabhain)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/05/16/ships-decanter-1991-wemyss-malts-bunnahabhain/): It’s been quite a long time since I’ve posted a review for one of Wemyss malt’s single casks, and It’s always a treat to try some of their better casks, especially well aged Bunna. This is not the first and certainly not the last in a line of very good to excellent  Bunna by Wemyss (Such as this one) . I was quite into a nice sherried whisky, so out of the two expressions of Bunna Wemyss in my tasting note Queue (yes, there’s such a thing) I opted for the darker one , as in – Give me more sherry! […] - [Benriach Peated Cask Strength Batch #1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/05/11/benriach-peated-cask-strength-batch-1/):  After the big Success of their sister distillery Cask Strength Glendronach, It was  time for the Benriach to release a CS expressions of their own, right? So they did, last year and I quite liked it.. [It’s good I have the blog to remind me what i thought about whiskies, I tend to forget..]   Following that success  (or so they claim)  they have released  a peated expression, bottled at a hefty 56% abv, and does not carry an age statement, as can be expected. BenRiach Peated Cask Strength – Batch 1 , 56% abv , £58  Nose: black pepper, a touch of […] - [Isle of Arran distillery - Amarone Finish (NAS)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/05/09/arran-amarone-finish-nas/): Six months after the last batch sold out, the award-winning Isle of Arran Distillery has announced another release of the latest edition of the Amarone Cask Finish Single Malt. The Amarone wine finish is  initially matured  in traditional oak casks over a number of years  (exact age is not disclosed) then  ‘finished’ in a selection of Amarone wine casks sourced from an artisan producer of this iconic Italian red wine, making this quite a “red” tinted whisky indicating quite a bit of wine influence. As always the Amarone finish is bottled at 50% NCF, naturally colored. Young-ish whisky matured / finished in wine casks […] - [Consortium Of Cards Laphroaig 18 Years Old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/05/09/consortium-cards-laphroaig-18-years-old/): After a few days of quiet at WI towers, whisky wise , we’re continuing with quite a few interesting new-ish (or not so news)  expressions , starting with this lovely 18 year old Laphroaig by D.Laing. Douglas Laing’s “Old Particular” is a unique series of individually hand-selected aged Single Cask Malts and Single Cask Single Grains from all over Scotland. Each is bottled exactly the way the distiller intended: Without coloring, or chill-filtration.The new Old  Particular Consortium of Cards Collection is a series of four limited edition Single Cask releases, beginning with the “Queen of the Hebrides”,  this Old Particular Laphroaig […] - [Jameson ‘Cask Mates’–Stout edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/05/03/jameson-cask-mates-stout-edition/): Today’s reviews is not of a single malt, but rather a new-ish (locally at least) Irish Blended whisky with a wee twist. So, what’s unique to this edition you ask? well… The story goes like this: Jameson have shared some of their casks with the local craft stout brewers at Franciscan Well, the casks were returned to Midleton where they were subsequently used to give a stout finish to Jameson. Now, Finishing a whisky in Beer casks, or vice versa is not a new notion, but It is quite interesting to see the effect of such a cask on the very […] - [Strathisla 2005 Distillery Labels - G&M](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/04/27/strathisla-2005-distillery-labels-gordon-macphail/):   This expressions was bottled in 2015 by G&M as part of their distillery labels series, which are lovely looking bottles indeed with the retro chic etc. I like those quite a bit. Distilled in 2005, this makes it 10 yo or so, and at 43 % abv , Let’s dive and see what’s under the hood. Strathisla 2005 Distillery Labels  , 43% abv, £41  Nose:  That’s quite a classic speyside profile with fresh apple, pear and toffee’d apples as well, with some citrus undertone and a lovely malty and oaky touch, some spring flowers as well, quite fragrant. Not ultra complex, but […] - [Glendronach 13 yo Virgin Oak Cask #1751–The Duchess](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/04/23/glendronach-13-yo-virgin-oak-cask-1751-the-duchess/): Another cask bottled for The Duchess label, which is the whisky label of Best of Wines, a NL spirits retailer, this comes after the lovely Ardbeg 25 I reviewed last week. So, a Glendronach – must be a monster sherry or something, right? well, think again, as this one was aged in virgin oak (meaning a new cask never used before to age any spirit, not even bourbon.) This is nothing completely new, as GD have released some virgin wood casks in the last few years or so, but It’s not your average Dronach, mind you. A few months ago I […] - [Tomatin 2006 vintage - The Cyprus Whisky Assoc. Cask # 4191](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/04/20/tomatin-2006-vintage-for-the-cyrprus-whisky-assoc-cask-4191/): A few months ago Pavlos, a blog reader based in Cyprus and member of the Cyprus Whisky association, approached me and asked If am willing to taste one of their club bottlings, a single cask Tomatin they chose for their whisky club. He kindly sent a sample and some info, and although It took me some time (read: too much time) to get to taste it, finally – I did. SO thank you Pavlos, I’m honoured to taste your club bottling today.. As for facts: This is a single cask Tomatin , aged in an ex-bourbon cask #4191 , distilled 5/10/2006 […] - [Ardbeg 1991 25yo ‘Malin’–The Dutchess Cask #649](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/04/18/ardbeg-1991-25yo-malin-the-dutchess-cask-649/): The Duchess is the independent bottle trademark brand for  single cask bottles that are  released for bestofwhiskies.com, a Dutch online whisky and spirits retailer. Within the Dutchess range, The Shieldmaiden series is the first to have been bottled.  I know others are on the way, and jusging by the quality of this one- i recommend you keep an eye on this new and interesting range of bottlings. This first release is a 25 years old Ardbeg named Malin. The Scandinavian name means ‘small warrior’. A single cask older Ardbeg, from 1991? sounds intriguing right? Ardbeg ‘Malin’ – The Duchess ‘Shieldmaidens’ 2016 […] - [New - Benromach vintage 1975 Cask 3434 - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/04/06/new-benromach-vintage-1975-cask-3434-review/): After quite a few exceptional Older whiskies  released last year and reviewed here such as the the lovely 1974 vintage , and the 35 year old (which was lovely but not quite as brilliant) comes the latest offering in the Beromach range – the 1975 vintage . 1975 is quite a special year for me (having been born in 1975), So i was very glad to try another interesting whisky made that year. The whisky comes from a refill American hogshead and has been aged for 41 years in the cask. As expected the liquid is not cheap (1250 quid RRP), but […] - [The gentle beastie : Octomore 10 yo 2nd Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/04/02/gentle-beastie-octomore-10-yo-2nd-edition/): After the 10 year old Laddie and Port Charlotte 10 comes the peatiest of the bunch, aged 10 years, which must make it mellower than some young Octomores we’ve tasted in the past, right? Or… Is it so? Some background: this Octomore has been filled in to the cask  in December 2005 using malt peated to a 167ppm it then was filled into Fresh Bourbon and Grenache Blanc  wine casks, and left to mature  in P2, the ancient stone warehouse in the village of Port Charlotte, close to the western shore of Loch Indaal, this batch yielded Just 18,000 bottles, at 57.3% abv. […] - [More Single Malts of Scotland : Two 17 year olds](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/03/26/single-malts-scotland-two-17-year-olds/): Today we’re visiting two more expressions from the latest batch of  SMOS (the sister company of TWE) : Two 17 year old casks from two very different distilleries : Miltonduff and Glenburgie. You don’t see a lot of Miltonduff being bottled as single malt, as most of it goes into the very popular Ballantine’s blend, so happy to try one of the casks. Miltonduff 1999, 17 yo cask # 5012 , 54.8% , £80.65 (TWE) Nose : Orange zest and waxy notes up front. Mint and more freshly cut oranges mixed with fresh apples and a hint of strawberry sherbet.   Palate : […] - [Benromach Sassicaia 2009 : Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/03/21/benromach-sassicaia-2009-review/): Most whisky makers would love to switch places with Benromach, Having such a great 10 year old expression, they are having a hard time outdoing this expression, but they keep trying, mostly with wine finishes which are quite good, but not AS god as the basic 10, IMHO. There’s a new one now following the lovely 2007 Sassicaia finish : the 2009 vintage. as before the whisky has been aged in in first-fill bourbon barrels before being finished for 28 months in wine casks from the Bolgheri region in Tuscany, Italy. Wine casks, usually add a fruity touch to whisky, and we’re […] - [Roe & Co the new 'Premium' Irish whiskey by Diageo - review and thoughts](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/03/16/roe-co-new-premium-irish-whiskey-diageo-review-thoughts/): It’s not a secret that Irish whiskey is booming in recent years, and Diageo has jumped on the Irish whiskey bandwagon with a new release named Roe & Co just recently (end of Jan 2017). In case you’re wondering about the name : Roe & Co is named in honor of George Roe, the once world-famous whiskey maker who helped build the golden era of Irish Whiskey in the 19th century. His distillery, George Roe and Co extended over 17 acres on Thomas Street in Dublin and was once Ireland’s largest distillery. As neighbours for hundreds of years George Roe and Co […] - [Glenrothes 26 yo 1989 Single Malts of Scotland 2016, cask #8172](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/03/15/glenrothes-26-yo-1989-single-malts-scotland-2016-cask-8172/): Indie Glenrothes are usually very nice, as opposed to most OBs (save a few) which are mostly uninteresting NAS , pumped with Caramel and tasting like toffee candy. It’s quite sad what’s going on with the Glenrothes releases, but thank goodness for IBs, right? When I think about an IB Glenrothes, I usually think about young sherry monsters such as the very popular Adelphi releases (like this), aged 6 / 7  years, but boasting amazing flavors and big big sherry. This , however, is not such a whisky. Although it’s an IB, but it’s quite old, and has been aged in […] - [Bunnahabhain 1988 , 28 yo - single malts of scotland : Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/03/14/bunnahabhain-1988-28-yo-single-malts-scotland-review/): More Lovely whisky coming from SMOS this time of year , and after two lovely young Ledaig, comes an older and very different, though excellent as well Bunnahabhain .  Bunnahabhain is one of those distilleries that do not get as much fame as they should. Located on Islay the Mecca of peated whiskies, it mostly makes unpeated whisky, with bursts of very peated stuff, which is younger and dates to the 1990’s. This however is an older bunny as we tend to call them, no peat whatsoever, and it’s excellent anyways (if you’re worried, peat mongers). Bunnahabhain 1988-2016, 28yo, 46.8%, cask 100229, […] - [Two young Ledaig by Single Malts Of Scotland](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/03/07/two-young-ledaig-single-malts-scotland/): Ledaig is the new Ardbeg, they said.. Oh well. I’ve been a fan of Ledaig (which is is eseentially peated Tobermory whisky) long before so many people thought it was decent, and I’m talking about 10+ years back, and with some quite young and cheap NAS I used to buy locally when prices of decent whisky were sky-high. Something in the Ledaig peat always appealed to me, and recent IB bottling are really superb. Today I am going to take a look at two young IBs bottled by the chaps at Single Malts Of Scotland (related to TWE). One is a 12 […] - [The Laddie Ten year old - 2nd edition - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/03/05/laddie-ten-2nd-edition-review/): The first edition of the Laddie 10 received a lot of lovin’ from the whisky community (and yours truly – see my review here) It was indeed a lovely young sort of dram, but well made, with a nice body, and an enticing palate, one that clearly felt older than its 10 year old maturation term. The first batch was indeed  the very first bottling of a 10 year old distilled after the distillery was “resurrected” in 2000 , and it sold quite well, and at some point sold only at the distillery as stocks were dwindling. The 2nd batch was […] - [Highland Park Fire Edition : Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/03/03/highland-park-fire-edition-review/): Well, I’m fashionably late to the HP Fire  party, I know, but my review samples was delayed (thank you Israeli Bloody Mail) and It seems it has popped up now. In case your’e not up to speed with recent HP releases, this is the 2nd release in the ‘Elements’ series, with the ‘Ice Edition’ (my review here) being the predecessor. This time this is a 15 year old expression matured  for 15 years in 100% refill Port wine seasoned casks. While the bottle color is quite red (don’t even get me started on the design), the whisky itself is not as […] - [Port Charlotte 10 Year Old - Second Limited Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/28/port-charlotte-10-year-old-second-limited-edition/): Bruichladdich bottles 4 different range of whiskies at different peating levels : there’s the Bruichladdich line (which is unpeated, or very low peat) , the Port Charlotte range , which is medium ( ~40 ppm – or parts per millions – this is how peat levels are measured), the Lochindaal  Line, which we first encountered when I reviewed the Elements Of Islay – Ln1,  and of course the Octomore range, which is very heavily peated (100 ppm and up).  I am going to be taking a look at new-ish 10 year old expressions from 3 of the 4 lineups (there’s not an official Lochindaal […] - [Balblair 30 yo 1986 G&M ‘Cask Strength’ for TWE, refill sherry hogshead #12649](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/22/balblair-30-yo-1986-gm-cask-strength-for-twe-refill-sherry-hogshead-12649/): The TWE Whisky show Old & Rare took place last weekend at Glasgow, and by the looks of it it was an EPIC event (just have a look, while drooling over the list of whiskies some lucky bastards could have sampled here) , as a part of the show TWE have released 4 special (and very limited) bottlings to be sold there: Balblair 1986, G&M Cask Strength Glenrothes 1986, G&M Cask Strength Caol Ila 1984, Single Malts of Scotland ‘Director’s Special’ Glen Garioch 1990, Signatory Vintage I was not able to go to the show, but I was lucky enough to […] - [Review : Caol Ila 2009, 7 Year Old, Carn Mor - TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/21/review-caol-ila-2009-7-year-old-carn-mor-twe-exclusive/): The third Exclusive bottled for TWE is a young Caol Ila bottled by Carn Mor: Carn Mor is a limited-edition range from independent bottler Morrison & MacKay. Carn Mor is a mountain on the edge of the Rough Bounds of Knoydart in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. Bottled at natural color and non-chill filtered, only 850 bottles were produced from two hogsheads. Caol Ila 2009, 7 Year Old, Carn Mor , 46% abv ,  £49.95  Nose:  Classic young CI on the nose, with sweet vanilla, young peat, apple and peat drops, gentle smoke and barley sugar, which comes as no surprise […] - [Review: Bruichladdich 2002, 13 Year Old, Single Cask #12/214 - TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/20/review-bruichladdich-2002-13-year-old-single-cask-12214-twe-exclusive/): After the rather Excellent Kavalan, comes another single cask bottled exclusively for TWE- This time a Bruichladdiech aged 13 yo:  TWE have chosen  this 2002 single cask from Bruichladdich’s Micro-Provenance series.  Only 240 bottles were produced from this single bourbon cask matured in warehouse 14 STOW 20J. Natural color and non-chill filtered. Bruichladdich 2002, 13 Year Old, Single Cask #12/214, TWE,52.7%, £99.95  Nose: This is a laddie alright, with the ‘signature’ Lactic quality : think of sweet cheese cake, even some middle eastern ‘Knaffe’, with some lemon peel, green apple, and pears on  crunchy semi-sweet dough,icing sugar, and maybe a hint of […] - [Review : Kavalan, Single Sherry Cask #S100125026A - TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/19/review-kavalan-single-sherry-cask-s100125026a-twe-exclusive/): A few new Exclusives for TWE are out : A single cask Kavalan sherry, 2009 7 year Caol Ila, and a Laddie 2002 micro provenance 13 yo. We’ll be starting with the youngest (most probably) and also the most expensive and sought after – A Kavalan (Taiwan) from a single sherry cask yielding 526 bottles at CS of 57.8%.  Seems that Kavalan is really gaining popularity among BIG sherry lovers (look at the ranking of this years’s Kavalan Malt awards /  ‘Malt Maniacs award..’ haha!). So yea, a young sherry , aged in the unique conditions in Taiwan. Let’s try that one, […] - [Two more New-ish GlenDronach - Cask Strength Batch #6 & 14 yo Marsala Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/19/two-more-new-ish-glendronach-cask-strength-batch-6-14-yo-marsala-finish/): Today we’re concluding the GD / BR tasting notes with two new-ish or so releases from this lovely distillery. If you’ve not heard about it before, This is a time to also note the new whisky maker who’s joining the GlenDronach/Benriach/GG family – Rachel Barrie, former master blender of Bowmore, yeah that’s right. It’s not official yet but it seems that  master distiller and blender Billy Walker was preparing to leave the company, it is thought that Barrie is being lined up as his replacement. Good luck Rachel! We’re got two different whiskies lines up for tasting today: The first is the 6th Batch […] - [Review: GlenDronach 25 Year Old - Grandeur Batch 8](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/15/review-glendronach-25-year-old-grandeur-batch-8/): Today we’re continuing with the Glendronach \ BenRiach latest releases (not very new, but late last year), with one of the pinnacles in the GD lineup: The Grandeur . It’s already the 8th batch, and this time it’s bottled at CS of 50.3%, for a total of  1,505 bottles, priced at £384… 25 year in ex-Oloroso casks, should do the magic, right? GlenDronach 25 Year Old – Grandeur Batch 8, 50.3%,£384 / € 499 Nose: Deep and dark with lots of sherry goodness,  black berries,  succulent and sweet, Demerara sugar,  red ripe cherries soaked in liquor, with time more sour-ish sherry notes appear,  also lovely oak […] - [Review: BenRiach 22 Year Old Moscatel Wood Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/14/review-benriach-22-year-old-moscatel-wood-finish/): I’ve got quite a few BenRiach / Glendronach I need to review, and this one is the first in a series of reviews. This is a 22 year old BR , originally matured in American bourbon barrels before being finished in Moscatel wine casks from Portugal and Spain. This finishing period has imparted a rich, fruity sweetness to the whisky, which I think works well with the BR DNA.. BenRiach 22 Year Old Moscatel Wood Finish  46% , £123  Nose:  sweet dark fruit, dried fig, sate and maybe a hint of prune as well, some freshness comes from candied oranges orange marmalade,and a touch of […] - [Review: The Macallan Edition No.2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/13/review-the-macallan-edition-no-2/): No reviews in the last week or so due to a work trip to India (and mostly had beer). I am back and so are whisky reviews, starting with one I’ve been meaning to try for a long time : The Macallan Edition No.2 . What’s that you ask? well: essentially it is  a collaboration between Master Whisky Maker Bob Dalgarno and the three brothers behind El Celler de Can Roca (named Best Restaurant in the World twice by Restaurant magazine). Cask profile is a combination of European and American oak casks, bottled at 48.2% abv which is nice, this promises to […] - [The new Glenmorangie 'Bacalta' - Review and Tasting notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/02/01/glenmorangie-the-bacalata-tasting-notes-review/): If you’ve been paying attention in the last few days, you know there’s a new “Private Edition” Glenmorangie out, named ‘Bacalta’. This is the 8th private edition and The inspiration for this limited edition first began more than 20 years ago, with the release of Glenmorangie Madeira Finish, the world’s first whisky extra-matured in Madeira casks. For Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation and Whisky Stocks, the memory of that expression lingered on. Determined to realize his vision of the perfect Madeira-finished Glenmorangie, he drew on the expertise gained from the Distillery’s years of pioneering work in cask […] - [Glen Spey 2004 - G&M connoisseurs choice](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/31/glen-spey-2004-gm-connoisseurs-choice/): Glen Spey is quite the obscure distillery, as you don’t really see many Official bottlings (there was a F&F bottling some years back, but nothing since I think), and there are not many IBs as well. The distillery itself is owned by Diageo, and the whisky it makes goes mostly into J&B .The distillery was founded in 1878 by James Stuart & Co. under the name ‘Mill of Rothes’ and was an oats mill originally, before The distillation equipment was simply added to the existing mill in the years before the Glen Spey distillery was sold to the Gilbey company of London in […] - [The Glenlivet 15 yo 'Carn Ealasaid' Cask #16651 (Israeli Market Exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/26/the-glenlivet-15-yo-carn-ealasaid-cask-16651-israeli-market-exclusive/):   The Glenlivet seems to really invest resources in the (growing) Israeli market , so it seems. After opening the Popup concept shop in 2015 and making the ‘Pristinus’ single cask available in Israel as well, they have gone one step further as to bottle a single cask which will be Exclusive to Israel, which is a first, and a nice move on their behalf , if you ask me. Only 298 bottles came of of this barrel, at Cask strength of 59.7%  NCF, aged 15 years, and named ‘Carn Ealasaid’ after a hill  elevated 792 Meters located in south east side […] - [GlenDronach 14 yo Virgin Oak Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2017/01/23/glendronach-14-virgin-oak-finish/): A brief discussion on social media about how epic are Gelndronach whiskies, reminded me I have this sample waiting to be reviewed. I’ve tasted the previous edition way back in 2011 and liked it, and this is a new version released last year (2016) after the success of the previous edition. In essence this is  matured initially in re-charred puncheons before finishing in a small batch of American virgin oak casks, which will add a bourbon-y, and fruity touch to the liquid (coconut, exotics etc -or so we hope). Glendronach 14 virgin oak finish 46% , abv , £51  Nose: a very […] - [Port Askaig 28 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/03/port-askaig-28-yo/): The Port Askaig range of whiskies is a well known indie range bottled by Elixir distillers a sister company of TWE. They have a regular range consisting of one NAS (100 proof) and age statement Islay malts originating from a few distilleries, which remain unknown.. (sort of at least). This Port Askaig 28 Year Old Islay single malt has been bottled from a specially selected batch of casks from an undisclosed Islay distillery. Without detailed information on the provenance of the whisky, Elixir distillers have selected the casks based on the quality of the whisky. This is a limited edition of […] - [The new Balblair 17 & 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/01/the-new-balblair-17-18-yo/): Time to review the older new expressions in the Balblair range. Let’s start with the younger 17 year old which is a Travel Retail edition (duty free edition if you will). Just like the 15 yo it has been matured initially in American oak ex-bourbon casks, followed by first fill Spanish oak butts, and is NCF and presented in its natural color. Balblair 17 yo , 46% , £110 Nose: A nice entry with quite a lot of wood varnish, and polished wood (notes i do love, i must admit), then off some chocolate, ripe orange, and a hint of sultanas […] - [The new Balblair 15 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/05/22/the-new-balblair-15-year-old/): Time to review the next expression in the new Balblair core range, the 15 year old. Unlike the 12 which has been aged exclusively in American Oak, here we also have a sherry component as this one has been matured in ex-bourbon casks and then finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts. Balblair do not indicate the length of the Sherry finishing. As with the rest of the range this is bottled at 46%, NCF, and natural color. Balblair 15, 46% abv , £73 Nose: Quite rich, with baked apples,drizzled with honey and spices (cinnamon, cardamom), and some sultanas on top. A […] - [The new Balblair 12 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/05/19/the-new-balblair-12-year-old/): Balblair distillery has made a big change in its range of single malt whiskies by replacing their iconic vintages with age statements, as well as changing the design language of their labels and range. Many Balblair fans have grown accustomed to the vintage system, but as it seems indicating vintage on the bottle rather than age, is not as popular as one would think… It’s not something that has not been done before (the very same was done earlier this year by Glenrothes, who too were using a vintage system and moved its core range to age statement). Some would argue […] - [A Duo of cask strength Glengoyne](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/05/05/a-duo-of-cask-strength-glengoyne/): I’ve been meaning to write tasting notes for those two for quite some time now, as both were featured in a tasting event we held for our HolyDram IL whisky club. The first of which is a 12 year old single Sherry Oloroso cask #2685, specially selected for the Netherlands [ Single Cask – De Monnik Dranken 100th Anniversary ] from an Oloroso cask. Glengone 12 yo single cask #2685 , 56% abv Nose : Rich with orange marmalade, cherry cobbler, dried figs and caramel. Some spices as well which balance the sweet jammy like notes, and nice alcohol feel to […] - [Jameson 18 Bow street Irish whiskey Batch #2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/05/03/jameson-bow-street-irish-whiskey-batch-2/): After liking the first batch of this superb blended Irish whiskey some months ago (check out this post) It’s time for Batch #2 . Again, Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Old Cask Strength – Batch 2 (55.1% ABV) is made by blending pot still and grain whiskeys, which were matured for 18 years in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, before being married together in first fill ex-bourbon casks. The casks were then left to mature for a further 12 months, in the tiny Maturation House at the Jameson Distillery Bow Street (this is why they are called Bow street […] - [Compass Box Affinity](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/04/28/compass-box-affinity/): After some time off due to holidays, it’s time to get back to reviewing some whiskies etc. But today, A new Compass Box expression, that is not (exactly) whisky, but a blend of Whisky and Calvados, yes, that’s right. Now, blending whisky and Calvados may sound weird at first, but when you think about it, whisky and Calvados share a common distillation method as well as aging methods : Orchard fruit notes are common to both Calvados and Scotch malt whisky. Many Calvados producers double-distil in pot stills, just like their Scottish cousins. Maturation in French oak is another aspect of […] - [Kilchoman 2012/2019 Single Cask #180 Madeira finish (HolyDram IL)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/04/03/kilchoman-2012-2019-single-cask-180-madeira-finish-holydram-il/): After the Success of our very first single cask for the Israeli Market (Inchmoan 2014 reviwed here) , we decided to bottle another cask we liked for our local Israeli Facebook group (HolyDram). This time it’s a single cask Kilchoman, distilled 2012 (from 50 PPM malted barley) and bottled 2019 after spending most of its time in an ex-bourbon cask, and then finished for 5 months in a first-fill Madiera cask. The cask yielded 258 bottles at a cask strength of 56.3%, all of which are on their way to Israel as we speak. Kilchoman is one of my favorite young […] - [Benromach Peat Smoke Sherry Cask Matured](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/03/18/benromach-peat-smoke-sherry-cask-matured/): It’s always good news when Benromach one of my favorite distilleries in recent years release a new expressions. This one has been released only last week. Benromach used an extra peaty and smoky malted barley this time (34 PPM pre-distillation, which is quite). The whisky has been then matured in First Fill Sherry hogsheads and laid down in 2010 before being bottled in 2018 , making it an 8 year old. What’s also is nice about this new release is that it’s bottled at a high ABV of 59.9% !, note that there are only 6,500 bottles of this stuff . […] - [Kingbarns Dream to Dram](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/03/16/kingbarns-dream-to-dram/): Time for another new distillery, this time from Scotland : The Kingbarns distillery, fife. The distillery is the brainchild of Douglas Clement who teamed up with the Wemyss family (a well known Indie bottler and whisky maker). The Wemyss family has lived and worked in Fife for generations and has a longstanding passion for whisky dating back to the 19th Century, continuing to this day with their successful Wemyss Malts range. Their long held dream however was to make fine single malt whisky in Fife. When approached by former professional Kingsbarns Golf Links caddy Douglas Clement in 2010 with the idea […] - [Rosebank 21 yo 'Jealousy'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/03/11/rosebank-21-yo-jealousy/): Another semi-unicorn whisky today – a lovely posh 21 year old edition called ‘Jealousy’ bottled for this year’s Valentine’s. Not a bad gift to the Mrs. if you ask me, but not sure mine would approve 😉 This is the 3rd installment the previous one being ‘Innocence’ & ‘Love’. This one sold out, but originally priced at 600 quid. Jealousy is a 21-year-old single malt which, like the others in the collection, has been released to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Named after the yellow Jealousy rose this whisky has an elegant and complex character, certain to leave other distilleries jealous. Rosebank Rosebank […] - [Glenmorangie Allta (2019) - review & notes](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/03/10/glenmorangie-allta-2019/): A decade of Private Editions 2019 marks the 10th year in Glenmorangie’s Private release line of whiskies. The PR’s essentially is an opportunity for Glenmorangie’s Bill Lumsden to think out of the box and experiment with different cask finishes, different barley types, and now different yeast types- in order to create a new and different whisky every year. A quick re-cap of the 9 previous Private editions is due, do you remember them all? edition #1 – Sonnalta PX edition #2 – Finealta  edition #3 – Artein  edition #4 – Ealanta edition #5 – Companta edition #6 – Tùsail edition #7 […] - [Red Spot 15 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/03/09/red-spot-15-year-old/): Time for another new-ish Irish pot still whiskey, this time the older brother of Yellow Spot, and Green Spot (check out our double guest review here). The whiskey has been released a few months back by Irish Distillers. This is actually a comeback as the whiskey was available in the mid-1960s. Crafted from an old recipe handed down by the Mitchell & Son family of wine merchants, the creators of the original Spot Whiskeys range in the early 1900s, the re imagined Red Spot is a triple-distilled, single pot still Irish whiskey that has been matured for a minimum of 15 […] - [The Macallan Edition 4](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/03/05/the-macallan-edition-4/): Fashionably late, The Macallan has introduced its latest edition (#4) locally in Israel. I was quite the fan of editions 2,3 which were very good. As always, in these editions, The Macallan is quite transparent about the types of wood and origin and cask make for the vatting, and groups thosoe under a few categories: Capstone 2nd Fill Sherry Butts (European /American Oak) 2nd Fill Hogsheads (EU/AM) Structure 1st Fill Vasyma Hogsheads (American Oak) Form 1st Fill Diego Martin Rosado Butts (European Oak ) Jose Y Miguel Martin Butts (European Oak ) Foundation 1st Fill Tevasa Butts / Puncheons ( European […] - [Octomore 10 yo 'Dialogos' vintage 2008 167 PPM](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/02/27/octomore-10-yo-dialogos-vintage-2008-167-ppm/): After the Octomore 9.x Dialogos of late 2018 (review here) It’s time to review the elder brother the 10 year old Octomore. As always with Bruichladdich they provide a lot of information about the peating levels, casks and vatting formula: The barley was peated to 167 PPM during the malting usage of 100% Scottish barley of the Optic strain, which was harvested in 2007 and was distilled in 2008 . maturation took place on Islay (as always) in the following cask types: Ex-Port Ex-Cognac Ex-American casks Virgin Oak Full term maturation in 1st fill Port pipes (37%), 1st fill Cognac casks […] - [Benromach Heritage 1977 Cask #1269](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/02/24/benromach-heritage-1977-cask-1269/): A new Benromach single cask is always a reason to be merry, but this time around they have outdone themselves and release not one but two single casks, the younger is the a 1977 vintage (which I am about to review) , while the elder is even older – distilled in 1972. Both casks are available worldwide in spdecialist shops for €1,500 and €1,750 respectively. Both expressions are beautifully presented in a decanter-style bottle with shapes and textures inspired by the distillery. The bottle has a copper-foil embossed label and nestles in a dark oak wooden box, representing the original washbacks […] - [Bruichladdich Black Arts 4.1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/02/18/bruichladdich-black-arts-4-1/): So, Bruichladdich Black arts… Time for an official review. I have tasted a few of the batches over the years, and never liked them too much. Not that they were bad, but the wine was too strong for me (I am not a huge fan of wine in my whisky). For those of you who are not familiar with Black Arts, this is essentially a vatting of several cask types, some of them ex-wine, and some ex-bourbon and others , not sure which. Bruichladdich states: This fourth incarnation of the now legendary Black Art is as enigmatic as ever, the composition […] - [Speyside Region 1973 {TWA for TWE}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/02/11/speyside-region-1973-twa-for-twe/): Not a very clear title is it? so a short explanation is due. This lovely whisky is an old Speyside whisky bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange by German independent bottler ‘The Whisky Agency’. This was bottled from a butt of blended malt with components from across the Speyside region, meaning it’s a blended malt of some kind. It also seems it comes from a re-fill Fino sherry cask, which adds a nice touch different from the more common Oloroso casks we usually see . This bottling for TWE is another one in a series of similar casks bottled by TWA […] - [Kavalan Vinho Barrique 2012 (TWE Exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/02/09/kavalan-vinho-barrique-2012-twe-exclusive/): A few interesting TWE exclusives landed not long ago, and the first of which we’ll be tasting is this Kavalan Vinho. Essentially this is a cask-strength, single-cask Kavalan distilled in June 2012, aged entirely in a wine barrique and bottled in 2018, exclusively for The Whisky Exchange. Kavalan Vinho Barrique 2012 TWE Exclusive,  53.2% , £225 Nose: Big sweet and thick notes with the wine influence very strong with this one as they say 🙂 oodles of thick cherry jam, sticky toffee, and liquor soaked sultanas, figs and quite a bit of spice, and cooked apples sprinkled with brown sugar,pepper, earth […] - [Paul John Peated Select Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/02/02/paul-john-peated-select-cask/): Been meaning to post notes for this bottle I’ve had since my trip to south India (Kerala & Goa), for quite some time, but not sure what happened. Paul John is the 2nd well known malt distillery from India, and although most local indian ‘whiskies’ are ‘ok’ at best, both malt distilleries are making TOP NOTCH whiskies, internationally acclaimed, and for a good reason. Paul John is located in the little state of ‘Goa’ which is mostly christian, and one of the only places in India you can eat a good Hamburger made from proper meat, for that reason. At any […] - [Compass Box Juveniles](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/01/30/compass-box-juveniles/): After the excellent Stranger & Stranger, we come to review yet another new-ish release from Compass Box. This time it’s a blended malt whisky, without any grain or younger spirit…If the name Juveniles does not ring a bell here’s some background info: Juveniles Bistrot à Vins has long been regarded as one of the most influential wine bars in Paris. It’s a place that has inspired Compass Box whiskymaker John Glaser since the early days of his business. Compass Box and Juveniles have worked on several whisky collaborations over the years, but this is the first one to overtly look to […] - [Compass Box Stranger & Stranger](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/01/24/compass-box-stranger-stranger/): A new Compass Box whisky review today (happy me), and quite an unusual one, if I might say… Some may call it sacrilege, but Compass Box thought the addition of one year old ‘sacrificial spirit’ would be the perfect component to use in their limited edition blend to celebrate ten years of collaboration with their good friends at the package design company Stranger & Stranger, hence the name. ‘Sacrificial spirit? what?!’, you ask… well, let me explain. John Glaser & Co., have made a brilliant blended whisky and put a finger in the SWA’s eye, they have included a one year […] - [Cambus 30 yo 1988 Sovereign #14857 {TWB}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/01/21/cambus-30-yo-1988-sovereign-14857-twb/): Time for another old single grain , and yet again, this one was bottled by H.Laing exclusively for The Whisky Barrel. This is a Rare example of a lost Scottish grain distillery. Single cask refill hogshead #14857 distilled September 1988 bottled September 2018 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Sovereign series. Selected and bottled exclusively for The Whisky Barrel , 313 numbered bottles. Cambus 1988 H.Laing {for TWB} , 45.2 % , $110 Nose: Lovely sweet nectar, with quite a bit of fruit : plum, nectarine, and apricot, some stewed fruit as well, and spices, not a whole lot of wood, but there’s […] - [Kilchoman Sanaig](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/01/19/kilchoman-sanaig/): Been some time since I reviewed one of the OB standard line Kilchomans , and this one’s one of my favorites when it comes to the readily available bottles you can score in most good whisky shops. Sanaig, named after an inlet on Islay’s rugged Atlantic cost, is a vatting of Kilchoman matured in both sherry and bourbon barrels. This sherry cask scotch whisky is matured in a high proportion of oloroso barrels, 50% of each to be more exact… Although it is not bearing an age statement, one can guess age is something around 4-5 years. The barley used for […] - [Goldstar Brewer’s Gold - distilled beer](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/01/11/goldstar-brewers-gold-distilled-beer/): If you’ve ever visited Israel, you must know Goldstar, a very popular mass produced amber lager, which most Israelis grew on (Growing up in Israel of the 8o’s local beer selection was quite limited..). Yes, it has won awards, and it’s not so bad but it’s not extremely good either. At any rate as a beer geek (or beer lover), I am not a big fan of this style of beers right now , but I was quite intrigued by the latest endeavor by Tempo (the brewery that brews Goldstar) – a distilled beer by the name of “Brewer’s Gold”. As […] - [Inchmoan 12 yo OB](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/01/06/inchmoan-12-yo-ob/): A lot has been said about our wee 14 year old Inchmoan cask 68, but way back this was the first ever Inchmoan I’ve tasted. I was quite intrigued and surprised by how good it was, not expecting much back then. But Loch Lomond are on the rise, and stuff that gets released recently is really worth your while. Loch Lomond’s a weird distillery as it has Lomond stills, which differ in shape from classic pot stills (they also have classic ones). Those straight necked stills have shifting plates inside their necks, and you can move shift them around to get […] - [Deanston 12 OB 2018](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/01/05/deanston-12-ob-2018/): I enjoy going back to basic single malts from time to time, and I frankly think we do not drink basic, ‘ordinary’ malts enough, having access to many super-duper rare, whiskies and some extra-rare unicorn whiskies. Single cask whisky is awesome, but most people drink plain OBs which can be lovely too, right? Deanston has been really improving in the last few years, with Distel as owner, better casks are being used, and it shows. A good example is this 12 year old Deanston which is their cheapest age statement bearing whisky, and widely available. Trivia fact of the day : […] - [Edradour 10 yo 2008 Signatory cask #46 TWB Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/01/03/edradour-10-yo-2008-signatory-cask-46-twb-exclusive/): A good single cask Edradour?Apparently it’s possible, even if it’s not very common. After last month’s sherried peated Ballechin I liked quite a lot, its high time to try this single cask by Signatory once again (the owners of Edradour distillery). They probably have access to the best casks out there, and this one’s another good example. This time we’re talking Single cask first fill sherry butt #46 bottled October 2018 by Signatory Vintage for the Un-Chillfiltered series. This is a specially selected release exclusive to The Whisky Barrel. 339 bottles at natural cask strength. A good single cask Edradour?Apparently it’s […] - [Dumbarton 31 Year Old 1987 Sovereign TWB Exclusive cask #15477](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/01/02/dumbarton-31-year-old-1987-sovereign-twb-exclusive-cask-15477/): Time for another single grain, this time a Dumbarton bottled by H.Laing in their Sovereign series for TWB. A single grain at 31 years of age, sounds about right… Distilled in March 1987 and matured in a single refill hoghsead #15477. Just 207 bottles yielded from the cask at a nice ABV of 50.5%. Dumbarton 31 Year Old 1987 Sovereign Exclusive #15477 , £120 Nose: fresh fruit, wood varnish, a bit of glue, and vanilla fudge, caramel candy, pencil box, red apple and berries. Rich and warming quite nice. Palate: rich and thick, with golden syrup, more salty caramel, fudge and nice […] - [Laphroaig 8 yo, Càrn Mòr (TWB Exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/31/laphroaig-8-yo-carn-mor-twb-exclusive/): Last day of the year 2018. I am not going to make a fuss and start all those boring summaries, about my top 5, my top 3 whiskies this year etc. This year was awesome in any way whisky wise. I hosted a lot of whisky events, I’ve bottled a single cask (with friends) , two more M&H casks of ours are aging at the distillery. We’ve lead a group of whisky lovers on a trip to Islay, this November, It was a great year. Speaking of Islay, here’s an example of a young, CS Laphraoig, bottled by Morrison & Mckay […] - [Worthy Park 12 yo [The Duchess] Cask #4](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/29/worthy-park-12-yo-the-duchess-cask-4-rum/): Another single cask Rum from one of our favorite small Indie bottler – The Duchess – the Rum label managed by my good Dutch friend Nils. After the lovely FourSquare 13 yo I reviewed a few months back , we’re off to Jamaica and Worthy Park, one of best distilleries operating there now.. Worthy Park , 12yo cask #4 ,57.9% 2006 , € 65 Nose: sweet overripe exotic fruit, mainly pineapple and mango with some orange cantaloupe and bananas. But the fruity notes are just the prequel to lovely wood varnish, earthy notes and wet dunnage floors,and wait! Some smoke? I think so. Palate: […] - [Jameson 18 Bow Street](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/27/jameson-18-bow-street/): Time for some Irish Whiskey, with a recent addition to the high end segment in the form of this Jameson 18 Bow street. This Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Cask Strength is a blend of pot still and grain Irish whiskeys, bottled at cask strength and matured initially for 18 years in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks at the Midleton Distillery located in Country Cork, after which It was re-casked into first-fill ex-bourbon American oak barrels for a final 6 -12 months at the Jameson Distillery Bow Street in Dublin, which boasts a tiny 84 cask-storage facility, a real ‘small batch’ […] - [A Trio of Kill Devil Hampden Rums for TWB](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/25/a-trio-of-kill-devil-hampden-rums-for-twb/): Assaf is a long time whisky fan, and he is also into rum for almost as long. Over time he became quite knowledgeable in rums, and is a reference on the subject for our Facebook community. He also co-founded the Israeli Rum Club. When Gal offered me to write a guest post on rum, a Hampden no less, I quickly said yes. Only later I found out it will in fact be a tasting mini-panel of 3 Hampdens, bottled by Hunter Laing in their Kill Devil range exclusively for The Whisky Barrel shop. These bottlings received top scores by bloggers, and […] - [Glenturret 2004, 14 yo - G&M for TWE](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/24/glenturret-2004-14-yo-gm-for-twe/): In addition to the nice Glenlivet I reviewed the other day, G&M have bottled a 2004 vintage Glenturret, at 14 years of age for TWE as part of the the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Connoisseurs Choice label. This is a big sherried dram, and by the color of it I was sure it was aged in a first-fill Sherry cask, but actually G&M used a refill sherry hogshead to age this sherry monster. Glenturret 2004, 14 yo – G&M for TWE , 55.1% ABV , £94.95 [TWE] Nose: Big sherry , in spite of the re-fill cask it’s […] - [Glenlivet 15 yo 2003 , Gordon & MacPhail for TWE](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/24/glenlivet-15-yo-2003-gordon-macphail-for-twe/): Today a review (one out of two) by Bottler Gordon & MacPhail, bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange. This year is the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Connoisseurs Choice label, and TWE have joined in the celebrations with the release of this Glenlivet (and another Glenturret 14 which I will review shortly). The whisky at hand today is a 15-year-old Glenlivet 2003, aged in a single refill bourbon barrel. It’s exactly what TWE wanted from a Glenlivet of this age: a fruity dram with softly creamy notes and just the right amount of spice. Glenlivet 15 yo 2003 , G&M […] - [Merry Christmas All!](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/24/merry-xmas-all/): Wishing you all a Merry XMAS and Happy Holidays! Enjoy! Gal & Co. - [M&H distillery young single malt - The Last](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/22/mh-distillery-young-single-malt-the-last/): Milk and Honey distillery (or M&H) have had a busy year, and last week have held a press conference for drinks journalists, in which they presented their latest (and last in the young single malts line) Young single malt – The Last. This does not mean the distillery will not make more single malt, It just means that next year they will release their first core range 3-year-old whisky (they had released a small batch ‘experimental’ 3 year old last year if you remember – it was also rreviewed here on the blog). In addition to the release of this new […] - [Ballechin 12 yo 2005 vintage [Signatory] for TWB](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/09/ballechin-12-yo-2005-vintage-signatory-for-twb/): I thin this is the first EVER Ballechin review on the blog, and this it’s about time. For those who are not familiar, Ballechin is the  heavily peated line from the small distillery of Edradour. Now, Edradour distillery is not one of my favorites (an understatement). I have tasted quite a few Edradours, and have never found a really good one. Some were horrible, some were OK, but not my cuppa , as they say. Peated Edradour or Ballechin, is something else. And for some reason, it really works well when it comes to heavy peat and the Edradour stills, and […] - [Orkney 15 Year Old 2002 [Berry Bros. for TWB]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/05/orkney-15-year-old-2002-berry-bros-for-twb/): Yet another mystery ‘Orkney’ malt, which is not a Scapa 😉 You get it , right? This one’s from a Sherry Butt, and bottled at a nice 56.8% after 15 years of maturation in the cask. not quite sure what cask #3 means, probably it’s an internal numbering done by BBR. Distilled in 2002, for a total of 180 bottles. I wonder how come there are so few bottles, probably only a part of the cask was bottled for TWB ? At any rate this is quite different than the TWE Black Friday bottling (from the same distillery) I sampled recently. Orkney […] - [A Trio of 9.x Octomore Dialogos](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/12/03/a-trio-of-9-x-octomore-dialogos/): Dialogos ( διάλογος ): a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a literary and theatrical form that depicts such an exchange. Another trio of the latest batch of octomores is upon us and this is a time to be merry! I know many fans of this Octomore, the iconic black, super-duper-heavily-peated whisky from one of my favorite distilleries out there – Bruichladdich. Earlier in November I was lucky to visit once again, and it’s indeed a magical place. We did manage to sample some casks including an older 10 year old Octomore. This time around the […] - [Glenlivet 11 Year Old 2007 Single Cask #900134 [TWB Exclusive]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/29/glenlivet-11-year-old-2007-single-cask-900134-twb-exclusive/): I’ve been meaning to write about this one for quite some time now, but somehow it was left out. This is another single cask Big Bad Sherry casks , quite young, but powerful. If you remember the other cask bottled for TWB from the same distillery an bottler I reviewed back then (cask #900552). That one was lovely indeed, and I expect this one to be just as good. The details: 66.8% ABV. Matured in a 1st fill sherry hogshead #900134 this is a full power single cask Glenlivet.  Distilled 27th March 2007 and bottled 6th June 2018, just 315 bottles […] - [Cotswolds distillery single malt batch 03/2008](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/26/cotswolds-distillery-single-malt-batch-03-2008/): Cotswolds distillery has been distilling since 2014, and has released a few young whiskies recently, which have really impressed many whisky lovers. I came to hear about how good their whisky was (for a 3 year old whisky) from a few friends who tasted it some time ago, and were impressed. I tried a couple of batches, and indeed this is a very promising distillery. Founded in 2014 by Daniel Szor, a financier who quite the hectic London lifestyle to live in the countryside, in the beautiful Cotswolds region, the distillery makes both whisky and Gin. Whisky is distilled from 100% […] - [Black Friday 2018 edition [The whisky Excange] - Orkney Islands 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/24/black-friday-2018-edition-the-whisky-excange-orkney-islands-18-yo/): Black Friday is upon us again, and after last year’s phenomenal success of the BF bottling released by TWE (which was a 16 year old from an undisclosed  ‘family owned’ distillery – read ‘Farclas), which sold in under 20 minutes, they have done it again! this time, there were more bottles (1400) and they have limited it to two bottles per customer. I was quite sure it would not last an hour, but it certainly did! one hour and 6 minutes from 1400 to 0…. and SOLD OUT. As opposed to last year, this one’s an 18 year old malt from […] - [Glenfiddich Experimental edition : Fire & Cane](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/20/glenfiddich-experimental-edition-fire-cane/): Glenfiddich accounted for 12.3% of all single malt sales worldwide in 2017 (source Malt whisky yearbook 2019), and is one of the biggest single malt distilleries operating these days. We all know their core range from the entry level 12 to the 21 which are very popular single malts and can be found in almost any liquor store. I appreciate the fact that such a big distillery is releasing some more “special” or “experimental” editions once in a while. It all started not long ago with the IPA cask experiment, followed by the “XX” and the Winter Storm edition, which were […] - [Cooley 2003 14 year old Exclusive Malts (for TWB)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/17/cooley-2003-14-year-old-twb/): It has been quite some time since I reviwed an Irish whiskey, let alone a single cask. This 2003 Irish whiskey comes from the Cooley distillery having been aged for 14 years in a refill Sherry Hogshead. Sherry cask Irish whiskey, not your average dram is it? This bottling is part of the exclusive range of whiskies bottled for the whisky barrel by the creative whisky Co. Intriguing, right? let’s try some. Cooley 2003 14 year old Exclusive Malts [exclusive to the Whisky Barrel] , 50.5%, £47 Nose: This is indeed a sherry-centric nose, lots of wine influence from the get go, […] - [Claxton's Whisky Tweet Tasting - #ClaxtonsWhisky](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/15/claxtons-whisky-tweet-tasting-claxtonswhisky/): Claxton’s spirits is an Independent bottler based in Scotland. The Claxton’s family has been passionate about independently bottled single cask whisky for decades and finally began rreleasing their casks in 2015. You might have seen a bottle here and there, and they are really easy to recognize with the special rectangular shape unlike most IB who use a standard shaped bottle. I was lucky enough to join a twitter tasting last night, organized by Steve of the Whisky Wire, sampling 5 of their single cask whiskies from their latest batch of casks (4 single malts and 1 single grain). I must confess […] - [Cù Bòcan 1990 vintage limited edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/12/cu-bocan-1990-vintage-limited-edition/): Time for some new (aged) Cù Bòcan  from Tomatin : for those who are not familiar with the Cu Bocan line of products : The Cù Bòcan brand is named after a mythical Highland hell-hound which was rumored to haunt the village of Tomatin and was launched in 2013 as a lightly peated alternative to the traditional fruity flavors of Tomatin single malt. The distillery has been producing peated malt for the last week of every year since 2005, and in recent years has been experimenting with different levels of peatiness (PPM) in order to diversity their offering in the coming years. The […] - [Foursquare 13 yo Barbados Rum (The Dutchess)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/10/foursquare-13-yo-barbados-rum-the-dutchess/): Another rum bottled by the The Dutchess, the IB label managed by my good Dutch friend Nils, and this time it’s a 13 year old Foursquare Barbados rum. This rum has been exclusively selected for the 12th edition of the “Whisky & Rum aan Zee festival” 2018. It is from a single cask (number 44) yielding 294 bottles and is from one of the more popular rum distilleries (at least in my circle of friends and Rum lovers), Foursquare in Barbados. There are no additives in this rum. Furthermore this blend of pot and column still rums has no added coloring and […] - [Benromach Château Cissac Bordeaux Wood Finish 2010](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/09/benromach-chateau-cissac-bordeaux-wood-finish-2010/): Another new Benromach wine finish is upon us with the release of  Château Cissac Bordeaux Wood Finish 2010.  Benromach are in the habit of releasing wine finished editions of their younger whiskies,  such as last year’s Sassicaia 2009 , Hermitage 2007 and so on. The  latest addition to its Wood Finish portfolio with the launch of the limited-edition Benromach Château Cissac Bordeaux Wood Finish 2010, only a few days ago, this single malt Scotch whisky balances Benromach’s signature Speyside smokiness with rich red wine undertones. Benromach Château Cissac Bordeaux Wood Finish 2010 is matured in First Fill Bourbon barrels in the distillery’s traditional dunnage warehouses in Forres, Speyside. This expression is then […] - [Islay Feis Ile Festival 2019 Bottles](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/11/02/islay-feis-ile-festival-2019-bottles/): Updated May 30h  (Kilchoman) Feis Ile 2019 may look far away now, but planning is in full swing. This is a rolling post that will try and follow the festival news, and most important : the distilleries and IB’s special festival bottlings you’re all so keen on 😉 currently the festival itinerary is as follows: Distillery program 2019 Please note that the detailed programmes will follow. Islay House – Friday 24th May Port Ellen Maltings – Friday 24th May Lagavulin – Saturday 25th May Lagavulin 19 feis edition The Lagavulin bottling has been matured in Refill Oak Casks and then sherry-treated freshly-charred […] - [Introducing Holy Dram Single cask - Inchmoan 14 yo Cask #68](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/10/26/introducing-holy-dram-single-cask-1-inchmoan-14-yo-cask-68-holy-dram-il/): This is not and ordinary post, and it’s certainly a very exciting moment in my whisky journey – A release of my (or more accurate our) first single cask whisky bottling for the local Israeli market, mainly aimed at our local whisky group called Holy Dram IL. For those who do not read Hebrew, and are located worldwide , a few words about Holy Dram are in place. More than a year ago, me and a few good whisky friends have set a local whisky and spirits Facebook Group called Holy Dram, we started with a few dozens of friends, whisky […] - [New Tomatin 30 year old - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/10/21/new-tomatin-30-year-old-review/): Tomatin has announced a release of this 30-year-old whisky only a few weeks back (end of September), Retailing at £300, the expression is a premium batch release decanted into individually numbered bottles, with only 900 available in the UK. The whisky was  finished in first fill ex-Bourbon barrels, is presented in a premium oak box and is accompanied by a carrying case and seems to address the ultra premium market, as opposed to previous releases which did not go to length to present the whisky in such a luxurious way (adding to the price of course). Indeed The 30 Year Old expression replaces the […] - [Tomatin 15 yo Moscatel finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/10/20/tomatin-15-yo-moscatel-finish/): A few months back Tomatin have announced the release of its new limited edition Moscatel finished whisky.  The expression, which was distilled in 2003, was aged 15 years and has a limited run of just over 6,000 bottles available worldwide. The whisky has been finished in first fill Portuguese Moscatel wine barriques for a period of five years, with the maturation imparting flavors of toasted almonds and oranges, sun-dried raisins and figs, creating a sweet and creamy finish. This isn’t the first time Tomatin have experimented with unusual cask maturation. Fans of the distillery will remember, for example, the limited edition 14 year old Cabernet Sauvignon […] - [Ben Nevis 21 year old 'Past Future' [TWE]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/10/18/ben-nevis-21-year-old-future-of-whisky-past-future/): After reviewing the two first ‘future of whisky’ releases by TWE for the whisky show, its time to review the last – the 21-year-old Ben Nevis.. Now, Ben Nevis distillery is everything but a sexy distillery, but it has really become a very popular distillery in some circles , mostly  the whisky lovers and nerds’ , with some very good IBs popping over, and the 10-year-old OB which is not bad at all. Another one you say? Why not? Ben Nevis  21 yo ‘Past Future’ –   47.5% bottled for TWE Whisky Show , Sold out Nose:  Actually not what i was thinking […] - [Invergordon 44 year old - 'The Future' [TWE for the 2018 whisky show]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/10/16/invergordon-44-year-old-the-future-twe-for-the-2018-whisky-show/): We come to the second whisky released in the cool ‘future’ of whisky , this time it’s just ‘The Future’. So, the future is older grain? Not a bad future at all methinks. I am a big fan of older grains, especially ones that have spent more than 30 years in the cask, and the more the merrier, i say. Give me big woody notes, polished oak, and spices, along with the sweet notes of the grain, and I am a happy camper. This time around it’s even a bigger treat since this whisky is older than I. As I get […] - [‘Present Future’ - Ledaig 12 Year Old (bottled for the TWE whisky show)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/10/14/present-future-ledaig-12-year-old-bottled-for-the-twe-whisky-show/): This year saw the 10th Whisky Show , organized by the fine guys at The Whisky Exchange. In addition to the Epic tastings and many event (that i missed, yet again!), they bottle some fine whiskies for the event, and this year they’ve bottled a very nice looking series of whiskies which celebrate ‘The Future Of Whisky’. The bottles look über cool with all of them  using lenticular labels to bring the bottles to life. In what is believed to be a first for whisky bottles, lenticular printing gives each label a feeling of depth and movement, as well as helping […] - [Kilchoman 100% Islay cask release cask # 84/2008(exclusive to LFW)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/10/11/kilchoman-100-islay-cask-release-cask-84-2008exclusive-to-lfw/): Who does not like a good Kilchoman (and most Kilchomans are very good indeed). It’s nice we’re getting some 10+ year olds now, and this one is a really nice one! Distilled at Kilchoman,  on 6th March 2008 and matured in a fresh bourbon cask from Buffalo Trace for 10 years, this single cask expression was bottled exclusively for Loch Fyne Whiskies on 19th March 2018. One of Kilchoman’s unique ‘100% Islay’ releases, this single malt Scotch has been produced with barley grown, malted, distilled and bottled on Islay. Only 239 bottles have been filled from cask 84/2008, each one presented free from […] - [Highland Park 14 yo - Loyalty of the Wolf (Travel Retail)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/10/08/highland-park-14-yo-loyalty-of-the-wolf-travel-retail/): “Where wolf’s ears are, wolf’s teeth are near.” —Völsunga Saga, Chapter 19 After the quite excellent 18-year-old (Viking Pride – TR edition, reviewed on the blog just last week) we come  to review the younger sibling, which is called ‘Loyalty of the Wold’, in line with the rest of pseudo-viking naming scheme whiskies from HP (Some people are quite tired of it, and I have to agree, it’s a bit too much, they’ve played the Orcadian-Viking cards a bit too much). This one’s a combination of American oak sherry casks and bourbon barrels, vatted an bottled at 42,3% (another uncommon percentage which I […] - [Highland Park 18 yo ‘Viking Pride’ travel edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/09/28/highland-park-18-yo-viking-pride-travel-edition/): Highland Park 18 is one of my favorite whiskies of all time, this is not a secret, and I think many people share that love for this amazingly well crafted balanced whisky. I find myself tasting 100’s of whiskies yearly, and still going back to the HP 18, after a some time I have not sat and appreciated a dram , thinking “this is brilliant stuff”.  It’s hard making something so good even better. Recently with the revamping of the TR range (duty-free as we mortals call it), together with the new whiskies, (one of which I’ve reviewed recently : Wings […] - [New 'Old Pultney' core range - Huddart / 15 yo / 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/09/21/the-new-old-pultney-core-range-huddart-15-yo-18-yo/): When Old Pulteney announced they were discontinuing their highly popular 17 and 21 year old, Many OP fans were disappointed , and quite shaken by it, especially when the whiskies at hand were so bloody good and so well priced … The 17 and 21 were very popular in Israel as well (and very well priced sometimes even cheaper than in some EU countries!) , and even became more popular as news of about them being discontinued spread like wild-fire among the little but quite active local whisky crowd. Then began the race to secure a bottle or two, since there […] - [The Epicurean Glasgow Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/09/10/the-epicurean-glasgow-edition/): Time for another quick tasting note for a D.Laing expression, this time the NAS cask strength version of their Lowlands blended malt – The Epicurean.  The original Epicurean was a nice mixing blended malt if you ask me, Not bad , but also not quite as interesting as others, and being a lowland whisky, I was not expecting much more. This one’s a blended Lowland malt on steroids, with an impressive % abv of 58.6 – as such it promises to have more of a presence, as they say.The packaging is quite lovely with the Duke of Wellington statue’s infamous traffic cone […] - [D.Laing Scallywag Blended Malt 10 year old](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/09/03/d-laing-scallywag-blended-malt-10-year-old/): Scallywag is maybe the most famous Blended malt line from family owned D.Laing Whisky. The line consists of malts from the Speyside region, and after reviewing the basic, 13 yo sherry, and cask strength versions, it’s high time I reviewed this 10 year old age statement expressions. 10 years old may not sound special, but the age was chosen as this year DL are celebrating their 70th anniversary and as you know one man years equals 10 dog years, making this dram 70 year old (dog years), same as the company that bottles it! cool isn’t it? Notice Scallywag is also […] - [Highland Park 18 Year Old 1999 - Connoisseurs Choice (G&M)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/08/27/highland-park-18-year-old-1999-connoisseurs-choice-gordon-macphail/): Continuing with Highland park whiskies, this time an Indie bottling, by G&M in their Connoisseurs Choice series. This is quite an Atypical HP, having been aged in a first-fill ex-Bourbon cask for 18 years, Cask was laid down in 1999 and whisky was bottled in February 2018.  It’s always nice to taste 100 % ex-bourbon maturation whisky from HP, especially as the brand is associated with sherry casks, as most of the OB are partly or fully aged in European Oak sherry casks… Highland Park 18 Year Old 1999 – Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail) , 55.6%,£123 Nose: Nice fruity sort of Ex-bourbon […] - [Highland Park Wings of the Eagle 16 yo (Travel Retail)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/08/25/highland-park-wings-of-the-eagle-16-yo-travel-retail/): “There is much to be told. An eagle sits at the top of the ash, and it has the knowledge of many things.” — Gylfaginning, The Prose Edda, Chapter 16 Today we’re about to review one of the latest Travel Retail edition by Highland park. This is the oldest of the 3 new TR editions  named after animals in the Viking Lore ; (including : Spirit of the Bear, and Loyalty of the Wolf). Wings of the eagle is aged 16 years in   sherry-seasoned American and European oak casks and bottled at 44.5% ABV and priced at €90 . Highland Park Wings of […] - [Benriach 'Temporis' 21 yo - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/08/21/benriach-temporis-21-yo-review/): Fun Fact – Historical whisky research indicates BenRiach was the first distillery withinSpeyside to re-introduce peated malt into its whisky making back in the 1970’s, a time when most Speyside distillers had moved their focus towards unpeated malt distillation. And the new 21 year old Benriach on the block, or so is this new expression called ‘Temporis’ , is just that – a peated well aged single malt. The name Temporis, meaning ‘time’ in Latin, emulates the original character and flavour of Speyside malts in the nineteenth century. To create the new expression, Master Blender Rachel Barrie has married together an eclectic mix of not one, […] - [Port Charlotte 2001 'The Heretic' - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/07/19/port-charlotte-2001-the-heretic-review/): The 2nd offering from Bruchladdich for this Port Charlotte-centeric Feis Ile 2018, is yet another PC. Unlike the Valinch, this is not a single cask, but a mix of a few types of whisky casks : or more precisely  a marriage of the last five  casks filled during the first year of Bruichladdich’s Port Charlotte production in 2001, which is why they named it  ‘The Last of the First.‘. The casks used to age this expression  had previously held American whiskey, rum, and French wine. A mix of some wine casks, Rum and ex-bourbon sounds a bit like another “Black Arts” sort […] - [Port Charlotte 2005 Valinch Oloroso cask , Feis Ile 2018](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/07/18/port-charlotte-2005-valinch-oloroso-feis-ile-2018/): This year Bruichladdich released two different special editions bottling for Feis Ile 2018, Both were Port Charlotte whiskies (meaning : heavily peated), and both available only at the distillery shop on the open day. Valinches are normally single casks bottlings you can get at the distillery, each is of a different profile, and this year since the focus is on Port Charlotte (new re-branding, bottlings etc), its only fitting the Valinch comes  from a 2005 cask of Port Charlotte, fully matured in 2nd fill sherry for 12 years (distilled  21.11.2005, and bottled 2018), at a nice CS of 59.3% , as valicnhes go, […] - [Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino Cask (2018 Feis Ile edition) - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/07/13/laphroaig-cairdeas-fino-cask-2018-feis-ile-edition-review/): After the lovely Lagavulin, it’s time to visit Laphroaig’s festival offering – namely the Cairdeas. Cairdeas stands for ‘friendship’ and each year a different edition consisting of different casks etc, is released. Last year’s Quarter casks were not my cup of tea, and hopefully this year’s Fino cask will be nicer. I am quite a fan of Fino sherry , I drink quite a bit of it, and enjoy this dry, light refreshing sherry, mostly in summer. Turns out Fino has a lovely effect on whisky as well, and though it’s not very popular among whisky makers , much less common […] - [Lagavulin 18 yo Feis Ile 2018 Edition - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/07/10/lagavulin-18-yo-feis-ile-2018-edition-review/): Feis Ile is is over long ago, and It’s time to try some of the highlights of the festival bottling, starting with the most anticipated whisky of them all (at least for me), the Lagavulin edition. Last year’s edition was quite a disappointment , IMHO and I was looking for this year’s edition –  personally selected by Iain McArthur and is a marriage of refill and rejuvenated American Oak Hogsheads and ex-Bodega European Oak Butts, aged 18 years old and presented at Cask Strength. Now Ex-Bodega in case you’re not familiar with the jargon, means ex-Sherry casks, not sure why Ian likes […] - [Highland Park - 'The Dark'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/07/01/highland-park-the-dark/): After reviewing the Light , It’s time to review the previous edition named The Dark.HP The Dark is  special release of 28,000 bottles launched to  celebrate autumn and winter on Orkney (which now is long passed). The whisky itself is presented in a beautifully embossed black glass bottle, the serpent dragon design takes its inspiration from the great Norse sagas and embraces both the high sun of summer solstice and the low sun of winter solstice – the polar opposites of our island seasons – while the runic writing reflects the ancient carvings of Viking ancestors, on Orkney. A nice quote […] - [Compass Box Delilah’s XXV edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/06/23/compass-box-delilahs-xxv-edition/): A new Compass box whisky is always a reason to get excited, at least around here at Whisky Israel Towers. This time around we’re talking Blended whisky (a mix of Grain whiskies and Malt whiskies), rather than the usual Blended Malt (which contains only a mix of Single malts from various distilleries).  The whisky was announced only some weeks ago and is the  latest limited edition release from CB called : Delilah’s XXV.  The whisky is named after Chicago’s famous punk rock whisky bar, Delilah’s, the new Scotch Whisky is the result of a second collaboration between owner Mike Miller and Whisky […] - [Redbreast 32 to 'Dream Cask' - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/06/18/redbreast-32-to-dream-cask-review/): Redbreast Irish whiskey, which is produced by Irish Distillers in Midleton Distillery, has recently launched the Redbreast Dream Cask, which was available to buy through its online members’ club, The Birdhouse, (SOLD OUT) The release follows requests from consumers and whiskey experts over the past 12 months, and becomes the first in a new series planned for the coming years. When referring to requests, you have to remember one twitter tasting i blogged about quite some time ago (here) , almost one year ago, in which a cask sample of this liquid was shared with a few bloggers at an online session with Head Blender Billy […] - [Rosebank 25 yo Cadenhead's 175 anniversary bottling](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/06/13/rosebank-25-yo-cadenheads-175-anniversary-bottling/): We come to the second Cadenhead’s 175th Anniversary bottling, after the lovely, Littlemill which took some time to reveal its secrets, and this one’s completely different, It’s bold and fruity and its wonders are exposed easily, just sniff. Rosebank…  It’s always nice to come by a dram from a closed distillery, let a lone a Rose Bank, and this one’s extremely nice and fruity, as it should be. So, without further ado, let’s dram. Rosebank 25 Cadenhead’s 175, 50.5% abv  Nose : this one’s fruity and sweet from the get go : no need to give it time,no work needed as it’s […] - [Littlemill 1991 - Cadenhead's 175h Anniversary edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/06/10/littlemill-1991-cadenheads-175h-anniversary-edition/): Cadenhead’s one of the best Independent bottlers, have been bottling whisky since 1842, and thus, turned 175 years old last year (2017). If you’re a whisky geek there’s no way you have not heard and/or tried one of their lovely bottlings, as they remain one of the very best out there. One more thing which is cool about Cadenhead’s is that they bottle whisky for drinking, and not for collection, as they will bottle a 40 year old Convalmore or an 10 year old Springbank inside the same bottle, with the same generic label, and since they are sitting on top […] - [Highland Park 17 yo ‘The Light’](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/06/04/highland-park-17-yo-the-light/): After the Dark comes Light, and just in time for summer / spring, comes ‘The Light’ the 2nd installment in the latest HP Range, following the ‘Dark’. As the name suggests this is a fresher and more light-ish HP, and the light green-ish bottle hints at that as well. The whisky is aged for 17 years, in American Oak casks, and this whisky is bottled at a nice 52,9% abv with a hefty price tag of around £180, not cheap at all. Let’s have a try shall we? Highland Park 17 yo ‘The Light’, 52,9%, , 28.000 btl,  £189 Nose: Quite fresh I must […] - [Port Askaig 14 yo Bourbon Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/05/26/port-askaig-14-yo-bourbon-cask/): The Islay Festival is in full swing,{check out my Feis Ile 2018 bottling guide to know what to expect } and what is more fitting, than reviewing a peated malt. As you all know Port Askaig is bottled by Elixir Distillers (which is a doughtier company of TWE), and features malts from Islay without specifing the distillery the casks are sourced from. What is also nice about PA is that they bottles their expressions in small batches each consisting of 10’s of casks and not 100’s, this one’s been bottled from the vatting of 11 first-fill bourbon casks, which are all “sister” […] - [Loch Lomond Croftengea 2008 single cask #272 , TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/05/15/loch-lomond-croftengea-2008-single-cask-twe-exclusive-272/): It’s certainly no secret that Loch Lomond is hard at work releasing very interesting whiskies in the last couple of years.. They have released some awesome Inchmurrins, Inchmoans, and some lovely single casks are popping here and there. Today we’re in for a treat, with something you do not see quite often from Loch Lomond : Croftengea.  In case you’re wondering what that even means.. Croftengea is the most heavily peated of all Loch Lomond’s whiskies, and is normally used to add a twist of smoke to the distillery’s blends. Like most of the distillery’s single malts, it is made in Inchmurrin […] - [Caroni Rum 20 yo, 1998-2018 - The Duchess (Trinidad)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/05/14/caroni-rum-20-yo-1998-2018-the-duchess-trinidad/): I know this is mostly a Whisky Blog (and i know i’ve been blogging Rum for the last couple of posts..), but quite a few very interesting Rums made their to WI towers lately, and this one’s really worth your while. The Duchess is the label under which Best of Wines bottle their whiskies / Rums, as they also operate as Independent bottlers. We all know Whisky casks are quite hard to come by, especially ones that are very good, and not very expensive, Rum on the other hand, is easier to bottle, although it’s not cheap anymore as many whisky […] - [Hampden 17 yo 2000 [ Berry Bros & Rudd ] The Whisky Barrel Exclusive Cask #31](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/05/10/hampden-17-yo-2000-berry-bros-rudd-the-whisky-barrel-exclusive-cask-31/): So, another Rum from Hampden distillery, in Jamaica following the younger 10 year old I reviewed earlier this week, this one’s also Exclusively bottled for TWB but this time by Berry Bros. & Rudd, the well known spirits and wine merchants from London, which are bottling very good rums lately. This one’s older, as Single cask #31 was distilled September 2000 and bottled 2018 by Berry Bros & Rudd exclusively for The Whisky Barrel with an outrun of 220 bottles at cask strength (55.4%). It shall certainly be intereting to see what 7 more years of aging  (and a different cask, […] - [Hampden 10 year old 2007 kill devil (TWB exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/05/07/hampden-10-year-old-2007-kill-devil-twb-exclusive/): A rum? Yes, today we’re going to review a Rum rather than a whisky. This bottling is one of the exclusive Rum casks bottled exclusively for the Whisky Barrel, by Hunter Laing & Co. The Rum is 10 years old, bottled at a whopping strength of 64.1%, and comes from the Hampden Rum distillery, The rum was distilled in a Pot Still in  November 2007 and bottled 2018 , with a total 290 bottles were drawn from the cask. Hampden 10 year old 2007 Kill Devil (TWB exclusive),64.1%,  £62 Nose: boy, that’s some big stuff! It’s big and funky. Some water helps.. First […] - [Book review : Japanese Whisky by Brian Aschcraft](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/05/06/book-review-japanese-whisky-by-brian-aschcraft/): Japanese whisky is Big these days, no one can argue with that, and the soaring popularity of the water of life distilled in the land of the rising sun pushed prices up and up Of course, the Japanese whisky industry is having a rough time coping with the the demand. Most of us love the better Japanese malts, but I am quite sure many of you  are not familiar with the Japanese whisky industry, history, production and the many new distilleries which popped up like mushrooms after the rain in recent years, and this is where this book comes into the […] - [Chivas Regal Mizunara](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/05/04/chivas-regal-mizunara/): Japanese whisky is very big these days, and the guys at Chivas jumped the Japanese wagon, and have introduced a Mizunara aged Chivas, back in 2014. The whisky was released originally as a 12 year old, but locally for some reason it bears no age statement on the label (NAS). Mizunara oak (Quercus crispula) is quite rare, and used in some Japanese whiskies, but since this specific oak is quite hard to handle and produce staves from, and since it takes a 200 year old tree to make a decent cask, Mizunara casks are quite expensive. What Chivas is doing here […] - [Benromach 20th Anniversary Bottling , vintage 1998 , 19 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/05/01/benromach-20th-anniversary-bottling-vintage-1998-19-yo/): How time flies! It seems like yesterday when G&M resurrected the small distillery at Benromach in 1998, right? Benromach is now 20 years old in it’s new life, and what a splendid work done by G&M and the Urquhart family over the past years. Impressive. Now Benromach has been making great whisky in recent years since the re-opening, investing in good casks, first fill ones mostly, and producing the amazing 10 year old, which is by far one of the best whiskies out there in its price and age group, making it very hard to produce even better whiskies, a problem not […] - [Wemyss Malts - Nectar Grove Blended Malt (finished in Madeira Casks)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/04/29/wemyss-malts-nectar-grove-blended-malt-finished-madeira-casks/): Quite a long time since my last Wemyss Malts review, and this one’s a bit special, since it’s the first time Wemyss Malts use a cask finish for one of their blended malts range. The Nectar grove is a blend of Highland scotch whiskies, finished in a Madeira cask.. In keeping with other releases from Wemyss Malts, such as The Hive, Spice King and Peat Chimney; this new whisky has been given a flavor led name by the Wemyss tasting panel which reflects its succulent and luscious fruit character. In Wemyss’ first foray into finishing, the Highland blended malt has been imbued with […] - [Compass Box Whisky - Hedonism, 'The Muse'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/04/24/compass-box-whisky-hedonism-muse/): Compass Box whisky’s first ever bottling was ‘Hedonism‘ a blend of single grains which was back then quite unique (and is quite unique these days as well). A lot of water flowed in the rivers of bonnie Scotland since then, and here we are with a brand new special release of Hedonism, this time called ‘the muse’. This one’s different in terms of formula and contains a very interesting vatting of single grains  from Invergordon,North British,Strathclyde,Port Dundas from various ages and various casks, it required quite a bit of  blending work as you can see (see chart) : John Glaser describes […] - [The Glenlivet Code - A new Mystery?](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/04/21/glenlivet-code-new-mystery/): The Glenlivet are fond of mysterious bottlings (see the previous Cipher / Alpha – both I have tasted and tried in the past and reviewed on the blog)  as we well know, and the third such bottling was released not long ago by the name of Code. You know the drill: you buy a black bottle, no information whatsoever (no age, wood profile, etc), and you have to ‘guess’ the flavor profiles online on the Code site . I was kindly invited to a very interesting blogger / whisky lover event : a Hackathon. Now, during the daytime I am a ‘code monkey’ […] - [Old Pulteney 2004 Single Cask #128 TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/04/16/old-pulteney-2004-single-cask-128-twe-exclusive/): I am a big fan of Old Pulteney whiskies, having visited and loved the distillery, and with some brilliant OBs (too bad the 17 and 21 are no longer) It does not take much to like the distillery in the wee town of Wick, up north. Single casks of OP are not very common (Although not very rate, and some are released from time to time, but most do not hit online shop ‘shelves’), and definitely sherry casks are not that common at all when OP is concerned (they mostly do ex-bourbon, which lets the distillery style shine). This one, however […] - [Balblair vintage 2000 2nd release (2017)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/04/15/balblair-vintage-2000-2nd-release-2017/): The third whisky we tasted at the Balblair Facebook live tasting quite long ago was this Balblair 2000, 2nd edition. The 1991 was superb, and this one is slightly younger and quite different,  matured for 13 years in American Oak, ex-bourbon casks and five years in first fill Spanish Oak butts, bottled at 46% abv. Balblair 2000 , 2nd release, 46% abv (£67 MOM) Nose:  lovely oak, and quite a lot of that,which is über coll for such a young whisky (well,it’s under 20). Ripe red apple,vanilla and more dried tropical fruit, with hints of English cake and candied ginger. Palate : […] - [Diageo Special Releases 2018 - details revealed today (updated!)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/04/13/diageo-special-releases-2018-details-revealed-today/): *** Updated : 12/9/18 – added the Cladach Blended Malt *** Diageo has unveiled it’s lineup for the 2018 Special Releases. So far they have disclosed 9 out of 10, keeping the tenth expressions as a ‘secret’ just like they did last year. two very intersting facts: there is no Port Ellen and no Brora in the lineup!! which is a first after many years. The details are as follows: CARSEBRIDGE 48 year old ABV 43.2% Region: Lowlands Cask: Refill American Oak Hogsheads No. of bottles: 1,000 CAOL ILA UNPEATED 15 year old ABV 59.1% Region: Islay Cask: Refill & Rejuvenated […] - [Islay Festival 2018 (Feis Ile) bottlings [25th May -- 2nd June 2018]](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/04/12/islay-festival-2018-feis-ile-bottlings-25th-may-2nd-june-2018/): Feis Ile 2018 is almost around the corner, and in this page i shall track the upcoming special releases and bottlings that are going to be featured / sold this year. Not everything is clear at the moment, but the page will be updating as news unfold. You can find the open days schedule and info at the official Feis site. Distillery Bottlings: (Updated : May 31st, 2018) Bowmore – Wednesday, May 30th, 2018 we have 2 different bottles available this year, and another hand filled option (as always). The exclusive Fèis Ìle release this year is a marriage of some […] - [Springbank Local Barley 10 yo - review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/04/10/springbank-local-barley-10-yo-review/): Local Barley take 3… right. This is the 3rd release in the highly acclaimed ‘local barley’ range, by the adorable Springbank distillery. You have got to like this distillery, don’t you? It’s operating like the olden times, no computers, and they are clearly not interested in making more money, but making good whisky, which they are doing indeed. The previous two editions in the ‘Local Barley’ range were a bit older with the first one matured for 16 years (read my review here) , and the 2nd one matured for 11 years. Since we’re talking Barley varieties here, it’s also worth […] - [Amrut Port Pipe Peated LMDW Cask # 2713](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/04/08/amrut-port-pipe-peated-lmdw-cask-2713/): Back on the whisky wagon after I took some time off whisky during Passover (in which it’s customary not to drink whisky, and other grain distillates). Not that I was thirsty for liquid.. I experimented with some nice Armagnac, Rum and Beer… Some notes taken, and maybe a few posts in the future, If i feel like it. This whisky However was given to me by a whisky friend (thank you Ori), who wanted me to taste and review… A peated Amrut in Port pipes, sounds interesting, doesn’t it? It’s a bottling for the well-known french whisky shop LMDW (La Maison […] - [Four Single & Single whiskies](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/03/26/four-single-single-whiskies/): Yossi Schwartz is an Israeli Expat living in Cape Town , SA for many years , and has been a whisky aficionado for quite some time before he started bottling single malt whisky (acting as an Independent bottler under the label of Single & Single) some years ago (the first bottling was back in 2007). Over the years he has bottled 4 single malts, 3 of which are single casks, ranging from 8 year old Bowmore, 16 year old Glencadam, 31 year old Bunnahabhain, and the latest of which is a 21-year-old Ben Nevis first fill sherry cask. I have come […] - [Tomatin Virtues - Water & Metal - Review](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/03/21/tomatin-virtues-water-metal-review/): Tomatin has recently  announced the release of the final two expressions in its limited edition Five Virtues series. The series draws inspiration from the elements of nature – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water – with each single malt expression enjoying a limited run of 6,000 bottles and a focus on the effects of different cask maturation. The Metal edition has a distinct character expressed by the distillery’s 12 beautiful copper stills. Every drop of Tomatin whisky flows through the uniquely shaped and sized stills, giving the whisky its own distinctive characteristics. Metal is matched with classic first fill Bourbon barrels, demonstrating the definitive […] - [Some Rum too : Havana Club Tributo 2018](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/03/19/rum-havana-club-tributo-2018/): Not a lot of Rum reviews on the blog, but with the soaring popularity of rums, I am going to start posting some Rum notes as well. This one’s not an indie bottler or a boutique rum, but it is a very limited edition from the well known Havana Club brand. So what is this new Rum? Havana Club, has recently unveiled the first ever prestige Cuban rum to be finished in smoky whisky casks – Havana Club Tributo 2018. The rum is the third installment in the Tributo collection, a series of annual releases that pay tribute to the different elements of the authentic […] - [Glenfarclas 2008 family casks - Israel Exclusive cask # 2432](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/03/17/glenfarclas-2008-family-casks-israel-exclusive-cask-2432/): Good times for Whisky in Israel, as the market is growing and it’s high time for a Glenfarclas Family cask for the Israeli market, don’t you think? This cask was selected by the guys at ‘Wine Route’ which are also the GF importers to Israel. This is quite a young cask, distilled in 2008, and bottled in 2017, making it only 9 yo. It’s bottled at Cask Strength (well, all the family cask bottles are.. ), for a total of only 327 bottles at 57.5% abv. The whisky was distilled in 2008 and bottled 2/11/2017, and retails for 699/799 ILS (depending […] - [Port Ellen 1979 37 Years Old - Bottled For Whisky Live Tel-Aviv 2018 (Goren's Whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/03/09/port-ellen-1979-37-years-old-bottled-whisky-live-tel-aviv-2018-gorens-whisky/): After two years of absence, Whisky Live Israel (Tel-Aviv) is back, and to celebrate the occasion, Tomer Goren (who’s also organizing the event), has bottled a unique single cask Port Ellen for the Israeli Market.  There are only a few IB bottled for Israel, and this one is by far the most interesting and unique to date. The whisky  was distilled in 1979 and bottled in 2017 after having spent 37 years in a Refill Sherry Hogshead  yielding only  241 bottles at 44.8% cask strength. Tomer has released the whisky for a very competitive price (given the fact that it’s a […] - [Milk & Honey distillery - Experimental 3yo whisky #2 (lightly peated)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/03/08/milk-honey-distillery-experimental-3yo-whisky-2-lightly-peated/): Whisky live 2018 Tel Aviv will take place Wednesday next week , and just in time for that M&H distillery (Based in Tel Aviv as well) has announced the release of it’s 2nd experimental 3 yo cask, this time a lightly peated spirit. Just like edition #1, this experimental expressions was distilled before the actual distillery equipment was in place, and distillation took place in a small still located in the Sharon area, by current M&H master distiller Tomer Goren and using very small scale equipment. The whisky was distilled in April 2014, and aged for 43 months in two cask […] - [Balblair vintage 1991 (3rd edition)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/02/28/balblair-vintage-1991-3rd-edition/): Last week saw the #BalblairLive Facebook tasting, in which Lukasz Dynowiak , Brand ambassador and Mark Williamson ,Maturation and Spirit Quality Manager were presenting three Balblair vintages, the oldest of which was this 1991 vintage (3rd ed.) , the 2000 vintage and the 2005 vintages… As always with these Live Facebook tasting it was a lot of fun, and a lot of information was shared, as both answered our questions and spoke about this lovely distillery located in Edderton. Balblair is quite a traditional distillery : you won’t find any bizarre cask finishes, or even no port / wine cask in their portfolio. […] - [A Trio of Speyburn (and a new-ish 15 yo)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2018/02/22/trio-speyburn-new-ish-15-yo/): Speyburn is maybe the least sexy of all Inverhouse distilleries : while anCnoc and Balblair are releasing new expressions quite often, Speyburn has not really been active in recent years. Of course there are a few basic expressions, and some good 25 year olds (and a great single cask here and there), but still, the brand is not very popular in most countries. Last year (2017), Speyburn has rebranded it’s basic range, there’s a new packaging and new label and the bottles look better. In addition to the re-branded bottles, the distillery has also released a brand new 15 year old, […] - [Glenlivet 13 Sherry cask Sipil IL 5th Anniversary bottling {Signatory}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/01/18/glenlivet-13-sherry-cask-sipil-il-5th-anniversary-bottling-signatory/): Sipil is the local importer for Signatory whisky, to Israel and for their 5th Anniversary as a Business, they have bottled a single cask Glenlivet for the local market. This whisky was distilled in April 2007 and bottled July 2020 making it 13 years old. Cask # 900261 yielded 786 bottles at 50.7%. The whisky is available only locally in Israel. Glenlivet 13 (Signatory), Cask # 900261 , 50.7%, 340 ILS Nose: This is quite sweet and the whisky does not feel like over 50% at all on the nose: the sherry influence is here all right but it’s not dense […] - [John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/01/07/john-walker-sons-celebratory-blend/): A JW blended whisky review on this blog?! Yes, why not? Actually, this is not your average JW blended whisky as It’s a special release and bottled at a nice Premium Strength of 51% abv. This whisky is one out of three released to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of perhaps the best-known whisky brand internationally. Why 51% you ask? well – The blend’s unique strength is similar to that of the Old Highland Whisky sold back then. I was lucky enough to get this bottle with Dr. Nick Morgan’s book about JW’s history – “A long stride”, released earlier this year. […] - [Waterford Sheestown 1.2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/12/26/waterford-sheestown-1-2/): If you remember, no long ago I reviewed two single farms Waterford whiskies I had to order online from abroad. As it happens, Waterford is now being imported to the land of milk & honey (a.k.a Israel, where I live), and that’s certainly a reason to be merry. The local imported has brought over two single farm editions to be sold initially, and this is one of them. He was kind enough to send over a bottle (cheers Kobi!) for me to taste and give my opinion, and I shall be doing just that. The whisky at hand is yet another […] - [Lagavulin 22 yo 'Islay Jazz Festival' 2020](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/12/23/lagavulin-22-yo-islay-jazz-festival-2020/): I am a big Jazz fan, as you might know, and sadly I’ve never been able to be on Islay for the annual Jazz Fest – combining my two loves. This year’s with COVID-19, the Festival was moved to an Online format, but a special edition is still being sold at the distillery visitor center. Lagavulin Jazz 2020 retails for £405 per 70cl, bottled at 52.6% ABV with just 2004 bottles available. The whisky is Matured in refill American and European Oak top-dressed by active casks, some of them wine seasoned…  Anyways, I was not able to be on Islay for the fest (or any […] - [Cragganmore 20 yo 1999, Special Release 2020 (OB)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/12/14/cragganmore-20-yo-1999-special-release-2020-ob/): “The Owls are not what they seem to be” — Twin peaks Last year’s 12-year-old peaty Cragganmore was a hit, and I loved that one dearly.. The art on the Cragg bottles is also very very cool with the owls, and this year’s release is just as beautiful, with much older liquid inside (20 year old) and a ‘regular’ non-peated profile. If you’re trying to remember if you ever had a 20-year-old OB Cragganmore, I will save you the time – and answer it with A No, as this is the first-ever 20-year-old OB Cragganmore is released. as for wood, we’re […] - [Compagnie Des Indes Trinidad 16 yo single cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/12/05/compagnie-des-indes-trinidad-16-yo-single-cask/): Time for some more Rum. Earlier this week saw a zoom tasting we organized for our Holydram community, featuring one of the most interesting voices in IB Rum – Compagnie Des Indes. This IB rum label is now imported to Israel by Sipil (a local importer and online drinks site). The tasting which featured 6 Rums from the range sold locally and led by Florent, the owner was lovely, and highly enjoyable, the epitome of which was this amazing Rum. This one comes from Trinidad from the TDL distillery, and was bottled without chill filtration, or watering down, like a Rum […] - [Glentauchers 1996 {Asta Morris}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/11/15/glentauchers-1996-asta-morris/): Last week we (HolyDram) held our first Asta Morris Zoom tasting with Bert Bruyneel (Owner of AM), and Israeli Importers Yves & Shai. AM has a lovely range of whiskies and Rums, and quite a few are to be found locally now. In the course of the tasting, we sample 5 single malts, ending with this one, the oldest as well. Glentauchers is not the sexiest of distilleries, you have to admit that, So I had lowered my expectations, and was pleasantly surprised by how good this whisky is. Glentauchers 1996 {Asta Morris} , 49.7% , 789 ILS / €169 Nose: […] - [BenRiach 2008 Asta Morris (FourSquare Rum finish)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/11/09/benriach-2008-asta-morris-foursquare-rum-finish/): Asta Morris IB has been imported to Locally for some time (israel) and it’s time to try some of their lovely casks… some info about this IB from Belgium: Bert Bruyneel is the founder of Asta Morris, an independent bottler in Belgium. Although Bert is a passionate whisky lover for over 20 years, he started his career as the fifth generation in his family business in the meat processing industry. After his very first drink, which was a Jack Daniels single barrel back in 1994, lightning struck. Bert’s interest in whisky grew day by day and, alongside his family business, he […] - [GlenAllachie 2009 Madeira cask #3821](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/11/02/glenallachie-2009-madeira-cask-3821/): This single cask GA was selected for the Dutch market, and widely available in many NL whisky shops. It was distilled 18.3.2009 and bottled in September 2019, a 10-year-old Madeira cask aging or so it seems, as no finishing is mentioned on the label. bottled at a nice 57.2% abv for a total of 309 bottles ( I have bottle #64 for all it’s worth). 10 years in Madera casks can make your whisky quite Madeira-esq , hopefully, that’s not going to happen here, or is it? GlenAllachie 2009 Madeira cask #3821 , 57.2% , ~€ 80 Nose: Quite a bit of wine […] - [Tobermory 12 Year Old 2007 Port Pipe Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/10/29/tobermory-12-year-old-2007-port-pipe-finish/): After that lovely PX finished Ledaig, it’s time to review it’s 12-year-old brother ‘sans’ peat, from the same distillery. This time, a 4-year finish in Port Pipes, which is quite apparent from the lovely reddish color, bottled at a nice ABV (58.6%), it should be interesting enough… Tobermory 12 Year Old 2007 Port Pipe Finish , 56.8%, £99 / ~100 EUR Nose:  Not very vinous on the nose, which is nice (for me at least, as I am not very fond of big winey notes in whisky) – there’s quite some citrus in there, maybe ripe tangerine, and some more spices, […] - [Ledaig 12 PX cask finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/10/26/ledaig-12-px-cask-finish/): Not much information on this one, other than that it was distilled in 2007 and bottled 2020, after being finished in a PX cask. Peat and PX, that could work out nicely, don’t you think? let’s try some… Ledaig 12 PX cask finish , 55.5% , ~€95 Nose: dirty peat and some plastic, engine oil, and new bicycle tires in addition to black tea leaves, bbq marinade, sherry wine, tannins, sticky caramel, and fudge, some berries and sweet syrupy touches, hints of fresh oil paint. Palate: lovely mouthfeel on this one, quite oily and viscous: peat, dirty feel to it then […] - [Midleton Very rare 2020](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/10/14/midleton-very-rare-2020-whiskey/): Yesterday saw the launch of this year’s Midleteon ‘Very Rare. This rare whiskey is part of the 37th edition in the world-renowned and highly collectible range, and each whiskey has been traditionally hand selected to include the most exceptional quality single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys laid down over the last 4 decades. As Brian hands the baton over to Kevin O’Gorman this edition marks the end of a successful era and the beginning of another in the world of Irish whiskey, with Kevin revealing the Midleton Very Rare 2021 in spring next year. I was lucky enough to participate […] - [The Glenlivet Captain's Reserve (NAS)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/10/03/the-glenlivet-captains-reserve-nas/): This Cognac cask finished Glenlivet was released quite some time ago, but has only now hit Israeli whisky shelves. Basically it’s a young Glenlivet, aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and Sherry casks, then finished in ex Cognac casks. The whisky was Inspired by Captain Bill Smith Grant, great grandson of our Founder George Smith, hence the name… The Glenlivet Captain’s Reserve , 40% abv , ~200 NIS / ~ € 40 Nose: Quite sweet, and mellow with a honeyed sweetness to it, some marmalade , and ripe orchard fruit, with quite a bit of cinnamon, a hint of clove, vanilla […] - [Ten Cane 11 year old Rum (The Duchess)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/09/20/ten-cane-11-year-old-rum-the-duchess/): Two new Rums were recently released by the Duchess (in their Hummingbird series of Rums), which have bottled quite a few very good Rums in the past. The first one I am about to review is the 11-year-old 'Ten Cane'. Ten Cane is a closed distillery located in Trinidad. This rum was aged for 7 years in tropical weather then 4 more years in non-tropical, and bottled at a nice 63% !!! from cask #80. - [Port Ellen 40 yo 1979 'Prima & Ultima'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/09/04/port-ellen-40-yo-1979-prima-ultima/): Every ‘Unicorn’ whisky collection from Diageo should have either a Port Ellen or a Brora as a part of it, right? Well, right. The Prima & Ultima does feature a 40-year-old Port Ellen, which is not even the oldest in this collection if exquisite and very expensive whisky range… [The oldest is the Cragganmore 1971 which broke … 🙁 ]. As for the whisky : It was distilled 1979 and aged in a Refill European Oak Butt [#6422] for 40 long years, yielding 436 bottles. Port Ellen 40 yo 1979/2019 ,51.2%, OB, Prima & Ultima, cask #6422 Nose: Quite a nice […] - [Yerushalmi young Single malt , 'Mount Moriah'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/08/30/yerushalmi-young-single-malt-mount-moriah/): A few months back I posted notes for the Yerushalmi new make and young single malt which were promising. This week Yerushalmi is releasing its first ‘official’ single malt (note this is not whisky, but single malt as the liquid has not aged for 3 years -as the distillery started production only last year). this young single malt (Peated to 35 PPM) was aged in a combination of new and Toasted French oak casks, and ex-Rum casks (to my understanding more French oak than Rum, in the vatting). There’a total of 1,500 bottles in the first batch bottled at 46.3% NCF, […] - [Mortlach 25 yo 1994 'Prima & Ultima'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/08/29/mortlach-25-yo-1994-prima-ultima/): So we arrive at tasting the “Beast of Dufftown” A.K.A – Mortlach. When one thinks of Mortlach, immediately sulfur and big meaty flavors, oxtail soup, and sherry monsterdom comes to mind… This expression follows, having been aged in First-fill PX /Oloroso seasoned European oak butt. A single cask then #2652, yielding 389 bottles, presented in the Mortlach sort of bottle, rectangularly shaped. Mortlach 25 yo 1994/2019 , 55.1%, OB, Prima & Ultima Nose: Not very surprising – very Mortlachy indeed, with big sulfur notes upfront (if that makes you shudder – then don’t), spent matches/gunpowder, some earth, wine vinegar (Balsamic if […] - [Diageo Special Release 2020 range revealed](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/08/28/diageo-special-release-2020-range-revealed/): That time of the year, and the 2020 SR are published. what do we have this year? Cardhu 11-Year-Old ABV: 56.0%Region: SpeysideCask: From refill, new, and ex-bourbon American oak Limited quantities worldwide RRSP £85 Cragganmore 20-Year-Old ABV: 55.8%Region: SpeysideCask: From refill casks and new fresh-charred casks. Limited quantities worldwide RRSP £130 Dalwhinnie 30-Year-Old ABV: 51.9%Region:  HighlandCask: From refill hogsheads No. bottles available: 6,978 RRSP £550 Lagavulin 12-Year-Old ABV: 56.4%Region: IslayCask: From refill American oak casks Limited quantities worldwide RRSP £125 Mortlach 21-Year-Old ABV: 56.9%Region: SpeysideCask: From Pedro Ximenez & Oloroso Sherry seasoned casks No. bottles available: 7,692 RRSP £575 Pittyvaich 30-Year-Old […] - [Lagavulin 1991 , 28 yo 'Prima & Ultima'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/08/25/lagavulin-1991-28-yo-prima-ultima/): Another P&U expression, this time from one of the best distilleries out there it’s you’re a peat lover – Lagavulin. You can’t really go wrong with a Lagavulin, and this one’s been aged for 28 long years in refill American oak hogshead casks. no sherry, no finish. pure Lagavulin beauty. 1013 such bottles available… Lagavulin 1991 , 28 yo ‘Prima & Ultima’ , 50.1% Nose: Oh yea, this is the stuff dreams are made of. The trademark ‘Laga’ wood smoke with touches of lovely old wood… Very complex: wood smoke, kerosene, smoky lemons, diesel, fresh pepper, some wet dog, hessian cloth, and […] - [Clynelish 26 yo 1993/2019 Prima & Ultima](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/08/23/clynelish-26-yo-1993-2019-prima-ultima/): “Over the past 40 years I have worked intimately with our distilleries across Scotland and I’ve been fortunate enough to witness great change in the whisky industry. “Each of the eight whiskies I’ve selected for Prima & Ultima tells a tale of heritage and craftsmanship, and I’ve chosen them from distillers of great personal importance to me.” Dr Jim Beveridge OBE Time for some unicorn whisky reviews, and what better than this quite new Prima & Ultima range of whiskies from Diageo. Prima & Ultima, meaning the ‘first and last’, comprises a selection of casks selected from a number of Diageo […] - [Caol Ila 13 yo 2006 Innaguaral release (Vintage- Whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/08/22/caol-ila-13-yo-2006-innaguaral-release-vintage-whisky/): Vintage Whisky is an Israeli Importer of whisky & Rum, owned by two members of a local FB drinks group I am the co-admin and co-own. They are importing Asta Morris, Cadenhead’s and recently even parralel import Ardbeg to the holy land. This is their first ever IB intended for the local market, The inaugural release is of  Caol Ila 2006 from a refill hogshead. Caol Ila 13 yo 2006 55,6%, Vintage-Whisky cask #302307 , 499 ILS Nose: A very typical young-ish CI, this one with a lot of peaty and coastal goodness: with a nice woodfire smoke, smoky lemons, vanilla, and […] - [Milk & Honey Elements series](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/08/16/milk-honey-elements-series-peated-red-wine-sherry-cask/): Elements Not long ago M&H distillery, based in Tel-Aviv Israel (very close to where I leave – Israel is not that big) have released 3 new expressions in their “Elements” line of produts. This follows the “Classic” which was released earlier this year. The Elements is part of M&H core range of single malt whiskies aged more than 3 years, as opposed to earlier editions of “young single malt” they have released before they have enough aged stock. It’s always nice to see a young distillery start producing core range whiskies, especially a distillery I am following very closely like M&H. […] - [Two Waterford Whiskey Single Farm Origin whiskies](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/08/13/two-waterford-whiskey-single-farm-origin-whiskies/): “We are embarking on a long journey, a voyage as ambitious as it’s pioneering. The destination is to create not just the most compelling Irish whisky, but the world’s most profound single malt…. “ Waterford distillery website Waterford distillery is a major new whisky project by the man behind the renaissance of islay’s bruichladdich single malt whisky – Mark Reynier. At Waterford, on the banks of the River Suir, on Ireland’s sunny south-eastern coast, they found an exceptional state-of-the-art facility originally built by Diageo in 2004 and converted to distilling in 2015. They claim to have quality raw materials: the purest […] - [Glasgow Single Malt 2019 Release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/08/10/glasgow-single-malt-2019-release/): Another whisky from a young distillery today – this time Glasgow distillery Co. The Glasgow Distillery Company adopts its name from one of Glasgow’s original distilleries. In 1770, The Glasgow Distillery Company was founded at Dundashill and remained active until consequent closure at the beginning of the 20th Century. In 2014 The Glasgow Distillery Company re-opened after being founded by Liam Hughes, Mike Hayward, and Ian McDougall, becoming the first Single Malt Whisky Distillery in Glasgow for over 100 years. So a lowlander, a new one. We could use more, so that’s very nice. The expression we’re about to try today […] - [Five Sherried Signatory Vintage Single casks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/07/28/5-sherried-signatory-vintage-single-casks/): As a new batch of Signatory Vintage expressions made its way to the Holy land**, we held a Zoom tasting as part of our Holy Dram whisky club and Facebook group (hebrew). We chose 5 drams, and as it turns out, all of them are either fully matured in sherry (four of them) or sherry finished (one). Be it first fill, Refill or finish, a Sherried theme evening is something to enjoy even at this time of year when summer is in full swing in our neck of the woods. We started with a 2007 Deanston, aged for 12 years in […] - [Wolfburn No.155 Small batch](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/07/20/wolfburn-no-155-small-batch/): We’re continuing our series of new distilleries reviews, and this time we’ve gone to the most northerly distillery in mainland Scotland: Wolfburn. Located at Thurso, the location was home to a distillery founded originally in 1821 and operating in the 19th century until it fell into disarray and turned to shambles. In 2011 planning was submited for a new distillery and in 2012 the distillery was build in 2012. The stills were built by the famous Forsyths of Rothes, and Shane Fraser joined from Gelanfarclas. 2013 saw the first distillation, and in 2014 the first peated Wolfburn spirit was laid down. […] - [Ardnamurchan 2019 AD Spirit](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/07/18/ardnamurchan-2019-ad-spirit/): A lot of new distilleries have opened in recent years, and it seems every independent bottler wants to have one these days (I mean that in a positive manner) – H.Laing with ‘Ardnahoe’, D.Laing with their new endeavor, Elixir distillers and their new Islay distillery, and the list goes on and one. Adelphi is a well known IB, which has set up its own distillery in 2013 and started distilling in July 2014. The very first bottles were released in 2016 consisting of 2,500 bottles of a young spirit sold overnight. The 2nd bottling of theirs was released in 2017, again […] - [SMWS 132.4 Karuizawa 1996 {Rich, brooding and suggestive}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/07/04/smws-132-4-karuizawa-1996-rich-brooding-and-suggestive/): Japanese whisky. It’s lovely and It used to cost a lot less. I have this one from when it was bottled in 2013. Don’t remember how much it went for, but Not THAT much if you look at the current prices of K’s. According to Whisky Base this one priced at an avg. of € 13,885. But this ain’t saying much. I’ve looked around and the latest auction featuring this one at SWA was £1,250 – still a hefty sum. At any rate, what counts is the liquid, and we’re going to see how good this one is – I remember […] - [Hampden 11 Year Old 2007 Kill Devil Exclusive {TWB}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/06/20/hampden-11-year-old-2007-kill-devil-exclusive-twb/): Corona-Time , and the living is easy... Or is it? Been a while since I reviewed a Hampden Rum, and today being the first day of summer calls for one, doesn’t it? This one’s a 11 year old Hampden bottled for The Whisky Barrell by H.Laing in their “Kill devil” series of lovely rums. Feeling like some ripe Pineapple? grab one. Let’s taste one shall we? Hampden 11 Year Old 2007 Kill Devil Exclusive {TWB} , 63.5% , £72.50 Nose: That one’s a Hampden alright – Oodles of overripe Pineapple on the nose, so tropical and so damn sweet and beguiling, […] - [Two Bunnhabhain Feis Ile 2020 releases](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/05/30/two-bunnhabhain-feis-ile-2020-releases/): This week saw Feis Ile 2020, but this year it was a lot different, due to #Covid19 and social distancing. All the distilleries on Islay are shut down, and the island is empty of tourists. Gladly some distilleries such as Bunnhabhain, Kilchoman, Laphraoig, Ardbeg etc, releasd their yearly Feis bottlings in time for the festival for fans to try along with their virtual zoom tastings. Bunnhabhain offered two bottles this year, either as full sized 700 ml, or 30 ml sample bottles named as ‘Wee Drams’ to be enjoyed by those wishing to try this year’s offering along the virtual tasting […] - [Diageo Special Releases 2020 - details](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/05/28/diageo-special-releases-2020-details/): Diageo have recently released primilimary information about this year’s (2020) special releases. This year is not very different than last year’s offering, with an older Cragganmore, younger Talisker and the 12 year old Lagavuin we’ve grown accustomed to, in addition to yet another Cardhu, Pittyvaich and Mortlach.. Talisker 8 Year Old 2020 Special Release Talisker 8 Year Old 2020 Special Release is bottled at natural cask strength and has warm, pepper-lashed maritime character. Our first ever Caribbean rum cask finish. Cardhu 11 Year Old 2020 Special Release Cardhu 11 Year Old 2020 Special Release is bottled at natural cask strength and […] - [Yerushalmi distillery new make and young single malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/05/24/yerushalmi-distillery-new-make-and-young-single-malt/): David Zibell, founder of Golani distillery up north in Kazrin in expanding to yet another distillery, this time in the Jerusalem area, called “Yerushalmi”. As opposed to the Golan distillery, this one is going to be making only Peated whisky. Now, Peated whisky is also being made at Tel Aviv’s M&H, but as a minority distillation regime, where here the that’s the distillery character. Interestingly enough David uses Speyside Scottish Peat and Dutch malt to make the whisky… I’ve been given two young samples for review, the first of which is the new make , and the second is a very […] - [Feis Ile 2020 Lock-In mode !](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/05/24/feis-ile-2020-lock-in-mode/): As you well know Feis Ile 2020 had to be cancled as the UK and many other countries are in a state of lock-in. But not all is lost, and Islay distilleries are going to be celebrating it online. Yesterday saw Lagavulin day online, but today the REAL fun begins as Laddie day is in full digital swing. Those guys know how to make a digital fuss and they will surely do it. head on to the Laddie Instagram today at 1400 BST for fun, I sure will. Join the Laddie Lock-In. Happy Lock in! - [The Duchess Foursquare 18 yo cask #18](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/04/30/the-duchess-foursquare-18-yo-cask-18/): So, a lovely new range of Rums bottled by The Duchess, this time the labels are as beautiful but featuring birds rather than flowers – a nice change of pace. The first Rum I am about to review comes from the Foursquare distillery in Barbados. The Rum was aged for 18 years in an ex-bourbon cask. Let’s have a try, shall we? The Duchess Foursquare 18 , 56.9 % , € 99 (BOW) Nose: Oodles of vanilla, acetone, and wood, followed by lovely fruit  (berries), and coconut shreds, pencil shavings, and a lot of spices. old school candy and more sweet spiced […] - [Springbank 1997 Private Cask #582 HMMJ collection](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/04/27/springbank-1997-private-cask-582-hmmj-collection/): IN the spring of 1997 , a group of four friends started an adventurous journey that culminated in buying a cask of Springbank in May that year. This January after 22 years!! (wow), their endeavor resulted in bottling this refill sherry cask. As you well know most private casks are bottled earlier than 22 years, and those friends really had quite some patience, didn’t they? I was fortunate enough to get a wee sample of this one, and happy to post my notes. This one was sold exclusively by BestOfWhiskies.com, but sadly at this time, it’s completely sold out. Springbank 1997 […] - [Compass Box 'Transistor'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/04/21/compass-box-transistor/): BoilerMaker. Yes, seems this is the word used for ‘a shot of whisky followed by a glass of beer as a chaser’. Did you know that? I did not, before diving into the Compass Box site to read about the making of this blended whisky. So Transistor is meant to accompany beers, and especially Brewdog IPA in this case. Working together with BrewDog’s Head of Distillation, Steven Kersley, CB have created a whisky to form the perfect boilermaker in union with BrewDog Punk IPA. Ok… I used to like Punk IPA but lately i am not quite the fan, so I […] - [Springbank 2004 Gaja Barolo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/04/06/springbank-2004-gaja-barolo/): I was going over my samples cabinet, and found quite a few samples I’ve never gotten to properly review. This is one of them: bottled in 2013 and distilled 2004 having been aged in Refill Bourbon and then in Fresh Gaja Barolo Finish, bottled at a nice 54.7 %. Can’t go wrong with this one, can we? Springbank 2004 Gaja Barolo /54.7% / ~€160 Nose: Dirty and salty on the get-go, with enough peat and SB funk, a lot of earth and soot with hints of fruit: some peach, melon and maybe berries/grapes – some citrus zest as well. There’s some […] - [The Three Drinkers 17 Year Old - Cask Selection No. 1](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/04/05/the-three-drinkers-17-year-old-cask-selection-no-1/): If you’re a whisky lover I guess you’ve seen the Amazon Prime show called the “Three drinkers”: Helena Nicklin , Aidy (Adrian) Smith, and last but not least Colin Hampden-White. Check out their show on amazon. A few months back they have release a blended malt to celebrate season 2 of their show. Aged 17 years, and non-chill filtered and non-coloured. Intersting.. The Three Drinkers Scotch Whisky 17 Year Old – Cask Selection No. 1 , 45% , £39.95 Nose: Quite spicy and fruity, with apples, and ginger biscuits, vanilla, sweet barley sugars as well as a deep woody note, some […] - [Four Milk & Honey single casks](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/04/02/four-milk-honey-single-casks-zoom-tasting/): It’s Corona times, and if we can not have proper tasting events why not have some online ones? As part as our line of tasting at Holy Dram (local Israeli ones), we decided to host a #Zoom online tasting. The first 20 fortunate people who opted in received a nice tasting set comprising of 4 very different single casks otherwise not available in the local (or international market). A very nice tasting indeed, lots of fun was had – I thought why not write proper notes for these four? SO here goes. Whisky #1 We started the tasting with the special […] - [Glen Keith 1993 {Goren's Whisky}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/03/30/glen-keith-1993-gorens-whisky/): It’s #Covid-19 madness throughout the globe, and it has not skipped our tiny country of Israel. I am mostly working from home, and was not in the mood for whisky tasting in the last month or so. I’ve been meaning to post about this whisky for quite some time, and finally got to do it today. After the lovely Mortlach and Port Ellen bottled by Tomer Goren (owner of Goren’s whisky) who acts as an IB in addition to being M&H’s master distiller- comes this 1993 Glen Keith. This time he only had a bit over 100 bottles, and it sold […] - [Mortlach 1980 G&M Cask 3646](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/03/09/mortlach-1980-gm-cask-collection-3646/): Good whiskies are not hard to come by, but great whiskies are not very easy to get hold of, and this one, happily is one of those. When Ran ( a good friend, and a true whisky lover and connoisseur) tells me there’s a whisky I MUST taste (and that does not happen frequently) I know that I am for quite a ride, and this one was no exception. An old refill cask Mortlach? Yessir! Mortlach 1980 GM Cask Collection , 63.8 %  (refill sherry cask #3646) Nose: what a deep beautiful nose on this one: we staty with a lovely sherry […] - [Midleton Dair Ghaelach Knockrath Forest](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/03/06/midleton-dair-ghaelach-knockrath-forest/): Irish Distillers have recently introduced  Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach Knockrath Forest, the third release in the Dair Ghaelach collection. A remarkable addition to the Midleton Very Rare story, the new expression has matured in barrels made from virgin Irish oak grown in Knockrath Forest, County Wicklow, reinforcing Midleton’s provenance and its standing as a true taste of Ireland. The story of Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach, which translates as ‘Irish oak’, began over a decade ago when the Midleton Masters, ever keen to innovate and create unique and exemplary whiskeys, decided to explore the possibility of maturing Irish whiskey in native oak. Midleton’s talented team, led by Master of Maturation Kevin O’Gorman, Master Cooper Ger Buckley and Master […] - [Bunnahabhain 2013 TWB Staoisha 'Originals'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/02/23/bunnahabhain-2013-twb-staoisha-originals/): Today we’re visiting the youngest of the TWB Originals single casks, and not surprisingly they have chosen a young Islay peated Bunnahabhain. We all know that young peated Islays under 10 years old will pack a nice peaty punch and this is what TWB was aiming at here. Bunnahabhain 2013 TWB Staoisha, 59.7%, £37.50 Nose: Peat smoke, and wet dog upfront (wet fur, yes you know you like it!), a bit mineral with seaspray, sweet cotton candy, marshmallow, vanilla fudge, and white chocolate, apples, and pear drops, young sweet peat at its prime. what’s not to like? Palate: fresh ground peppercorns, […] - [Balblair 10 yo 2009 Originals {TWB}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/02/22/balblair-10-yo-2009-2019-originals-twb/): Another one from the lovely series of single casks bottled for The Whisky Barrel, this time this is a 10-year-old Balblair, from a first fill Oloroso sherry hogshead. A young Balblair in sherry, please! Balblair 10 yo 2009/2019 / Originals {TWB} , 59.4% , £50 Nose: Nice sherry, not too sweet, but certainly quite winey, earthy, with ample wood spices – some Cinnamon up front, a hint of turmeric and vegetal notes. it also possesses some honeyed sweetness, a nice twist. Palate: Chilly spiciness upfront with wood spices, citrus peel (mostly oranges), black tea, tobacco? and a touch of salt, quite […] - [Blended Scotch 45 Year Old 1973 Sovereign Exclusive {TWB}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/02/15/blended-scotch-45-year-old-1973-sovereign-exclusive-twb/): This old Blended Scotch whisky contains whisky that comes from more than one distillery. Furthermore it may contain both malt and grain whiskies. This exclusive 45 year old 1973 vintage Sovereign is a blend of grain and malt whiskies from unknown Scottish distilleries. The Blended Scotch 45 Year Old 1973 Sovereign was matured in a bourbon barrel cask #15894 and bottled in March 2019 by Hunter Laing & Co as an exclusive Limited Edition for TheWhiskyBarrel.com, yielding 300 bottles. Blended Scotch 45 Year Old 1973 Sovereign Exclusive {TWB}, 51%, $250 Nose: Lovely deep notes of dried fruit, mostly sultanas and figs, […] - [Blair Athol distillery exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/02/12/blair-athol-distillery-exclusive/): One more recent addition to the Diageo Distillery Exclusives is this one from Blair Athol. You do not see many OB BA’s so, this is a very good chance of getting one if you’re visiting the distillery. The whisky has undergone maturation in a mixture of refill, rejuvenated and American Oak ex-bourbon casks. With just 6,000 bottles available, Blair Athol 2019 Distillery Exclusive retails at RSP £90 per 70cl and bottled at 48% ABV. Nose: Quite woody on the start with damp wood sort of feeling, before the wood spices kick in, as well as the orchard fruit. Quite a bit […] - [Elements of Islay Peat & Sherry (TWE Exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/02/10/elements-of-islay-peat-sherry-twe-exclusive/): Elements of Islay is a very popular (and rightly so) range of peated Islay bottlings by Elixir Distillers (a subunit of TWE). Most bottlings are from a single distillery, but they have also released a blended Islay malt expression in the past called ‘Peat’. The Peat & sherry expression is a rich and smoky Islay blended malt (from two distilleries) which was matured in a single sherry butt adding a nice sweet note. It is bottled at 56.8% and retails for a very sane price of £49.95. Elements of Islay Peat & Sherry, 56.8%, £49.95 Nose: Sweet marinated BBQ’ed meat, with […] - [Royal Lochnagar distillery exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/02/08/royal-lochnagar-distillery-exclusive/): Late last year, Royal Lochnagar distillery has released a limited-edition Single Malt Scotch whisky, exclusively available to purchase at the Highland distillery from the end of 2019. The whisky was aged in European oak and refill casks. With just 5,004 bottles available, Royal Lochnagar 2019 Distillery Exclusive retails at RSP £85 per 70cl and bottled at 48% ABV. Famous for its historic royal warrants and its outstanding flavor, Royal Lochnagar whisky owes both to an incredible location. This small craft distillery sits one mile from the Royal Family’s Balmoral Castle, at the foot of the Cairngorm mountains. Royal Lochnagar combines the […] - [anCnoc 'Peat' 40 ppm 125th anniversary edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/01/31/ancnoc-peat-40-ppm-125th-anniversary-edition/): I’ve not reviewed a new anCnoc in a while, but earlier last year they have released two expressions celebrating their 125th anniversary, one of which is the ‘peat’. this is a NAS peated to 40 ppm and matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in Spanish oak butts before it was bottled at 46% ABV without any additional colouring or chill-filtration, with an outturn of 500 bottles. anCnoc ‘Peat’, 40 ppm, 46% , £83 Nose: Sweet woodfire, glazed meats, and toasted oak, with a nice peaty backbone. Furthermore, there’s dried fruit in syrup, ash and soot, bacon strips in maple, spices and […] - [Miltonduff 10 Year Old 2009 (TWB Originals)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/01/25/miltonduff-10-year-old-2009-twb-originals/): Another expression from the Originals single casks series bottled for The Whisky Barrel, this time a single cask first fill Oloroso sherry hogshead #TWB1007 bottled 2019 yielding 254 bottles all in all. Miltonduff 10 Year Old 2009, 63.4%, £65 Nose: big sherry influence here for sure with oloroso sherry, dried fruit, unripe banana, chocolate, cherubs, wet casks, red wine infused with cinnamon and pastries with date filling.  Palate: sweet and thick, viscous and oily, lots of sherry, ripe fruit, sultana, milk chocolate with chili flakes, honey, and vanilla, wood char. Quite drinkable at this very high (over 60% abv), and some water […] - [Cameronbridge 37 Year Old 1982 / TWB originals](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/01/24/cameronbridge-37-year-old-1982-twb-originals/): More from the Originals line of single cask bottlings- and this time a single grain from the distillery of Cameronbridge. This one was aged for 37 long years in a refill barrel #TWB1005 after being distilled in 1982. Cameronbridge 37 Year Old 1982, TWB originals , 51%, £140 Nose: On the nose – a classic ex-bourbon cask, with coconut shreds, nuts, vanilla, and spice, with quite some wood, as well as sweet pastries, Belgian waffles, sugar icing and a hint of acetone, which is very welcome indeed. I am missing old wood varnish, but other than that- lovely. Palate: Quite sweet […] - [Wemyss Malts Nectar Grove Batch Strength](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/01/19/wemyss-malts-nectar-grove-batch-strength/): Nectar Grove Batch Strength 001 is a limited Blended malt edition of 8,100 bottles. Created from 2 Highland single malts with fruity and nutty flavors that when combined and finished for 8 months in Madeira wine casks and then bottled at 54% abv. Nectar Grove Batch Strength, 54% abv, £50 Nose : Sweet and fruity, with stewed peaches, red apples, tinned apricots in syrup on top of sweet pasties, maybe scones, with sugary frosting. further nosing reveals cinnamon rolls, a touch of honey and a hint of wood. quite fragrant, and very approachable at 54% which is nice. Palate:  very nice […] - [Kilchoman 2012 Madeira Finish (Greek Whisky Assoc.)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/01/16/kilchoman-2012-madeira-finish-greek-whisky-soc/): It’s very cool that our Greek whisky friends from the Greek whisky society have also chosen to bottle a Madiera finished Kilchoman. If you remember, a sister cask was bottled by us (under the HolyDram club label) last year, reviewed here, and was quite popular among local and international whisky lovers. This one was also distilled in 2012 and bottled 2019, same as the Israeli cask, and it is very interesting to see how a sister cask would compare with our cask especially as they probably were sitting next to each other in the warehouse, from the same wood and fill… […] - [Bimber Recharred Cask](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/01/14/bimber-recharred-cask/): Another expression from the highly interesting Bimber distillery, following my first review of their first release (reviewed last year by us) which was plainly excellent. This new small-batch release is limited to 5,000 individually numbered bottles and has been crafted from a vatting of our heavily charred American oak casks laid down in 2016. The selection of American Oak casks was hand charred by Bimber’s on-site coopers to level #4 char – also known as ‘Alligator char’. The deep charring process caramelized the wood sugars and added a layer of filtering carbon to the surface of the barrel. So, will this one be as good […] - [Jura Two-One-Two](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/01/06/jura-two-one-two/): One Two One? Quite an unusual name for a whisky – but a very fitting name for this expression, as Two-One-Two or 212 is roughly the number of islanders living on the Isle of Jura. This Series of bottling will celebrate the small and vibrant community of roughly 212 islanders – and one distillery. This inaugural bottling, the first in a series of annual releases, has been matured in American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Chinkapin Oak casks( Quercus muehlenbergii ). The whisky is bottled at 47.5%, and at 13 years of age… Jura 13 Year Old 2006 Two-One-Two […] - [Ledaig 2008, TWB 'Originals' Take I](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2020/01/04/ledaig-2008-twb-originals/): The Originals lineup is a new IB range from TWB. They describe the range : The Whisky Barrel presents ORIGINALS® to showcase particular characteristics of our specially selected single casks from the finest Scotch whiskey distilleries. For almost a decade our careful whiskey cask management programme has yielded Scotch whiskies maturing in the finest oak casks from bodegas in Jerez, Spain. The Whisky Barrel selects a small number of these whiskey casks to be bottled only when they are ready. It’s a cold rainy & wintry day here in Israel (we don’t get many of those), and what’s better than a sherried […] - [Isle of Jura 1989 Rare Vintage](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/30/isle-of-jura-1989-rare-vintage/): This might be the last tasting note for 2019, a very good dramming year , at least for me. Why a Jura of them all? No special reason. Just ‘luck’, i guess. The dram at hand is a 1989 vintage single malt After it was distilled, it was laid to rest in American white oak bourbon barrels, where it stayed until 2019. It was then bottled at 53.5% ABV for the Rare Vintage series, with the limited 1,500 bottles , at £650 a pop , not very cheap. Isle of Jura 1989 , 53.5% , £650 (MOM) Nose:  Classic ex-Bourbon profile […] - [Bimber first release](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/24/bimber-first-release/): Bimber distillery is a new craft distillery located in London (yes, London!). If you’ve never heard of this wee distillery, here’s some background info. Bimber means moonshine in Polish, and when you look at the founder’s of the distillery it’s easy to see why : Bimber was set up by Darius and Ewelina who emigrated from Poland to London in 2003 and created a successful business in West London. Darius’s passion for whisky and distilling were always at the forefront of his mind, and when the opportunity arose to establish a whisky distillery in 2015, he knew he had to go […] - [Mortlach 26 Year Old (Special Release 2019)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/19/mortlach-26-year-old-special-release-2019/): We’ve had some sherry matured or finished or Ace’ed {whatever you want to call it} whiskies in this year’s Special Releases but this one’s different, it’s BIG and sherried and exactly what I was hoping for. This is a 26 year old single malt which was drawn from fresh-toasted first-fill Pedro Ximenez & Oloroso Sherry seasoned casks before being bottled at 53.3% ABV. Mortlach 26yo (SR 2019) ,53.3%, £1,495 (MOM) Nose:  Big thick bad-ass sherry, yes this the real deal if your’e a sherry lover : starting with black tea, and oodles of dried fruit : quite  a lot of sweet […] - [The Singleton of Glen Ord 18 Year Old (Special Release)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/17/the-singleton-of-glen-ord-18-year-old-special-release/): The next dram I am about to review comes from the Glen Ord distillery. I am not quite sure why Diageo chose to bottle the Glen Ord and the Dufftown / Glendullan distilleries under the Singleton Hat, In my opinion it would be better if they were bottled under their distillery name and not sharing the same bottle shape etc. Obscure reasoning, but who am I to say. I’ve not had a good Glen Ord (or any Glen Ord) in quite a while, and was hoping this year’s edition is going to be fun , and at 55% abv… why not? […] - [Dalwhinnie 30 Year Old (Special Release 2019)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/11/dalwhinnie-30-year-old-special-release-2019/): It’s time for a bit more expensive (read: a lot more epensive) dram from this year’s 2019 SR a Dalwhinnie. This one was matured in a combination of refill hogsheads and butts. a 30 year old, must have the nice woody polished oak notes, right? Well, actually it does. Dalwhinnie 30 Year Old (Special Release 2019) , 54.7% , £499.95 (MOM) Nose: starting sweet with green grape sweetness, and polished oak, vanilla and baked apples, a floral touch, hay and more wood with lemony citrus touches and even more polished oak.  Palate : lovely wood spices, waxy and deep, with quite […] - [Cardhu 14 Year Old (Special Release 2019)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/08/cardhu-14-year-old-special-release-2019/): Cardhu… Never been a huge fan of Cardhu, not because it’s not a solid distillery, it’s just their bottles are not very thrilling, and the bottles look a bit ‘weird’ with their distinct shape. I guess Cardhu enjoyed their moment of ‘Fame’ as they quarreled with the SWA, what we know as “Pure-malt Gate” 😉 In December 2003, parent company Diageo caused controversy by halting the production of Cardhu single malt and replacing it with a blended malt which they labelled a ‘pure malt’ using the same bottle design and label as its single malt. The decision by Diageo angered both […] - [Lagavulin 12 Year Old (Special Release 2019)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/05/lagavulin-12-year-old-special-release-2019/): Time for the third ‘affordable’ expression from this year’s SR. The very much loved (and I can see why) Lagavulin 12 , a cornerstone every recent Special release. Like every year, this is the 16 year old’s younger, non-sherried , kicking young brother. will it be as good as last year’s? Bottled at 56.5% this is the peatiest expression in the range. Lagavulin 12 Year Old SR 2019, 56.5% , £110 (MOM) Nose:  Quite briny at first, with tarry ropes, linoleum floors and medicinal qualities. Green olives, salt, citrus peel, as well as red apple, pears and iodine laden bandages, pepper […] - [Cragganmore 12 Year Old (Special Release 2019)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/04/cragganmore-12-year-old-special-release-2019/): The Second whisky I am about to review is perhaps the most ‘interesting’ of the range. A smoky Crag’ is not something we normally see, in fact it’s the first time Diageo is releasing such a Cragganmore with this profile… 😉 Nice one. As for cask profile it’s nothing fancy : matured in refill American oak casks. Cragganmore 12 Year Old (Special Release 2019) , 58.4% , £84.95 (MOM) Nose:  Ah… interesting, the smoke is definitely here… a bonfire amidst pine woods, lemon meringue and a leafy touch to it as well. Waxy lemons, damp warehouses and a sweet pastry with […] - [Talisker 15 Year Old (Special Release 2019)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/03/talisker-15-year-old-special-release-2019/): It’s time to review this year’s Diageo Special releases.. I know It’s been a while since they were announced but as they are hitting most stores right now, it’s the perfect timing. I will start by reviewing the ‘affordable’ ones which mere mortals like us can buy, and then move on to the more limited and expensive ones of course. The first one I am about to review is a Talisker, a distillery I like very much, and this year’s edition is quite older than yesteryear’s 8 year old Talisker, which for me is a good thing (I was not a […] - [TWE Christmas Malt 2019](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/12/01/twe-christmas-malt-2019/): I am not a XMAS guy, and we don’t even celebrate XMAS here in Israel (well, some Christians do, but the majority does not), we don’t get many Xmas trees and no Xmas presents , you get what i mean… But, when it comes to whisky, i am willing to celebrate 😉 As has become tradition, The Whisky Exchange has selected a special whisky for Christmas 2019 that you won’t find anywhere else. When most people think about XMAS whisky, they usually think about big bad-ass sherry bombs, but this year TWE has take a different path. They have selected a […] - [Black Friday Whisky 2019 edition (The Whisky Exchange)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/11/30/black-friday-whisky-2019-edition-the-whisky-exchange/): The Whisky Exchange are doing it again this year, with a special black bottle ‘Black Friday’ whisky. The previous 2 editions (reviewed here and here) were very good and extremely good VFM, and this year’s edition is no different… Like previous editions, TWE is not disclosing the actual distillery the malt is coming from but they make it very easy to guess which one it is… This year’s BF edition was distilled in an undisclosed distillery “Founded as early as 1810, located between Forres and Elgin and rarely seen as a single malt whisky”. If you take a look at the […] - [Octomore 10.x Part II : 10.3 & 10.4](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/11/26/octomore-10-x-part-ii-10-3-10-4/): Time to conclude the 10.x Octomore release with the two remaining expressions. Let’s start with the 10.3 Octomore 10.3 / 114 PPM / 6 yo / 61.3% / £175 (MOM) Distilled in 2013 from the 2012 harvest, the Octomore 10.3 has been brought home by farmer James Brown. Taking on the challenge of growing Islay Barley. Facts : Malted to 114ppm Distilled in 2013 from the 2012 harvest 100% Octomore farm, Islay grown concerto barley – single field, single farm, single vintage Matured entirely on Islay for six years Full term maturation in first fill american whiskey casks from Jim Beam, […] - [Octomore 10.1 & 10.2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/11/25/octomore-10-1-10-2/): I will be taking a look at the 4 new Octomore 10.x editions, starting with the first two. This time Bruichladdich chose not to up the ante with more PPM and more peat, but quite a low (relatively for Octomore, ok?) PPM of under 110 as opposed to previous editions which contained more than twice that amount (8.3 for example with over 300 PPM). Octomore 10.1 , 107 PPM , 5yo , 59.8% ,£125 info: Distilled from Scottish barley in 2013, Deliberately stripped back to an ex- American oak maturation, aged just 5 years old, the .1 edition exposes the structure […] - [Whisky Israel Celebrates its 10th Anniversary](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/11/24/whisky-israel-celebrates-its-10th-anniversary/): Good morning, Times flies and about a month ago the blog celebrated its 10th anniversary, quite an achievement , in my opinion, at least. I started blogging (in English, I’ve written about whisky in a sister culinary blog a year or so before) on the 28th of October 2009. The whisky scene was very different then, with only as few whisky Blogs our there, most of which have not survived (but some did, and are doing very good). Back then Whisky prices were more affordable, but the Israeli whisky scene was very small, with a draconian import tax of 90% on […] - [Starward Single Cask 2012 7 Year Old TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/11/23/starward-single-cask-2012-7-year-old-twe-exclusive/): The Starward distillery is a popular Melbourne based distillery, operating since 2007. They take pride in mostly maturing their whisky in Australian ex-wine casks (be it wine, or the Australian equivalent of Sherry – Apera). Melbourne weather is quite special as it change rapidly and sometimes in the same day the weather goes from hot to cold, and this speeds up maturation according to Starward. this whisky is a seven-year-old single malt from Starward distillery, bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange’s 20th anniversary. Made in 2012, this whisky was matured in a single refill Apera cask – an Australian fortified wine, […] - [Clynelish 2005 , {G&M for TWE}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/11/22/clynelish-2005-gm-for-twe/): Time for some more TWE exclusives for their 20th anniversary, and we’ll be starting with a sure bet of a Clynelish from G&M this whisky comes from a single refill sherry hogshead of spirit distilled at Clynelish. The cask was filled in 2005 and bottled on 26 June 2019 at 14 years old. Clynelish 200514 Year Old Connoisseurs Choice for TWE , 51.8% , £94.95 Nose: deep and luscious with baked caramelized apple, dark fruit and wild flower honey, with touches of ripe orange and some salty caramel, a bit nutty as well, and herbal. Palate:  while the palate is sweet fruity […] - [Malt Whisky Yearbook 2020](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/11/20/malt-whisky-yearbook-2020/): Every year a few months before Xmas the Malt Whisky yearbook is out, and this year is no exception. If you’re new to whisky, or never read this annual book(let) – this is something that you need to try. The latest edition – revised and fully updated with new exciting articles from top whisky industry writers includes some nice reading material about whisky such as : Foreign Ownership of Scotch Whisky The Feast From the Yeast  – speaking of different yeast strains and usage of special strains. The Role of Alcohol Whisky Regions – are they still relevant? and many more. […] - [Method and Madness wild Cherry wood & Acacia wood](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/11/08/method-and-madness-wild-cherry-wood-acacia/): Irish Distillers, makers of some of the world’s best-known and successful Irish whiskeys, has recently added two new and experimental, limited edition Irish whiskeys to its METHOD AND MADNESS range; Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Finished in Wild Cherry Wood and Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Finished in Acacia Wood. The whiskeys represent the latest results of the research that Middleton Distillery and Micro Distillery, in County Cork, have undertaken into maturation in different wood types over more than 10 years. Being an Irish distiller, which is not bound by Scotch SWA regulations has its pluses, as they are able to explore different wood types (such as cherry […] - [Isle of Jura 21 yo 'Tide'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/11/04/isle-of-jura-21-yo-tide/): The 21 year old Jura ‘Tide’ is the counterpart of the ‘Time’ we reviewed not long ago. This time it’s a global release and not only Travel Retail. While the ‘Time’ was finished in ex-peated whisky casks, this one was matured for 21 years in ex-bourbon barrels, before being finished in virgin American white oak casks which usual add a spicy character. Oh well, let’s try this one. Isle of Jura 21 yo ‘Tide’ ,  46.7% , £142 Nose: sweet and rounded with hints of spice,butter scotch and vanilla, Crème brûlée , cinnamon and a gingery tang, which adds a nice […] - [Jura 21 year old 'Time'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/10/24/jura-21-year-old-time/): Jura 21 Year Old Time is a global travel retail-exclusive that has been matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon barrels before being finished in ex-peated malt casks. Jura Time will be released in small batches, with each bottle detailing the year of bottling to indicate the subtle variations in the batches as they are put together each year. the whisky is Bottled at 47.2% and is priced at £150 (US$195). Jura 21 year old ‘Time’ , 47.2% , £150 (US$195) Nose: the peated cask finish is very noticeable (and i mean this in a good way), although it’s not very big […] - [Single & Single Invergordon 45 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/10/19/single-single-invergordon-45-yo/): The Second new release from S&S after the lovely 13 year old Ledaig, is quite different : an older Single grain from the Invergordon Grain distillery. This one’s 45 years old , bottled at 46.6% abv, and also has been finished in a sherry cask for 24 months. This time the cask yielded only 150 bottles (i guess angel’s share was high). S & S Invergordon 45 yo , 46.6% , ~  £200 Nose: Sweet and rich nose, with caramel, and some creme Catalan, as well as old wood spice, and a nice red fruit note as well. A hint of […] - [Single & Single Ledaig 13 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/10/18/single-single-ledaig-13-yo/): Single & Single is a South African independent bottler and the brainchild of Yossi Schwartz , a former Israeli who now lives in Cape Town. If you’ve been reading the blog regularly you must remember a tasting event we held for the entire S&S range about a year ago (all in this blog post). As it appears Yossi is hard at work choosing and bottling more single casks, and the latest cask he’s bottled is this Ledaig 13 yo. The whisky has been aged in American Oak for 12 years and finished in a Sherry cask for 12 months prior to […] - [Bruichladdich Barley Exploration Series 2019](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/10/14/bruichladdich-barley-exploration-series-2019/): Bruichladdich have released their ‘Barley Exploration Series’ for 2019 recently (in August). As we all know, they really appreciate barley Terroir, and have been experimenting with all sorts of barley types, be it local barley from Islay, Scottish barley from other farmers on the mainland, as well as Bere Barley grown on Orkney. You can love the laddie distillate, or hate it, but you have to give it to them- they have been doing some fine whisky geekery distillations in recent years, and some of the whiskies they have produced are superb. I am going to take a look at all […] - [Inchmoan 2007 , cask #96 {TWE}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/10/10/inchmoan-2007-cask-96-twe/): I have reviewed quite a few special releases for TWE’s 20th anniversary in recent months and this is another such release. When I saw this one I was instantly intrigued to see how this will compare to our own (Holy Dram’s cask # 68) Inchmoan cask… This whisky was distilled in April 2007 at Loch Lomond, this Inchmoan single malt has been matured in a single refill hogshead until July 2019, a total of 289 bottles were released. Inchmoan 12 yo 2007 ,54,9%, for TWE 20th Anniversary 2019,Cask #96 , £74.95 Nose: A nice combination of peat, smoke and some toffee, […] - [Ballechin 2003, 15 yo Sherry Cask {for TWE}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/10/07/ballechin-2003-15-yo-sherry-cask-for-twe/): Ballechin, which is Peated Edradour , in case you’re not familiar with the name, is getting quite popular among whisky lovers in recent years, and not without reason. The Peated character really works well with the Edradour profile, and although I am not the biggest Edradour fan (Yes, I’ve tasted some good ones, of course), I quite enjoy recent Ballechins, and this one’s a really good example of one. Made in 2003 at Edradour distillery, this 15-year-old Ballechin single malt has been matured in a single refill sherry butt, before being bottled in April 2019 to celebrate The Whisky Exchange’s 20th […] - [Ben Nevis 1996 , 22 yo (TWE for W.Show 2019)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/10/03/ben-nevis-1996-22-yo-twe-for-w-show-2019/): Time for the third expression released for the whisky show – A Ben nevis (quite a lot of people have taken a like to the distillery lately). Released at Whisky Show 2019 as part of our Magic of the Cask series, this 1996 Ben Nevis single malt has spent 22 years in a single refill sherry butt, before being bottled in 2019 at  51.6% . Ben Nevis 1996 , 22 Year Old Whisky Show 2019 , 51.6% , £165 Nose: sweet and fruity with heaps of luscious fruit mainly sultanas, cherries and plums. Lots of sherry goodness, wine gums and dried fruit […] - [Imperial 23 yo (TWE for the whisky show 2019)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/09/30/imperial-23-yo-twe-for-the-whisky-show-2019/): After the young and excellent Caol Ila 9 sherry cask, Its a time for a change of pace with this very different Imperial bottling. The whisky has been aged for 23 long years in an inactive cask letting the distillery fruity profile to shine. Will this satisfy my craving for polished wood ? Let’s have a closer look. Imperial 23 yo (for the whisky show 2019) , 45.2% , £165 Nose:  Summer-y and light, with Key Lime Pies, Lemon meringues, and more lemony sherbets with lots of lime zest, candied pecans, and lovely older wood feeling to it, I adore this […] - [Caol Ila 9 Year Old - TWE for the Whisky Show](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/09/29/caol-ila-9-year-old-twe-for-the-whisky-show/): The Whisky Exchange is celebrating its 11th annual Whisky Show with a series of show bottlings entitled ‘The Magic of the Cask’, highlighting the mystery of a cask’s influence by keeping the details on each whisky’s label hidden until ready to be revealed. A first for whisky labels, they are printed with an ink sensitive to UV light, hiding the details of each whisky until a torch, included with every purchase, is shone onto the label to reveal the hidden text. The theme of Whisky Show 2019 – ‘The Journey of the Cask’ – celebrates both the effects that casks have […] - [M&H Founder's Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/09/25/mh-founders-edition/): The Israeli Milk & Honey distillery (M&H) from Tel Aviv have released the ‘Founder’s Edition’ yesterday evening. This edition is bottled solely aimed for its crowd funding campaign backers, who 6 years ago !! (yes, that’s 6 years – a very long time when it comes to crowd funding) participated and funded the very early steps M&H ,when it was only a vague idea in the minds of its founding fathers. Founder’s Edition has been aged for 3 years in a combination of ex-Bourbon, STR wine Casks, and then finished in a Kosher PX sherry cask especially made for the distillery […] - [Mortlach 21 yo (Goren's Whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/08/31/mortlach-21-yo-gorens-whisky/): Every Indie bottling for Israel is a reason for celebration, as we do not get so many local casks on offer. A well-aged Mortlach? even better! This is another single cask bottling by Tomer Goren (A friend, and also the master distiller of M&H distillery in Tel-Aviv). I have reviewed a few past bottlings of his, including the last Port Ellen bottled for Whisky live TLV 2018 (here). This single cask Morlach is bottled for no special occasion. The whisky was aged for 21 yeas in a re-fill Sherry cask , distilled in 1995 and bottled in 2017 (indeed some time […] - [The Duchess 20 yo Guyana Armagnac Finish Cask #27](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/08/24/the-duchess-20-yo-guyana-armagnac-finish-cask-27-50-8-1998/): Time for another #Rum review, this time from the Diamond distillery in Guyana. What’s interesting about this one is that it has been finished in an Armagnac cask for 8 years… quite a long finish. This rum has been distilled in a wooden Coffey still at the Diamond distillery – yes, you heard right – a wooden Coffey still, those indeed exist in the wonderful and bizarre world of Rum. Let’s get tasting… The Duchess 20 yo Guyana Armagnac Finish Cask 27 ,50.8% 1998, € 95,00 Nose: very nice entry with soft grape notes, vanilla and a hint of apple and white […] - [Glenlivet 2007 , 11 yo Signatory for TWB](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/08/11/glenlivet-2007-11-yo-signatory-for-twb/): This is yet another young sherried single cask ‘Livet bottled by Signatory, a sister cask to cask #900134 & cask #900552 (both reviewed on the blog). This cask #900128 is also a 2007 vintage, bottled at a whopping 66% abv. Single cask first fill sherry hogshead #900128 bottled February 2019 by Signatory Vintage for the Un-Chillfiltered series. This is a specially selected release exclusive to The Whisky Barrel. 289 bottles at natural cask strength Glenlivet 2007 , 11 yo Signatory for TWB , 66% abv, £99.95 Nose: sweet sugary delights, thick sherry juices, deep Sultana and toffee,treacle and a hint of […] - [Compass Box 'The circle'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/07/24/compass-box-the-circle/): The latest Blended Malt from the guys at Compass box is called ‘The Circle’, the whisky is is based around a parcel of fruity and creamy single malt from the Tamdhu Distillery in Speyside. This is supported by malt whisky from the Clynelish Distillery. A touch of peated malt whisky from an Orkney distillery and a small proportion of a French oak-finished blended malt whisky complete the recipe.  What’s nice is that they have chosen to use an ex-bourbon cask from Tamdhu which mostly releases sherried whiskies, quite uncharacteristic… and some Clynelish of course 😉 The whisky is bottled at 46% […] - [Bunnahabhain Staoisha 2014 , 4yo, Signatory for TWE](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/07/08/bunnahabhain-staoisha-2014-4yo-signatory-for-twe/): Time for some more TWE 20th anniversary bottlings, with the youngest of the lot. Distilled in 2014, this 4-year-old whisky was matured in a single hogshead and bottled in April 2019 by Signatory Vintage for The Whisky Exchange’s 20th anniversary celebrations. In case you’re wondering what Staoisha means, it really is named after Loch Staoisha on Islay. Bunnahabhain Staoisha 2014 , 4yo, 60.3% ,£53.95 Nose: Quite sweet and smoky as you’d expect from a young peated Bunnahabhain, but it’s not one faced : there’a also nice apple peel, and a hint of citrus fruit atop the smoky-sweet bacon and peat smoke, as […] - [Ledaig 2010, 8yo , TWE 20th anniversary {Signatory}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/07/04/ledaig-2010-8yo-twe-20th-anniversary-signatory/): Another TWE anniversary bottling today – a peated 8 year old from the Tobermory distillery on the isle of Mull – 2010 Ledaig. Distilled in 2010 , this single malt spent eight years in a single first-fill ex-bourbon barrel before it was bottled in April 2019 by Signatory Vintage for The Whisky Exchange’s 20th anniversary celebrations. Young Ledaig IBs are very popular these days, and for a good reason. this one’s in line with the high level of whiskies coming from the Isle of Mull in recent years. Ledaig 2010, 8yo , 60% , £59.95 Nose :sweet sooty notes, damp smoke, […] - [Glenlivet 2007 12 yo Signatory (TWE 20th anniversary exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/07/01/glenlivet-2007-12-yo-signatory-twe-20th-anniversary-exclusive/): Young and sherried Glenlivets bottled by Signatory are nothing new, and they have been popping around lately, many are very good to excellent. I’ve reviewed quite a few sister casks, mostly bottled for TWB in the past and liked them very much (check it out here, and here). Made at Glenlivet distillery in 2007, this 12-year-old single malt was matured in a single first-fill sherry hogshead before being bottled in March 2019 by Signatory Vintage for The Whisky Exchange’s 20th Anniversary. Glenlivet 12 yo 200764,1%, 1st fill sherry hhd #900216 Nose:  Quite the sherry bomb this one is, with thick and […] - [Clynelish 1995, 23 yo for TWE (20th Anniversary)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/29/clynelish-1995-23-yo-for-twe-20th-anniversary/): As you probably know by now, TWE is celebrating its 20th!! anniversary, having been founded in 1999 by the Singh brothers, and throughout 2019 they will be celebrating their 20th birthday with exclusive bottlings, offers and special events. This month they are officially launching their anniversary year with a range of single-cask, cask-strength whiskies from Signatory Vintage. The first bottling of the series I am going to review is a sherried Clynelish. Made in 1995 at Clynelish distillery, this Highland single malt spent a quarter of a century in a single refill sherry butt before it was bottled in March 2019 […] - [Port Ellen 39 yo - OB {2019}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/24/port-ellen-39-yo-ob-2019/): While plans for re-building the Port Ellen distillery are set in motion Diageo (via Port Ellen)  have recently release a 39-Year-Old single malt from original, finite stocks .The brand introduces the first exclusive release of the “Untold Stories Series” worldwide; an exploration into the innovative and trailblazing background of this iconic Islay distillery. Port Ellen: Untold Stories The Spirit Safe(50.9% ABV) is one of the oldest releases from the revered distillery. A limited 1,500 bottles are available from selected luxury retailers globally with an RRSP of £4,500!! Yes, that’s right four thousand and five hundred quid – quite a lot of money. Happily I was […] - [Kill Devil Bellevue Rum 20 yo 1998/2019 {TWB exclusive}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/20/kill-devil-bellevue-rum-20-yo-1998-2019-twb-exclusive/): Time for some more Rum, this time from the Damoiseau distillery located at Grande-Terre (the main Island of Guadaloupe). The Rum is made from molasses. This rum was distilled in March 1998 and bottled in late 2018 making it a 20-year-old rum. It was produced on a column still, bottled at cask strength of 58.6% for a total of 243 bottles all in all. As it turns out TWB have bottled another sister cask which is almost the same in every param but a slightly higher abv of 58.8. Kill Devil Bellevue Rum 20 yo, 58.6% , £129 Nose:  This is […] - [Lagavulin 19 Feis Ile 2019](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/17/lagavulin-19-feis-ile-2019/): Time for this year’s offering from Lagavulin. This time they have chosen to botlte a  Lagavulin that has been matured in Refill Oak Casks and then sherry-treated freshly-charred American Oak Hogsheads before a final maturation in old European Oak puncheons – a limited edition run of 6,000 bottles at ABV of 53.8%, and an RSP of £150. A nice sherried Lagavulin is something I can drink every day of the year, and this one sounds extremely delicious. Let’s try some : Lagavulin 19 yo Feis Ile 2019 edition, 53.8% , originally £150 Nose; musty and mushroom-y start to it, then your’e hit […] - [Compass Box No Name No.2](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/15/compass-box-no-name-no-2/): The first edition of No Name was quite excellent (see my notes, here), and now there’s a sequel: No Name No.2 . This time it’s a little different, as the first edition was mostly made of Ardbeg and Coal Ila with the obligatory Clynelish – this time the Islay component is only Caol Ila while there’s also more smoky component from the Talisker distillery located on the Isle of Skye. The Caol Ila which is the primary ingredient in the blending (75.5%) comes from a Re-fill Sherry Butts, so we’re also adding a sherry ingredient while the first edition were aged […] - [Caol Ila 22 - Feis Ile 2019 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/13/caol-ila-22-feis-ile-2019-edition/): Feis Ile 2019 yielded some nice distillery bottlings this year, this one’s especially intriguing, as you do not see many old OB Caol Ilas and certainly not at this ABV… A limited edition run of 3,000 & Matured in sherry-treated freshly-charred American oak hogshead , it was sold for £130 at the distillery. I was lucky to have tried this one head to head with other FE 2019 expressions. Caol Ila 22 Years Old ,58.4%, Feis Ile 2019 Nose : ripe strawberries, cured meat, herbal and enticing. Soft smoke, seaweed, soft and light sherry sweetness, wood and more ripe berries engulfed in smoke, […] - [Foursquare Hereditas 14 yo #Rum {TWE exclusive}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/08/foursquare-hereditas-14-yo-rum-twe-exclusive/): Time for more Rum and today an exclusive edition bottled for TWE by Foursquare rum. The Whisky Exchange has introduced its first exclusive rum since unveiling a new classification system for the spirit earlier this month. Renowned Barbados distillery Foursquare has created Hereditas – a Single Traditional Blended Rum in the new classification – exclusively for the retailer. Matured in Barbados for 14 years in a mixture of bourbon and sherry casks, it is rich and heavily-sherried – a style of spirit more often found in the whisky world. The new classification system aims to give consumers and the trade a […] - [Caroni Rum 1998 , 21 yo {The Duchess}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2019/06/05/caroni-rum-1998-21-yo-the-duchess/): I have not reviewed a new RUM recently, and now that temperatures are rising in Israel (and Europe i hope too), it’s a perfect opportunity to try the latest release from The Duchess, an independent Rum bottler (and whisky too, yes). This time they have chosen to bottle a Caroni (again, the last one was awesome) at cask strength. This Rum spent a glorious 21 years in the barrel (Distilled 1998 and bottled 2019 – split between tropical and continental – heavy on the continental), and only 245 bottles made it out of this cask. Caroni 1998, 21 yo {The Duchess} […] - [Feis Ile 2026 bottlings](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2026/05/18/feis-ile-2026-bottlings/): Fèis Ìle — formally known as the Islay Festival of Music and Malt — is an annual celebration held on the Scottish island of Islay, widely regarded as the spiritual home of peated whisky. Running for a week each May, the festival brings together whisky lovers from around the world to visit the island’s distilleries, attend open days, and get their hands on exclusive festival bottlings that are often released nowhere else. Each distillery hosts its own open day with tastings, tours, live music, and food, giving the whole affair a warm, community-driven atmosphere that goes well beyond a typical whisky […] - [R.I.P Derek Mather](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2026/04/29/17777/): R.I.P Derek Mather Chef, Restaurateur, Whisky Legend It is with profound sadness that we mark the passing of Derek Mather, the heart and soul behind Artisan Restaurant on Main Street, Wishaw — a man who turned a quiet Lanarkshire high street into one of Scotland’s most beloved culinary and whisky destinations. Derek grew up with a deep love of all things Scottish, a passion that would come to define his life’s work. His journey into whisky began in characteristically memorable fashion: his father handed him a bottle of Glenlivet 12 Year Old at the age of sixteen, with the blunt instruction […] - [Fielden 2019 4 Years , The Heart Cut #16 - English rye whisky ](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2026/03/08/fielden-2019-4-years-the-heart-cut-16-english-rye-whisky/): From our very first conversations with the Fielden team, one thing kept coming up: Cask 292. “Ask Charlie about Cask 292.” So we did. One sip, and it was a resounding yes. And then we heard its story – and we were amazed. This is a 100% rye whisky finished for just over 2 years in a 45-year-old ex-Solera Oloroso Sherry cask from a bodega in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Sherry beast Rye? Interesting… let’s dig in. Fielden 2019 4 Years , The Heart Cut #16 – English rye whisky  , £63 (TWE) Nose: Unmistakably the product of an ex-solera cask, striking […] - [Hampden Estate 1753](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2026/01/16/hampden-estate-1753/): Each year, The Whisky Exchange team samples hundreds of exceptional spirits, but only one earns our prestigious Spirit of the Year award. This year’s winner is Hampden Estate rum from Jamaica for their 1753 expression. In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa brought widespread destruction to Jamaica. To support our Jamaican friends in their recovery and rebuilding efforts, TWE are contributing £6 to hurricane relief charities for each bottle of 1753 purchased. As a Hampden Rum enthusiast, I was thrilled when they began importing to Israel, and naturally delighted to have the opportunity to try another expression. The Hampden Estate 1753 takes its […] - [White Peak Wire Works Bourbon Barrell](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2026/01/09/white-peak-wire-works-bourbon-barrell/): yes, I’m back! It’s been a very ‘special’ couple of years… war, hostages, more war, government trying to kill Israeli democracy, etc. I took a long hiatus, and now I feel like writing whisky notes and blogging whisky again. Going to post a few review I’ve been meaning to post. Hoping for some normality again. This is the second release in the Wire Works Provenance Core Range which has a deep connection to Derbyshire’s industrial heritage and innovation, giving this Wire Works whisky a strong sense of identity. Every step of the life-cycle – mashing, fermentation, distillation, maturation – happens onsite […] - [Islay Feis Ile Festival 2025  - bottling and news](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2025/05/02/islay-feis-ile-festival-2025-bottling-and-news/): Lagavulin – Open day on Saturday 24th May 2025 This year, Lagavulin is inviting fans to discover new depths of flavour with Lagavulin Fèis Ìle 2025 15 Year-Old. Finished in Moscatel de Málaga casks, this expression showcases a masterful balance of sweet and spicy notes while retaining Lagavulin’s distinctive smokiness. This rich and complex bottling offers aromas of salted toffee, and ripe berries, interwoven with maritime medicinal undertones. The palate is luxuriously smooth and creamy, harmonising flavours of sweetness, salt, spice, and smoke. It culminates in a long, drying finish with that lingering fragrant Lagavulin smoke and a captivating note of […] - [Redbreast 25 yo 1997 The Whisky Exchange 2024, Cream sherry butt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2024/11/09/redbreast-25-yo-1997-the-whisky-exchange-2024-cream-sherry-butt/): So a cream sherry cask?!! Not very popular for aging Irish whiskey, is it? I did some reading about cream sherry, as I was not familiar with many good sherries of the kind and it turns out that Cream sherry encompasses a family of sweetened fortified wines. The premium varieties are crafted by combining dry Oloroso sherry with naturally sweet wines, specifically Pedro Ximénez or Moscatel varieties. More affordable versions achieve their sweetness and color through the addition of grape must and vino de color, the latter containing Arrope – a concentrated syrup made from cooked-down grape must. Medium sherry occupies […] - [Malt Whisky Yearbook 2025](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2024/10/27/malt-whisky-yearbook-2025/): it’s this time of the year again… and The MWY 2025 is out. this time it’s the 20th Anniversary. wow, I remember the very first edition I held in my hand way back it was probably 2007!! and the very first time Whisky Israel was featured in the book 2012. How time flies!!! Get ready, whisky enthusiasts! The 2025 edition of the beloved Malt Whisky Yearbook has arrived, and it’s bursting with more golden knowledge than ever before. Whether you’re a casual sipper or a dedicated connoisseur, this year’s edition is sure to make your spirits soar! Inside this treasure trove, […] - [Ledaig 17 yo 2006 TWE ‘Seasons – Autumn’ 2023](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2024/10/20/ledaig-17-yo-2006-twe-seasons-autumn-2023/): The first of The Seasons: Autumn trio released by TWE, to welcome the fall. let’s dive in Ledaig 17 yo 2006 ,55,4%, The Whisky Exchange ‘Seasons – Autumn’ 2023, butt #16 Nose: Opening with earthy peat smoke and dark fruits – juicy prunes and blackberries lead the way. Sweet treacle mingles with coal-like smokiness. Further nosing reveals some tar notes, followed by dried raisins and fragrant honey with a herbal edge. Charred orange zest adds brightness, while damp oak and tobacco bring depth. Subtle smoked meats lathered with sweet bbq sauces linger in the background. Palate: Bold and robust. Sooty smokiness […] - [Caol Ila 2008 , 15 year old - Whisky Show 2024](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2024/10/07/caol-ila-2008-15-year-old-whisky-show-2024/): With all that’s going on locally, I find it harder to find the muse for writing tasting notes, but let’s try a few new drams bottled for this year’s TWE whisky show (I missed, I know). This one’s a 15-year-old Caol Ila, adorned with the faces of a few TWE employees such as Polina Malinovskaja / Liz Lock / Ashish Basnet – quite a nice idea isn’t it? Caol Ila 2008 , 15 year old – Whisky Show 2024 , £105 Nose: Aromas of roasted chestnuts and frangipane tart, accompanied by a touch of freshly lit bonfire and a hint of candied lemon […] - [Red Spot 1991,31 yo Marsala Cask TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2024/08/01/red-spot-199131-yo-marsala-cask-twe-exclusive/): A single cask Red Spot whisky? those are very rare… well, this is the first single-cask Red Spot ever created exclusively for The Whisky Exchange. Aged entirely at Midleton distillery in County Cork and finished in Sicilian Marsala casks. 1991, sounds intriguing. and Marsala casks can be lovely. I was quite eager and thankful to try this one. let’s dram. Red Spot 31 yo 1991 57,6%, Marsala cask #50768 , £945 Nose: Wow, this is intense—brimming with black fruits and jams. It begins with purple plum confiture, followed by sultanas, berries, and blackcurrant marmalade. There’s a nice zestiness that balances the […] - [Three Whisky Exchange Summer releases (2024)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2024/07/05/three-whisky-exchange-summer-releases-2024/): The Whisky Exchange recently introduced “The Seasons: Summer,” a trio of new whiskies in their own-label collection. This selection includes: Per the TWE These whiskies are ideal for enjoying on a summer evening or whenever you crave a taste of sunshine. (They clearly did not keep Israel in mind, where we’re looking for a refreshing cold drink in summer). They are the inaugural releases in “The Seasons,” a new series comprising 12 single malt Scotch whiskies, each inspired by a different season. The full collection will be released over the next year, starting with the Summer whiskies. Benriach 2008 15 Year […] - [Islay Festival 2024 Bottles (Fèis Ìle)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2024/05/22/islay-festival-2024-bottles-feis-ile/): This year’s festival is nearby here are the official distillery bottling for the 2024 fest! Lagavulin – Open day on Saturday 25th May 2024 Lagavulin 10 Year Old Fèis Ìle 2024 (56.7%, £175, 1800 bottles) Has a higher peat level than the distillery’s usual offering and has been matured in refill, heavily charred and first fill ex-Bourbon American oak hogshead casks. Lagavulin Skies of Fèis Ìle (£2,500, 250 bottles) first filled in ex-bodega Sherry in May 1995, and matured for around two decades before being filled in a heavily charred barrel of American oak treated with Amoroso for the final eight […] - [Glen Keith 1992 | 31 Year Old Cask 29851 Lost In Time Series](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2024/04/08/glen-keith-1992-31-year-old-cask-29851-lost-in-time-series/): Lost In Time showcases a range of whiskies sourced from renowned Speyside distilleries such as The Glenlivet, Longmorn, Glentauchers, and Miltonduff. Bottled at the optimal stage of maturation, The Whisky Exchange takes pride in presenting a collection of exceptionally rare Speyside gems, crafted before the onset of the significant single malt boom in the early 2000s. Billy Abbott, brand ambassador at TWE and a good friend : “From light and fruity to rich and creamy, each of these whiskies shine a light on what makes its distillery different and special. With drams here from long-running producers like The Glenlivet, celebrating its […] - [Lagavulin 'Iain McArthur Farewell Dram' 18 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2024/01/31/lagavulin-iain-mcarthur-farewell-dram-18-yo/): Iain McArthur, known affectionately as “Pinky” retired last December after an illustrious career spanning over 50 years in the whisky industry, making him an icon of Islay and a legend at Lagavulin. His invaluable contributions have made a lasting impact on the distillery, its visitors, and the community of Islay. In appreciation of his dedication, Lagavulin Distillery has announced the release of a special bottling named ‘Iain’s Farewell Dram.’ McArthur embarked on his whisky journey at Port Ellen Distillery before joining Lagavulin, where he played a pivotal role for half a century. Renowned for his adaptability, he seamlessly transitioned between various […] - [TWE Black Friday edition 2023 - Glenkinchie 15 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/11/24/twe-black-friday-edition-2023-tasting-notes/): It’s been a while since I last blogged. I know… Why, Do you ask? I was not in the mood, and then all hell broke loose with the Gaza situation, and I was not feeling like writing about anything. With all that’s going on here, I almost forgot Black Friday is upon us, can you imagine that? Just like in recent years, TWE’s take on BF is quite different- they are releasing a one-off black bottle with no indication of the distillery at a very competitive price that is usually very good VFM. Thanks to DHL who delivered the bottle BEFORE […] - [Ledaig 1997,25 Year Old Xtra Old Particular for TWE](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/08/06/ledaig-199725-year-old-xtra-old-particular-for-twe/): A recent bottling by Douglas Laing in their XOP range of casks, this time bottled for TWE. 25 year old Ledaig! sounds yummy, right? Let’s dig in. Ledaig 1997,25 Year Old Xtra Old Particular for TWE , 57.2% Nose: Nice and dirty like we love our Ledaigs, with engine oils, Car mechanics sheds, burnt rubber, and then some fruitier notes, some berries and roasted red apples and singed pears, glazed with sweet nectars and bacon, Kerosene and a hint of mint. Wow. What a stunner. Palate: It’s a game of bitter and sweet notes here on the palate, with mint and […] - [Ardbeg 19 Year Old - 'First Witch' / Witches Series / Macbeth Act One](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/07/22/ardbeg-19-year-old-first-witch-witches-series-macbeth-act-one/): Act One of Livingstone’s Macbeth Whisky Collection consists of nine whiskies. Four more acts will be released in the upcoming years, totaling 42 whiskies. The complete first outturn is: I am about to taste quite a few of those and have decided to start with an Ardbeg finished in PX casks (for 2 years) Can not be bad? right? Ardbeg 19 yo ‘First Witch’ ,Pedro Ximénez butts, 51.7% , £550 Nose: Mmmmm. Yummy sweet smoky goodness you can expect from a sherried Ardbeg. Peat, BBQ meats in a sweet marinade, and quite a lot of raisins More sniffing reveals a nice tarry […] - [Glen Keith 29 yo 1993 Signatory TWE 2022, cask #82789](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/07/21/glen-keith-29-yo-1993-signatory-vintage-for-the-whisky-exchange-2022-cask-82789/): Time for more of the TWE 50th anniversary, with this lovely Glen Keith 1993 cask. The whisky was matured in a single Hogshead cask for 29 years.. Glen Keith 29 yo 1993 Signatory Vintage TWE 2022, £299 Nose: A lush celebration of sweet fruity goodness in golden sweet syrup: ripe apricots, Bananas, pineapple, mango, and ripe apples. All that – on top of sweet vanilla cream. There’s a nice herbal note to it as well, with a hint of mint and citrus zest. Lovely! Palate: The palate continues the sweet lush, and fruity celebration with more of that ripe fruit in […] - [Two Mossburn releases](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/07/14/two-mossburn-single-cask/): I must admit I’ve not r sampled any Mossburn whiskies before, but was glad to try this Bottler with four young-ish whiskies from four distilleries each in a different type of oak cask… Today I will visit two expressions. Strathmill 12 yo 2010, virgin European oak hogshead , £64 Nose: A nice nose with lots of character even at 46%, the thing you notice first is oodles of vanilla which is not surprising given this is a virgin cask… more sniffing reveals hints of lemon, wood varnish , old school candy, and some wood shavings alongside green bananas. Palate: A nice […] - [Glen Grant 22 yo 2000 Signatory Vintage (TWE)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/05/27/glen-grant-22-yo-2000-signatory-vintage-twe/): Another TWE exclusive bottled for their 50th anniversary, this time a first fill sherry but finish Glen Grant. You can tell the cask has been active by the color of this one… Nose: Deep and thick with sweet aromas of dried fruit along with notes of cigar leaves and maybe some black tea. Sticky caramel, and deep ripe berry jams in thick syrup. There’s also a nice spiciness to it, with mint and some chilly flakes. With time I am getting notes of ripe red apple candy and baking spices. Palate: Sherry is king here for sure, with an abundance of […] - [Kornog 2016 PX (OB for TWE)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/05/26/kornog-2016-px-ob-for-twe/): Kornog is a French peated whisky made by  Celtic Whiskey Distillerie . They also have an unpeated line called Glann Ar Mor, but I do find their peated lineup more interesting, and quite lovely – too bad I have not tried any of them recently. As it seems Sukhinder the owner of TWE is quite fond of Kornogs, and this is why this special cask is a part of his 50th-anniversary celebration line of whiskies. This Kornong comes from a refill Pedro Ximénez butt and is bottled at a nice 60,5% abv. Kornog 6 yo 2016 , 60,5%, OB , refill Pedro […] - [Islay Feis Ile Festival 2023 Bottles](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/05/02/islay-feis-ile-festival-2023-bottles/): This is a rolling post featuring the latest info about this year’s FE bottling: Lagavulin – Open day on Saturday 27th May 2023 The Lagavulin Fèis Ìle 2023 14-Year-Old is a complex bottling, matured in American and European Oak and finished in Armagnac casks Bruichladdich – Open day on Sunday 28th May 2023 Unpeated 15 Year Old Bruichladdich single malt. Matured in a mix of Bourbon and Sauternes casks, it is the ultimate expression of Bruichladdich, made with fully traceable organic barley A rich dram with depth and complexity, this 2006 Port Charlotte vintage (15 Years old) has been matured in a mix of […] - [Dalmunach 6 yo (Scottish mythical creatures)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/04/27/dalmunach-6-yo-scottish-mythical-creatures/): So Dalmunch? I bet many of you have not heard about this distillery named for the nearby pool in the River Spey. But Dalmunach is one of Scotland’s newest and most contemporary distilleries. Built by owner Pernod Ricard (Chivas Brothers) in 2014, it occupies the former site of the Imperial Distillery which was demolished in 2013. The distillery itself is quite lovely in design and has 16 stainless steel washbacks, and eight stills arranged untraditionally in a circle… The inaugural bottling in the Mythical creatures series is also the first Dalmunach single malt to receive a general release. This vibrant whisky […] - [Lagavulin 31 yo 1991 ‘Casks of Distinction’ , TWE](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/04/14/lagavulin-31-yo-1991-casks-of-distinction-twe/): TWE is celebrating its 50th anniversary since Sukhinder’s family went into the whisky and drinks business. to Celebrate this milestone they have released quite a few very unique and highly interesting expressions, one of which is today’s whisky. this one’s a very special Lagavulin, bottled especially for the 50th anniversary of the family of The Whisky Exchange’s co-founders, Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh, opening their west London drinks shop and starting the journey that would lead to The Whisky Exchange. Aged in a single first-fill PX hogshead for 31 years… Lagavulin 31 yo 1991 ‘Casks of Distinction’, TWE , 49.2% Nose: Deep […] - [TWE The Gastronomy Selection 37 yo Blended Malt](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/04/01/twe-the-gastronomy-selection-37-year-old-blended-malt/): Good morning, and happy Spring to you all… some nice news from TWE today. with a spanking new release: The Gastronomy Selection 37-Year-Old Blended Malt. The whisky is the first expression in The Whisky Exchange’s Gastronomy Selection, a series of spirits designed from the ground up to be used when cooking, in both the home and professional kitchens. This first entry in the ongoing range is a 37-year-old blended malt Scotch whisky, focused on nutty and caramel notes, making it perfect for integration with almost any cuisine. “Since the first time I replaced the white wine in my Bolognese with 1980s […] - [Millstone Peated 2017 - 5 Year Old Oloroso Sherry Cask TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/02/14/millstone-peated-2017-5-year-old-oloroso-sherry-cask-twe-exclusive/): TWE has released 2 quite different Millstone whiskies – They are both bottled in celebration of the 50th anniversary of TWE co-founders Sukhinder and Rajbir’s family’s starting in the drinks industry. These are just the first of many appearing over the coming months… the first one is a 2017 Millstone peated Dutch single malt that was specially selected by The Whisky Exchange and bottled in 2022, after five years in a single oloroso sherry cask. Millstone Peated 2017 , 5 yo Oloroso Sherry Cask TWE, £59.95 nose: Big sherry sweetness with oodles of dried fruit – sultanas, dates, figs, the whole 9 […] - [Strathisla 2007, 15 yo TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/02/08/strathisla-2007-15-year-twe-exclusive/): time for another OB for TWE, this time from the Strathisla – vintage 2007, bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange. It was matured in first-fill American oak for 15 years and bottled at cask strength of 60.3% abv. Strathisla 2007, 15 Year TWE Exclusive, 60.3%, £135 Nose: Nice wood notes with lots of vanilla, some coconut, and dried bananas, then we’re off to sweeter realms – orange juice-infused sponge cake, red apples, sultanas, and some soft spices. Palate: A spicy and hot entry, with a second wave of sweeter sensations – oranges, and mandarines, then some more milk chocolate which mixes […] - [Scapa 2003 - 19 Year Old Exclusive to The Whisky Exchange](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2023/01/30/scapa-2003-19-year-old-exclusive-to-the-whisky-exchange/): Time for a couple of recently released bottlings by TWE. Both were released end of 2022, and they look very promising. the first one I am going to review today is an older Scapa 19 yo, distilled 2003. I used to like Scapa 14 quite a bit back in the day and was sad to see it replaced by the 16 which I don’t like as much. This one on the other hand is quite unique, as it’s an official Scapa bottled for a shop (TWE). So… a 2003 cask-strength Scapa single malt, bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange – matured […] - [Glenmorangie A Tale of The Forest](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/12/31/glenmorangie-a-tale-of-the-forest/): Every year Glenmorangie releases a special limited edition that differs from the regular core range and basically, those are the brainchildren of Glenmorangie whisky maker Dr. Bill Lumsden. Previous years’ editions involved the use of special cask/grain/yeast types. This year Lumsden has decided to go with a unique way of kilning the barley with botanicals one can find in the woods near Lumsden’s house. By kilning the barley used to make this whisky with juniper, birch bark, and heather blossom, Glenmorangie have infused their single malt with earthy, nutty, vegetal, and floral notes – interesting! I first tasted this whisky in […] - [Malt Whisky Yearbook 2023](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/12/30/malt-whisky-yearbook-2023/): After much delay and having to ship it twice (thanks, Ingvar – you’re a star) and after the Israeli postal services managed to fuck it up, it showed up on my doorstep 3 months in delay… but, as they say, better late than never – this year’s yearbook offers highly interesting reading material and articles by some of the world’s best whisky writers and commentators. The Malt Whisky Yearbook is the brainchild of editor Ingvar Ronde and was first published in autumn 2005. Since then a new and completely revised edition has been published yearly. What started out as a go-to […] - [A Good Old-Fashioned Christmas Whisky 2022 Edition (TWE)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/12/03/a-good-old-fashioned-christmas-whisky2022-edition-twe/): Xmas whisky? what does it even mean? We don’t get much Xmas here as we’re mostly a Jewish nation, but when I think about Xmas whiskies What comes into mind is a sweet, sherry-influenced dram that is easy and more-ish to enjoy drinking when there’s snow falling outside and you’re sitting comfortably next to the fireplace, sipping whisky and eating Xmas cake 🙂 Probably not what really happens, definitely not in Israel, but still. This year’s Xmas whisky is rather a blended whisky and not a blend malt or single malt – meaning it has a single grain component as most […] - [Black Friday whisky, TWE 2022](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/11/29/black-friday-whisky-twe-2022/): I know i know… I am a bit late to the part this year. DHL as usual fucked up, and handled the review samples package too slowly to get them to me in time. In fact, I only received the sample the other day… The upside is that there’s still some Black Friday whisky to be bought on the TWE site, if you’ve not gotten yourself a bottle and decide to get one after you read my review 😉 This year TWE has chosen to go with a 16-year-old Islay single malt from the Caol Ila distillery. While Coal Ila is […] - [Miltonduff 8 yo (Vintage Whisky)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/11/21/miltonduff-8-yo-vintage-whisky/): This is the 2nd independent bottling of Israeli boutique importer (and friend) Vintage Whisky (I reviewed their first single cask – a Caol Ila a few years ago). This time they opted for a non-standard Cask finish – in Palo Cortado sherry cask. Palo Cortado is a unique sort of sherry as it is initially aged under flor to become a fino or amontillado, but inexplicably loses its veil of flor and begins aging oxidatively as an oloroso- as such it resembles amontillado on the nose, but Oloroso on the palate… It’s also the most rare of sherries, only a fraction of casks that are […] - [Cameron Bridge 26 yo - Special releases 2022](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/11/19/cameron-bridge-26-yo-special-releases-2022/): This single grain from Cameron Bridge makes its debut in the SR this year. Cameron Bridge once known as Cameron Brig, is Diageo’s biggest Grain distillery and contributes its liquid to the best-selling Johnnie Walker blended whisky range. Now, Grain whiskies can be fun, and can be lovely when older, as they are mostly very simple distillates, the cask bears a major influence on them even more than it does on single malts. This whisky was aged in standard issue refill Bourbon casks, no fancy casks, and no finishing. so it’s all up to the oak to shine… Let’s try some. […] - [Cardhu 16 yo - Special Release 2022](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/11/17/cardhu-16-yo-special-release-2022/): I’m not the greatest fan of Cardhu. Can’t say I’ve ever been impressed with any, maybe it’s my fault , maybe it’s just not the whisky that makes an impression on my palate. This year’s edition is aged for 16 years. Initially matured in refill American oak and then finished in Jamaican rum. Intriguing? Let’s find out. Cardhu 16 yo – Special Release 2022, 58%, £160 (TWE) Nose: A bit of an alcohol bite, it needs some time to settle in the glass, then it’s fruity with a touch of tropicals (Rum finish, remember)? I am picking up some strawberry smoothie […] - [Lagavulin 12 yo - Special Release 2022](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/11/05/lagavulin-12-yo-special-release-2022/): When it comes to the Special Releases on whisky almost always present: the 12-year-old Lagavulin! It’s usually a kicking, high abv version as opposed to the older more restrained, and sherry-influenced 16 yo. This year the 12 is present again, yet in addition to the traditional re-fill oak casks, there’s a wee touch of virgin wood casks used to finish this edition of the Lagavulin 12. One more fact worth mentioning this year, is that this whisky is made of the peatiest Lagavulin in the warehouse in terms of PPM (it appears they keep a ppm information on the casks when […] - [Clynelish 12 yo - Special Release 2022](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/10/25/clynelish-12-yo-special-release-2022/): Remember the 2015 edition of the SR? they included a NAS Clynelish Select Reserve, which was lovely but cost an arm and a leg (550 quid back then!!). This year’s the Clynelish is back with a 12-year-old more affordable (not cheap, but what whisky is cheap these days, eh? ). If you’re expecting a classic ex-bourbon Clynelish you’re up for a surprise as this one’s finished in oloroso and PX casks for more than two years, adding a sweet sherry edge to it. let’s try some… Clynelish 12 yo Special Release 2022 , 58.5% Nose: mmm. Sweet Xmas cakes, with lots […] - [Talisker 11 yo - Special release 2022 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/10/22/talisker-11-yo-special-release-2022-edition/): Time to review this year’s Special releases from Diageo. This year they have continued with the colorful fantasy theme on the labels and bottles – seems people like these colorful and bold labels. Labels aside – what’s more important is the liquid inside, right? Diageo has labeled the bottles from the SR 2022 and grouped them into 2 groups: Dark and Vivid. The dark ones are of course the Lagavulin, Talisker, Mortlach, Clynelish, and Oban while the rest are labeled as “Vivid”. I’ve decided to start with the peaty and smokier ones, starting with the young 11 yo Talisker, then will […] - [TWE Whisky Show 2022 bottlings -Review Part II](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/10/10/twe-whisky-show-2022-bottlings-review-part-ii/): 2 Peated whiskies were reviewed last week, it’s time for the 3 remaining whiskies of the show. Let’s start with the Clynelish Clynelish 11yo , distilled 17/05/2011 , single barrel #800273 , 58.7%, £89.95 Nose: Starting with a lot of fresh dough notes up front, then getting sweeter with bananas, brown sugar, and a hint of pineapple ice cream, creme Anglaise, and the well-known waxiness you expect to find in a Clynelish, give it more time and some hint of lemon and more vanilla reveal themselves. Palate: Really oily and viscous, almost chewable on the palate, the waxiness is very much noticeable […] - [TWE Whisky Show 2022 bottlings -Review Part I - Peat session](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/10/07/twe-whisky-show-2022-bottlings-review-part-i-peat-session/): The whisky show 2022 took place last weekend in London. Sadly I was not able to attend, but many Israeli friends did go and had a great time, from what I hear. I was looking fwd to trying this year’s releases and sadly got them only today (Thanks to DHL being assholes and not being able to deliver to me even though the package was in Israel all week – holiday season here so many vacations). Finally, I put my hands on them and sat writing my notes. In the past, TWE has made innovative use of ultraviolet ink and anaglyphic […] - [Royal Lochnagar 16 yo (Special release 2021)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/09/10/royal-lochnagar-16-yo-special-release-2021/): Summer is about to end, and it’s maybe time to continue posting tasting notes, after taking some time off whisky. I never got to review this Lochnagar 16 from last year’s SR and after the queen has passed away while at the Balmoral castle, it is only fitting to try this dram from a distillery which is located on the Balmoral estate. The whisky comes from a mix of American & European Oak Refill Casks , aged for 16 years and bottled at a nice 57.5 % abv. Royal Lochnagar 16 yo (Special release 2021), 57.5 %, £199 Nose: Lovely mix […] - [Teeling Amburana Cask (The Duchess)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/07/03/teeling-amburana-cask-the-duchess/): Time for some whiskey, and a very unique cask type today: Amburana wood. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve heard about this wood type. It seems it’s a Brazillian type of hardwood used originally to age cachaça. Irish distilleries have an edge over the Scotch distillers as they are able to use all sorts of wood types and not only Oak – pretty cool. This cask is bottled for the Duchess , aged 15 years in virgin Amburana cask – very excited to get to try how this unique sort of wood can affect the Irish distillate. let’s […] - [Bruichladdich Port Charlotte SC:01 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/05/05/bruichladdich-port-charlotte-sc01-2012/): A rather interesting new release from Bruichladdich is this 2012 vintage Port Charlotte distilled from 100% Islay Barley harvested in the 2011 growing season by seven of the distillery’s long-term, local farming partners, these Concerto, Propino, Publican, and Oxbridge varieties of Islay-grown barley were later malted to a heavyweight 40 PPM by Baird’s in Inverness. Hailing from Caithness, this Scottish mainland peat is thought to produce a softer, barbeque, heathery smoke in the Port Charlotte spirit as opposed to the more medicinal flavors traditionally associated with Islay sourced peat. Maturation is a mixed For this specific release, involving refill sherry casks, […] - [Bruichladdich Islay barley 2013, 8 yo](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/04/09/bruichladdich-islay-barley-2013-8-yo/): Missing Islay, and trying this dram which reminds me of this wee lovely Island. hope to be there soon this year.. Quick facts: (and Bruichladdich’s transparency is proving very useful when looking for details about the dram. 100% islay grown barley. concerto varietal. yeast strain: Mauri and Kerry. 75% full-term first-fill American whiskey casks, 25% second-fill European wine casks: a combination of Ribera del Duero, syrah, and Pauillac. Nose: Sweet pastries, with layers of vanilla and stone fruit on top of each other, some banana on top (but not the sweet kind, almost unripe), caramel and brown sugar, very light and […] - [April Fool's whisky, Ardnamurchan 5 yo (TWE)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/04/01/april-fools-whisky-ardnamurchan-5-yo-twe/): Time for this Year’s April fool’s whisky, this time they have chosen to go with a younger malt from one of the more interesting young whisky distilleries out there: Ardnamurchan, which is owned by Adelphi. Noy a lot of details are revealed about this one but what we know is that it’s a marriage of peated and unpeated 5-year-old whisky from first-fill bourbon and oloroso-sherry casks distilled in 2016 ( Three unpeated first-fill ex-bourbon barrels Two peated ex-oloroso hogsheads) April Fool’s whisky, 53.2% , £74.95, 1,600 btl. Nose: Nice start, with not an awful lot of smoke and peat: quite earthy […] - [Cardhu 14 yo (2021 Special Release)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/03/28/cardhu-14-yo-2021-special-release/): Been some time since I visited the first batch of Diageo SR for 2021, and today I am about to taste the Cardhu 14. Cardhu might not be the sexiest of distilleries in the Diageo portfolio, but There are quite a few people who seem to like this malt (even outside Spain). Not an awful lot of details about this one, but what I could find online is that the whisky was distilled in 2006 – Initially matured in re-fill American oak, it was then finished in red wine casks (no further details about the type of red wine or origin). Cardhu […] - [Octomore 10 yo , 5th Edition (90.3PPM)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/02/22/octomore-10-yo-5th-edition-90-3ppm/): It’s been quite some time since my last tasting note, mostly due to some cold, and bloody covid playing with my sense of smell and taste, but now I am pretty sure I am back! Released not long ago, this is the 5th edition of the Octomore 10-year-old – this time It’s not as peaty as before (it’s an Octomore, so it’s still damn peaty) – ‘just’ 90.3 PPM. The whisky we’re about to taste was distilled in 2010 from the 2009 harvest of 100% Scottish grown Optic Barley. It was matured for five years in 1st fill American Oak casks […] - [Caperdonich 2000 (TWE Exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/01/31/caperdonich-2000-twe-exclusive/): Another Exclusive to TWE is this 21-year-old Caperdonich bottled by Signatory in their ‘vintage’ line. The whisky comes from one single HHD cask which held the liquid for the entire length of the maturation. Caperdonich 2000 (TWE Exclusive) , 56.9% , £299 Nose: Starting quite sweet, with lots of vanilla custard, and some fruit on top (mostly berries and some ripe cherry jam), wood shavings, coconut shreds, golden syrup, some fried bananas on top of the whipped cream, sprinkled with maple syrup and a slight hint of raisins. Palate: Sweet and creamy, with some wood spices on the get-go, a slight […] - [Ballechin 2003 18 yo (TWE Exclusive)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/01/21/ballechin-2003-18-yo-twe-exclusive/): Time for another smoky dram, just in time as this is the coldest week this winter (yet), around here. Israel’s not a very cold place, and our winters are mild ones, but this week it’s under 10 degrees at night, (and more like 0 in higher places around here) so, that’s pretty cold by our Levantine standards. Hence: smoky drams. Ballechins are usually a blast, and I quite fondly remember one Ballechin I liked very much released almost 3 years ago by TWE, that time it was aged for 15 years, in sherry (I reviewed it here). This one’s older, and […] - [Teeling 1991 Rum cask #10568 (TWE exclusive )](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/01/15/teeling-1991-rum-cask-10568-twe-exclusive/): Time for some #whiskey: with a 1991 Teeling: The Teeling family have some of the best old casks of Irish whiskey in their warehouses, and occasionally they let TWE choose something special to bottle as an exclusive. This 29-year-old single malt has spent its life in a rum cask. Teeling 1991 Rum cask #10568 , 52.4%, £595 Nose: Light and grassy, and quite green on the first whiff, then we arrive at the tropical fruit heaven we’ve grown accustomed to in those 1990’s Irish whiskies, right? Lighter fresh notes of Kiwi and passionfruit complimented by semi-ripe orange watermelon and maybe a […] - [Caol Ila 2010 11 Year Old Sherry Cask (TWE) Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2022/01/12/caol-ila-2010-11-year-old-sherry-cask-twe-exclusive/): Looks like TWE have bottled quite a few exclusive single cask releases lately, and I shall be visiting some of them in the coming weeks. Alongside older and expensive Teeling, Caperdonich and Linkwood there are two smoky drams: this 11-year-old CI and an older 18 yo Ballechin. Winter is upon us and I decided to try this smoky and massively sherried whisky first, I was longing for some nice peat and sherry, something I’ve not had in many weeks. This is a 2010 Caol Ila single malt, bottled in September 2021 by Signatory Vintage exclusively for The Whisky Exchange, after 11 […] - [Saturnalia 20 Years Blended Malt (Whisky Sponge /Decadent drinks)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/12/25/saturnalia-20-years-blended-malt-whisky-sponge-decadent-drinks/): Originally released as a contra measure by the sponge for all the black friday whisky deals. apparantly Saturnalia is a past pagan festiavl , held in mid-December, honoring the agricultural god Saturn. Saturnalia celebrations are the source of many of the traditions we now associate with Christmas. The sponge put it nicely on the site: Step ye merrily beneath ye mistletoe of Jesus and spendeth thy coinage upon ye sacred plastic trinkets of yonder black Fryday and other sacred money fumblings of the run up to Christmas and all her divinely anointed food waste… This whisky was created by mixing together […] - [Glenmorangie 'A Tale Of Winter'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/12/17/glenmorangie-a-tale-of-winter/): This year’s special edition Glenmorangie was released a few months ago, and now arrived in Israel, just in time for the start of winter. We do not get a lot of winter around here, and if we do it’s mostly rain and weather residents of Scotland might call “summer” or “autumn”, but for us Israelis it’s a nice few months break from the scorching months of summer and spring. This year’s edition is a 13-year-old Glenmo finished in Sicilian Marsala wine casks, which sounds just about right for a chilly winter evening. It’s bottled yet again at 46% abv, and not […] - [Glen Grant 1995 & Caperdonich 2000 (Whisky Sponge)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/12/11/glen-grant-1995-caperdonich-2000-whisky-sponge/): Time for some more Whisky sponge IB editions (more coming.. they are quite prolific). Let’s start with a nice 1995 Glen Grant. I am quite a fan of the distillery and have noticed that with good age GG are brilliant whiskies. Here’s hoping this one’s great too. A nice touch by the sponge, as GG and Caperdonich have quite something in common: Caperdonich, originally known as “Glen Grant #2”, was built in 1898 by the founders of the Glen Grant distillery, J. & J. Grant. Glen Grant #2 closed after four years and was dormant until 1965 when it was rebuilt […] - [Black Friday 2021 edition (The Whisky Exchange)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/11/26/black-friday-2021-edition-the-whisky-exchange/): Now in its fifth year, this highly anticipated limited-edition single malt Scotch whisky has been unveiled by The Whisky Exchange to celebrate the good things in life this Black Friday. Similar to their April Fools’ Day whisky earlier this year, it is an anonymous Speyside single Malt Scotch whisky, this time bottled at 22 years old. It’s a vatting of a number of casks – the details of which are not even known to TWE and is bottled undiluted at 49.2% ABV and sold for  £110 which is a very good price for a 22-year-old single malt. Only 1,800 bottles are available, […] - [Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2011](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/11/18/bruichladdich-bere-barley-2011/): Another new-ish Laddie from this year, this uses Bere Barley, for those of you not quite familiar with this strain of barley : Bere barley is a heritage variety of barley that never quite reached peak popularity with farmers or distillers, owing to its low yield. Bere Barley never made the ‘recommended growing list’ for farmers, and so sowing the seed fell out of fashion. The ancient landrace would have been all but lost if it were not for the resurrection mission forged by the Barony Mill with the helping hand of the Orkney College (UHI Agronomy Institute). This 2011 vintage […] - [A Fine Christmas Malt 2021(The Whisky Exchange)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/11/14/a-fine-christmas-malt-2021the-whisky-exchange/): Xmas is almost around the corner, and as in recent years, TWE do not disappoint and are preparing their festive whiskies, mainly the Xmas malt, and the Black Friday which is yet to be announced (but the counter is on on the TWE site, so there’s definitely going to be one). This year they have chosen a quite different profile: a vatting of five casks – 3 refill hogsheads and 2 sherry butts from a well known Orkney distillery who seem to like Nordic lore (ok, you get the hint) brought together to create a festive whisky aged for 16 years and […] - [Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2013](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/11/13/port-charlotte-islay-barley-2013/): “THERE IS SOMETHING MAGICAL ABOUT HOW THE ISLAY GROWN BARLEY HOLDS THE SMOKE BACK FOR A MOMENT UNTIL RELEASING IT DRAMATICALLY ON THE FINISH.” — Adam Hannett Time for more Port Charlotte notes, this time the Islay grown barley expressions from 2013. The barley harvest for this 2013 vintage was also raised on Islay in 2012 by seven of our Islay farming partners. Hunter Jackson at Cruach, Ian McKerrell at Island farm, Raymond Fletcher at Dunlossit estate, Donald and Andrew Jones at Coull, Mark French at Rockside, Alastair Torrance at Mulindry and Raymond Stewart. This eight-year-old single malt has matured in […] - [Croftengea 2006, 15 Year Old (TWE)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/11/11/croftengea-200615-year-old-twe/): This one’s a 15-year-old from the peaty label (one of them) of Loch Lomond. LL is a very versatile distillery having specially constructed still “necks” which allow for quite a few different distillate types. This one’s still online and available on the TWE site as opposed to the last 2 drams I’ve reviewed. Croftengea is the most heavily peated of all Loch Lomond’s whiskies and is normally used to add a twist of smoke to the distillery’s blends. Like most of the distillery’s single malts, it is made in Inchmurrin stills: copper pot stills whose swan necks have been replaced by […] - [A Speyside Distillery 2008 Sherry cask (TWE)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/11/05/a-speyside-distillery-2008-sherry-cask-twe/): it’s November, and time to think about Xmas and holidays drams to be had in winter, when the weather’s cold and snow is falling outsides (well, not around here, but in the EU, Americas it does, right?). Winter nights in Israel are not very cold, but sherried whiskies are welcome in winter even around here. This whisky comes from a mystery distillery (not many details, but the color is very dark), distilled in 2008 & matured in a single ex-sherry hogshead for 12 years, before being bottled in 2021.  Let’s have a go, a lovely sherried dram is just what I […] - [Ben Nevis 1996 (TWE)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/11/05/ben-nevis-1996-twe/): Not much info about this one other than that it’s vintage 1996 matured in a single hogshead for 25 years, and bottled in at 51.1%. Ben Nevis is gaining a lot of popularity in recent years, and the 10-year-old is a staple, this one’s much older, and it’s going to be interesting seeing how the Ben Nevis dirty signature keeps after a quarter of a century in wood… Ben Nevis 1996 (TWE) , 51.1% , £240 (Sold out) Nose: musty old wood, with a dirty touch to it, granny smith green apples, lemongrass tea, pastries and some cereal, and fresh kiwis […] - [New Yarmouth (Jamaica) 1994 (The Colors of #Rum)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/11/03/new-yarmouth-jamaica-1994-the-colors-of-rum/): The colors of rum is a relatively new IB. and a daughter company of the well knows Polish high-end bottler ‘wealth solutions’. TCOR wants to showcase the best that the rum world has to offer. They started by bottling rum from a selection of casks from the very finest producers. Their creative team has prepared bottle designs inspired by the colors of the national flags of the countries, which have created these rums. The result is a series of products for enthusiasts, connoisseurs, and collectors alike. I am going to review quite a lot of those rums, and starting with a […] - [Bruichladdich Black Art 09.1- first impressions](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/11/01/bruichladdich-black-art-09-1-first-impressions/): After the trio of Octomores comes the latest Bruichladdich release which happens today: the much anticipated Black Art 09.1. If you’re new to the Black art series, this is a mix of casks that is never revealed and is chosen by the master distiller, who used to be Jim M. and now Adam Hannett. He picks special older casks from the warehouse which are pre-renaissance and vats them to create something quite different. BA releases are often polarizing: with people loving them while others just don’t seem to like the profile, so it’s very personal. Over the years I’ve tasted some […] - [Oban 12 yo Special Release 2021 (The tale of twin foxes)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/10/30/oban-12-yo-special-release-2021-the-tale-of-twin-foxes/): I’ve been getting quite a few comments asking about this year’s Oban SR, and having been a bit busy this week I’ve not had time to write proper notes, so here goes. The 12 yo comes from ex-Bourbon and refill casks (although I’ve also read something about this being aged in fresh charred American oak, so not sure what to really say about that. 1 ) and bottled art a nice 56.2% abv. Oban 12 yo Special release 2021, 56.2% , £104.49 Nose: Oban’s a distillery is a coastal one sitting a spit’s length from Oban ban, so it’s very fitting […] - [The Singleton of Glendullan 19 yo (Special Release 2021)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/10/23/the-singleton-of-glendullan-19-yo-special-release-2021/): After reviewing the peaty expressions from this year’s Special release, it’s time to start going through the non-peated whiskies. I’ve chosen to start with this one, finished in Ex-Cognac casks (which is not a very usual cask finish for whiskies, and especially for Diageo) after aging in refill American oak casks. Interesting… I am not a big fan of the “Singleton” line of whiskies, not sure why Diageo chose to hide the distillery names or group a few distilleries under the Singelton umbrella. go figure. The Singleton of Glendullan 19 yo, 54.6 %, £135 Nose: Quite fruity (not surprising) with aromas […] - [Lagavulin 26 Special Release 2021 (The Lion's Jewel)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/10/22/lagavulin-26-special-release-2021-the-lions-jewel/): As I am making my way through this year’s Special Release and starting with the more affordable whiskies, I really wanted to try the oldest of the bunch (and the most expensive) – The Lagavulin 26. Priced at £1,650 it’s not a whisky most of us mere mortals can afford to buy, but someone’s got to do the hard work of tasting it, right? The whisky comes from a mix of first-fill PX/Oloroso seasoned casks and is the first-ever 26-year-old Lagavulin (not sure why this is important, as it’s not the oldest Laga we’ve seen but anyways). Let’s have a wee […] - [Lagavulin 12 yo , Special Release 2021 (The Lion's fire)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/10/21/lagavulin-12-yo-special-release-2021-the-lions-fire/): ‘The prince of Islay’ is doubly represented in this year’s Special releases, and rightly so. Lagavulin probably is one of the most popular of all Diageo distilleries, and has been producing Exceptional whiskies for relatively reasonable prices in the last few decades, be it the 16 year old which is a staple, or the 12-year-olds which are ‘regular’s in the special releases. The 12-year-old comes with great expectations based on excellent SR bottlings, and this year’s no exception. It is aged in refill casks letting the spirit shine. Good call. Lagavulin 12 yo , Special Release 2021 ,  56.5% , £128 […] - [Talisker 8 yo - Diageo Special release 2021](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/10/19/talisker-8-yo-diageo-special-release-2021/): It’s that time of year again and the Diageo Special Release whiskies are on sale again, this year we have 8 malts coming from 7 distilleries (and two expressions come from the Lagavulin distillery). Fortunately, I was able to receive a tasting set as a preview (thanks Diageo & The Story guys – this year’s package is stunning, you must agree). You may like or dislike the bottle art this year which is kind of fantasy legend style, but what’s important is the liquid, right? I will start with reviewing the more approachable group of whiskies (read affordable), and make my […] - [Ballechin 2005 whisky sponge edition no.36c](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/10/11/ballechin-2005-whisky-sponge-edition-no-36c/): Decadent Drinks/whisky sponge has bottled a trio of Ballechin smoky whiskies recently (they call it The Spongetopia Trilogy) and this one of them (the other two will be reviewed later) : this one’s a 2005 15 year old Ballechin, matured full term in a second fill sherry hogshead with an outturn of 266 bottles at a natural cask strength of 57.3%.  I’ve grown quite fond of Ballechin in recent years, with a few stunning sherried examples such as the TWE 15-year-old single cask I reviewed a couple of years back. They can be awesome, and I am expecting a lot of […] - [Octomore 12.x Extravaganza (Octomore 12.1 / 12.2 / 12.3)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/10/05/octomore-12-x-extravaganza/): This time of the year is upon us with a trio of brand new Octomores in their 12th batch. this time we’ve got all 3 available for purchase including the X.2 which is a travel retail edition but will also be widely available in case you’re wondering. We’ll taste all 3, starting with the 12.1, of course. Octomore 12.1 5yo, 59.9%, £131 Facts: Distilled in 2015 from the 2014 harvest of 100% Scottish grown Concerto barley, Malted to 130.8 PPM  Bottled unchill-filtered and coloring-free at Bruichladdich Distillery. Maturation profile: Full-term maturation in first-fill American whiskey casks Matured entirely on Islay for five […] - [Equilibrium one 10 yo (whisky sponge)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/10/03/equilibrium-one-10-yo-whisky-sponge/): Equilibrium one 10 yo (whisky sponge) , 52% , Sold Out Seems that DD and the sponge did acquire quite a bit of Ballechin stock, and this one’s partly Ballechin as well. Partly you say? Yes indeed, this is a mix of non-peated Edradour cask (First Fill Sherry Butt) and a peated Ballechin from a refill Hoggie. Edradour Et al: I used to dread Edradour a few years back, their funky notes of used socks and god knows what did not quite do it for me. However, I must admit something good is happening over there and recent OB and IB […] - [Caol Ila 2007 Equinox & Solstice Autumn Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/09/24/caol-ila-2007-equinox-solstice-autumn-edition/): It’s true you can’t go wrong with Caol Ila, and there are many young CIs being released by may IBS, this one’s distilled in 2007 and botted at 48.5% again (wonder why they chose this abv for all of the E&A releases – I need to ask…) At any rate a really nice whisky this one, ideal for those chilly autumn nights which are upon us , hopefully soon. (we don’t have much of a winter here, mind you). Caol Ila 2007 Equinox & Solstice Autumn Edition , 48.5%, £95 Nose: Yes, we’re certainly on islay! Lovely coastal notes with Seabreeze, […] - [Highland Malt 10 yo 2010 ‘Candlekitty’ (Equinox & Solstice)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/09/23/highland-malt-10-yo-2010-candlekitty-equinox-solstice/): Summer is over and as Autumn winds come blowing, and hopefully some rain is going to fall soon on our neck of the woods, It’s time to re-hop on the whisky bandwagon and taste some interesting whiskies that have arrived lately from all sorts of IB and distilleries. The first of which is the 2010 Highland which is a part of the Equinox & Solstice series by  Decadent Drinks (whisky sponge et al.) which celebrates summer and winter. This Highlands single malt is nicknamed Candlekitty – It does not take a lot of imagination to figure out where this one comes from (hint: it starts […] - [Beenleigh 13 yo Rum, cask 38 (The Duchess)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/08/28/beenleigh-13-yo-rum-cask-38-the-duchess/): An Australian Rum? say what?! yes, Australian Rum. I know this might sound weird to some of you (and was also to me a few months ago when I heard about this distillery called Beenliegh), but this exists, and it also has been distilling rum for quite a long time, first created in 1884. A bit of history then : In 1865 a duo from England by the names of John Davy and Francis Gooding purchased 300 acres of land fronting the Albert River. They named the clearing after their old Devonshire farm, which was called Beenleigh. Originally, they had intended […] - [Caol Ila 2001 19 yo Exclusive to The Whisky Exchange](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/08/04/caol-ila-2001-19-yo-exclusive-to-the-whisky-exchange/): Today we’re about to taste another TWE Exclusive – this time A 2001 Caol Ila single malt from indie bottler Gordon & MacPhail, matured in a single first-fill bourbon barrel for 19 years. Caol Ila 2001 , TWE (G&M) , 57.6% , £175 Nose: This brings back memories from the islay coast: seaspray, seaweed, Seabreeze, you name it, it has got it all. But it’s not just like taking a stroll on the CI bay. There are many other things happening on the nose. A nice smoky layer with beach fires, soot, and then a fruity/sweet addition in the form of […] - [Benromach 201010 Year Old Exclusive To The Whisky Exchange (cask 390)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/08/02/benromach-201010-year-old-exclusive-to-the-whisky-exchange-cask-390/): Summertime and the living is easy… It’s summer, and this year’s quite hot, I am not drinking a lot of whiskies even in my AC’ed tasting room: it’s mostly beer and an occasional highball cocktail with lots of ice and lime, a splash of whisky or rum inside – for sure. But just in time I have a few interesting samples to review, and that has re-lit the whisky flame in me, so to speak. A bunch of new TWE exclusives has gone online, and I will be tasting them this week. It has been some time I’ve had a yummy […] - [Arran 1996 24 yo Cask 757 {TWE Exclusive}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/06/23/arran-1996-24-yo-cask-757-twe-exclusive/): Another Interesting Exclusive to TWE this time an older 1996 Arran single malt bottled March 2021 after 24 years in a single cask – record-keeping at Arran back then wasn’t as good as it is today, and TWE don’t know for certain what type of cask it was . However, they think it’s a wine cask of some kind (Sherry? other?) A 24-year-old Arran is indeed promising. I do think Arrans benefit quite a lot from long aging, so there’s something to forward ahead for… Arran 1996 24 yo Cask 757 {TWE Exclusive} , 53.4% , £199 Nose: A nice and […] - [Lagavulin 13 yo Feis Ile 2021 Edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/06/19/lagavulin-13-yo-feis-ile-2021-edition/): After a rather excellent Caol Ila 12 I reviewed last week, it’s time to try the Lagavulin 13 which was also bottled for this year’s ‘virtual’ Feis Ile. This Lagavulin was initially matured in re-fill American oak casks, before being transferred to high char ex-Port barrels for a finishing period. There are 6,000 bottles of this whisky made available online on Malts.com . Port and peat, sound promising, right? Lagavulin 13 yo Feis Ile 2021 Edition , 54.4% Nose: What a nice entry with the Tarry ropes, peaty bogs, and mossy shores, which remind me of Lagavulin bay: more soot and […] - [Caol Ila 12-year-old Feis Ile 2021 edition](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/06/17/caol-ila-12-year-old-feis-ile-2021-edition/): Not much of a Feis Ile 2021 this year due to Covid, but some distilleries released interesting editions that were sold online to their fans. Diageo has bottled a 12-year-old Caol Ila 12, and a 13-year-old Lagavulin 13 which sold nicely on malts.com The Caol Ila festival bottling has been matured in refill American-Oak and finished in high char Moscatel-seasoned casks. Fèis Ìle Caol Ila 12-Year-Old is bottled at 56.6% ABV, there were 3,000 bottles in this batch. Let’s have a wee taste, shall we? Caol Ila 12-year-old Feis Ile 2021 , 56.6% , £130 Nose: Quite classic CI notes on the nose, with initial peatiness on […] - [Balblair 2005/2021 Exclusive To The Whisky Exchange](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/06/15/balblair-2005-2021-exclusive-to-the-whisky-exchange/): TWE have released two very interesting exclusive single casks last week, the first of which is this Balblair 2005 (the 2nd is an older wine cask Arran which seems to be sold out, but maybe will go online again soon). It has been some time since I’ve tasted a new Balblair (I think the last OB ones I’ve tasted were the new OBS a few years ago – check out my post here) . This one comes from cask 213 (an Ex-bourbon cask) and is quite a fruity whisky, bottled at 48.5% abv (I wonder why so low ABV). Balblair 2005/2021 […] - [Bruichladdich 'Origins' Feis Ile 2021](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/06/03/bruichladdich-origins-feis-ile-2021/): Celebrating 20 years of milestones with a series of our liquid firsts, the Laddie Origins recipe drawsunpeated single malt from 13 casks, across 12 vintages, 6 barley types, and 9 different cask types !!.Hand-selected by Adam Hannet, this recipe contains Bruichladdich’s first-ever taste of biodynamically grown barley,which in itself is a Scotch single malt first! Triple distilled Bruichladdich as well as casks containingsome of our oldest barley-exploration spirits have also been selected for this vatting. While they cannot divulge the year of distillation for each component due to Scotch law, Bruichladdich can share some information about the ingredients used in the […] - [Port Charlotte PAC:01 2011](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/05/16/port-charlotte-pac01-2011/): Feis Ile 2021 is nearing and time for some Islay reviews on the blog. The latest release from Bruichladdich is this PC in their experimental series. This is a 40 ppm (post distillation) heavily peated whisky, bottled at 56.1% distilled from 100% Scottish barley (concerto), and distilled in 2011. In making this whisky Two parcels of heavily peated port Charlotte spirit, distilled in November 2011, have been combined to create the final whisky: Parcel one – 6 yrs in 1st fill ex-American whiskey casks, then 2 yrs in 1st fill casks which previously held Red wine from the Pauillac region of […] - [Diamond 17 yo Guyana Cask #26 (The Duchess NL)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/05/08/diamond-17-yo-guyana-cask-26/): Time for another Rum review of a Duchess single cask bottling, this one’s 17 years old, bottled at a nice cask strength of 59.3%, in the Hummingbirds range of IB rums. Nose: A lot of licorice to start with, then some rubber and a fruity note as well mostly of pears and maybe a hint of apple. Quite some oak in there (I like that!), and a solid wood varnish edge, which mixes nicely with the vanilla and butterscotch notes underneath – a big and complex nose, with the molasses all over. Palate: not as sweet as the nose suggested, more […] - [Kilchoman 2007 / 13 yo TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/05/03/kilchoman-2007-13-yo-twe-exclusive/): Time for another TWE Exclusive, which is going online today – an ex-bourbon cask aged for 13 years by Kilchoman. This young distillery is getting older (having been opened in 2005), and we’re seeing older and older stock, along with younger finished youngsters. When the distillery was released lovely 3 and 4-year-old casks, I was thinking to myself “Wow, this is lovely, but I want to see how this young peaty whisky will age”, and I must say it has aged wonderfully, although peaty whiskies tend to shine when young, this 13-year-old (not exactly old whisky, mind you) is still very […] - [Caol Ila 2005 /15 yo Sherry Cask TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/04/26/caol-ila-2005-15-yo-sherry-cask-twe-exclusive/): The TWE is releasing two Limited editions, the first of which is this Caol Ila from G&M in their Connoisseur’s choice range. The whisky was matured in a single refill sherry hogshead for 15 years, before being bottled in January 2021. Caol Ila 2005 /15 yo Sherry Cask TWE Exclusive ,  57.5% , £120 Nose: Sweet smoke amidst ripe blood orange flesh, quite maritime, with some sweet marinated meats over a bonfire on the beach, next to tarry-roped fishing boats. Further nosing reveals sweet pastries, mostly apple tartlets, peppermint gum, and cinnamon spice. A nice sweet touch, but the sherry works […] - [Glenfarclas 21 yo 95 Proof TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/04/19/glenfarclas-21-yo-95-proof-twe-exclusive/): The 2nd exclusive offering from TWE and Glenfarclas available on the TWE site is this older 21-year-old whisky bottled at 95 proof, which is 54.2%. It’s also a bit pricier, is it worth the extra pounds? let’s try some. Glenfarclas 21 yo 95 Proof TWE Exclusive , 54.2% , £125 Nose: the nose is heavier than the 15-year-old with macerated red fruit, initially some black cherries and more notes of blackcurrant jam, then off to dried fruit mainly fig and dates, but also the occasional sultana note. On further nosing, one finds black tea leaves and earthy touch, along with ripe […] - [Glenfarclas 15 Year Old 100 Proof TWE Exclusive](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/04/19/glenfarclas-15-year-old-100-proof-twe-exclusive/): TWE has teamed up with Glenfarclas to bottle two Exclusive bottles, the first of which is this 15 year old at British 100 proof (which is 57.1%). Not much info, other than that it was aged in sherry seasoned casks (obviously , this is Farclas!) . I am quite a fan of the ‘regular’ OB 15 and this one at a higher strength, sounds lovely. Glenfarclas 15 Year Old 100 Proof TWE Exclusive , 57.1% , £74.95, TWE Nose:  Lovely dried fruit on entry, mostly macerated sultanas in sweet sherry,  stewed apples (red mostly), and sweet pastries dipped in Creme Catalan, […] - [WP Lluidas Vale - Worthy Park 14 yo Rum (The Duchess)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/04/17/wp-lluidas-vale-worthy-park-14-yo-rum-the-duchess/): Time for another Rum coming from our friend Nils of the Duchess NL. this time he’s bottled a 14 yo Worthy park 14 which can not be named WP, thus they are calling it Luidas Vale which is essentially where WP is. WP Lluidas Vale – Worthy Park 14 yo Rum , 56.8% , € 67,70 Nose: Quite intense with a wide array of notes: starting on licorice, Olive brine, mint, and also overripe banana, pepper, and acetone, some spent motor oil as well, with a nice touch of oak, wet paint, and more of the over-ripe Pineapple in yogurt cream, the […] - [Bruichladdich 'The Ternary Project'](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/04/01/bruichladdich-the-ternary-project/): Especially for this year’s April fool’s day, Bruichladdich are releasing the first of a series of experiments (really, this is no hoax) . they have shared the following info: “The Ternary Project is the first in a series of revitalised small-batch experiments released from Bruichladdich Distillery. Taken from the inner workings of our Head Distiller’s sample room, these non-conformist spirits are revealed for curiosity’s sake. This Ternary Project, meaning to consist or involve three parts, pays homage to a time in our distillery’s past when we refuted the practice of distilling one homogenised malt type. Combining our three most recognised single […] - [April Fool's Whisky (TWE 2021)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/04/01/april-fools-whisky-twe-2021/): April fools is upon us, and instead of the not so funny April fool prancks, jokes etc, TWE are releasing a special whisky, which is not a bad idea, isn’t it? The whisky However has a catch, befitting April fools, it really isn’t what it seems to be. Maintaining the mystery, the label of the bottle has been printed with an ink sensitive to UV light, hiding details until a torch, included with every purchase, reveals the hidden text. A visible statement declares ‘Extremely young, I wish I were older’ as a tactic to retain the illusion of the whisky’s true age which is […] - [Bruichladdich 8 yo Islay Barley 2012](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/03/22/bruichladdich-8-yo-islay-barley-2012/): “We want to support people who grow for flavor, those champions of heritage and natural crops. By partnering with them we can find new and long-forgotten flavors, reconnecting our whisky with its vital raw ingredients.” Adam Hannett , Head Distillery, Bruichladdich Time for some new Bruichladich Islay barley. Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2012 was produced using barley grown on Islay in 2011 by eight farmers from western and central farms on Islay, which was dried, malted and distilled in 2012. The unpeated whisky was matured in a mix of first-fill American whiskey casks (75%) and French wine casks (25%) for a minimum […] - [Ledaig 21 Year Old 1998 Marsala Cask Finish](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/03/11/ledaig-21-year-old-1998-marsala-cask-finish/): Ledaig make brilliant whiskies in recent years, this one’s aged for 21 years having been finished in Marsala wine casks. Ledaig 21 Year Old 1998 Marsala Cask Finish , 55.8% , £199 Nose: Sweet red fruit, mainly ripe cherries, some grapes, maybe a hint of light prune, with very nice old wood feeling to it as well, some sour notes of citrus fruit and a nice sweet smoky touch, distant wood fires, sweet glazed meats roasted on bonfires. Palate: Dried fruit smoldered by smoke, mostly sultanas. A hint of chocolate and some wood spices and pepper. Lovely peaty, with a wee […] - [Ledaig 2004 (The Daily Dram)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/03/08/ledaig-2004-the-daily-dram/): Ledaigs are usually a treat to taste, and this one’s no exception, lovely stuff at 15 years, with a nice farmy twist along the usual “dirty” profile. Ledaig 2004 (The Daily Dram) , 55.9 % , ~ €90 Nose: Sweet smoke and rubber, oil, some farmy notes as well, actually quite a nice melange of farmy / car garage kind of aromas, with a nice malty sweetness in the background, a hint of wet dog, ash, vegetal notes as well. Palate: very drinkable at almost 60%, starts off with an avalanche of pepper, soot, some leather, and more of the wet […] - [Secret Orkney 2007, 13 yo (The Nectar of the Daily Drams)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/03/06/secret-orkney-2007-13-yo-the-nectar-of-the-dd/): Another ‘Secret Orkney’ (not Scapa) this time bottled by The Nectar of the Daily Drams. Looking at the color it, it’s quite evident we’re talking big sherry influence. Secret Orkney 13 yo 2007 , 56,1%, The Nectar of the Daily Drams Nose: Plum juice, black Lapsang tea, big caramel, sticky pudding notes, toffee, sherry wine, and dried fruit all engulfed by sweet smoke and Orkney peat. It’s not very complex, but quite rich. A bit over the top. Palate: Nice entry with peppery/sweet notes, dried fruit galore: fig, prune, date, sultana as well as touches of chocolate, spice and more black […] - [Glenlossie 2007 (Daily Dram)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/03/04/glenlossie-2007-daily-dram/): The second whisky we tasted at our Holydram DD #zoom event was this very unusual Glenlossie. Immediately on nosing this, I knew we’re in for something else… This is not your middle of the way ‘Lossie. No sir. Glenlossie 2007 (DD), 55% abv, ~ € 95 Nose: Immediately you’re getting a very smoky note. Is this a Glenlossie? Have they distilled peated malt? well, actually not. Mario has revealed that this whisky was aged in an ex-peated cask (most probably a Caol Ila). There’s a nice fruity hint under all this smoke, but it takes time to decipher.. The peat plays […] - [Glen Elgin 2008 12 yo {The Nectar of the Daily Drams}](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/03/03/glen-elgin-2008-12-yo-the-nectar-of-the-daily-drams/): Good times in Israel and another IB is now imported regularly locally – Non other than the Excellent Nectar of the Daily Drams. horray! To celebrate this we held an online zoom tasting with Mario Groteklaes of the DD – sampling 5 of the whiskies that found their way into Israel recently. The first tone of which is this Glen Elgin 12 2008 at 46%, not a very impressive ABV but certainly a good palate warmer for a Cask Strength tasting. This comes from an ex-sherry cask (as revealed by Mario). Glen Elgin 2008 12 yo (The Nectar of the DD), […] - [Kilchoman 13 yo Max & Julia Bourbon cask # 69](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/02/03/kilchoman-13-yo-max-julia-bourbon-cask-69/): This bottle comes from a privately owned cask by Mark & Julia from NL who wish to remain anonymous. They have purchased this way back in 2007 and bottled it last year (2020), one of the oldest Kilchomans I’ve tried and certainly something highly interesting to see how their whisky changes after a long(er) period of maturation and in a classic Ex-Bourbon cask, no finishes, no shticks. Kilchoman 13 yo , Bourbon Barrel 69/2007, 55.5% , OB for Max & Julia Nose: lovely smoke with a nice sweetness to it as well, mostly in the form of sweet pastries and sweet dough, […] - [Uitvlugt 27 yo #Rum cask 5 (The Duchess)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/02/02/uitvlugt-27-yo-rum-cask-5-the-duchess/): Another Rum from the Duchess, and you know I love most of those. I am currently on my 2nd botle of their Barbados 18 and loving it. This new one comes from quite a different distillery in Guyana by the unpronounceable name of Uitvlugt ( good luck in trying to say that, but you can try saying “owt-flut”).. distilled in 1993 and bottled in 2020, cask #5, bottled at 50.1% and donning the image of a hummingbird. Nose: Starts quite briny with canned olives in brine, licorice and a certain sweetness, rubber and eucalyptus along with wood spices (pepper, nutmeg, ginger), […] - [Burnside 1994 (Archives)](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/2021/01/20/burnside-1994-archives/): We’ve discussed Sherry monsters among friends after I have come to understand that a lot of self-proclaimed whisky ‘experts’ are not quite sure what a sherry bomb really is… oh well. A 25-year-old Burnside in The Fishes of Samoa(which is A teaspooned Balvenie, mind you), It’s really something to behold. The color is very dark, and foreshadows what is about to happen once you taste 😉 Burnside 1994 archives, 25 yo, 47.6 %  Nose: Wow! This is HUGE ! dark, and filled with gunpowder, lots of figs, prune and date juices, balsamic, burnt sugar, glazed meat, tobacco leaves, love the sulfur […] ## Pages - [Advertise on Whisky Israel](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/advertise/): Why Should You Advertise on WhiskyIsrael? Eyeball count – 1000’s of people read the blog daily. Tasting notes and ratings for over 1,000 whiskies, including Scotch,Irish,Bourbon and world whiskies. The Blog is independent, giving it more credibility . Whisky comments and opinion that are independent. What Makes WhiskyIsrael Stand Out? Reviews are added almost daily- featuring new products, as well as osbcure whiskies. International reader base – With key markets such as UK,USA,Germany,NL being the top readers. Strong Jewish reader base – major US/UK cities, an audience you can not reach on other blogs. One of the most well known whisky […] - [About](https://www.whiskyisrael.co.il/about-2/): Whisky Israel is an international whisky/whiskey blog initially started in Israel, but now read worldwide from the Americas to the far east. Our mission is to spread the whisky gospel, and encourage people to dive deeper into the fascinating world of whisky, the water of life. Our audience is mainly US, EU,UK based (with a solid readership from Israel). Whisky Israel is co-founded and edited by Gal Granov (twitter @galgwhisky). For more information, please contact me using the Contact form, or by emailing: gal.granov@gmail.com Gal Slainte! Mastodon ## Optional - [Agent (MCP protocol)](websites-agents.hostinger.com/www.whiskyisrael.co.il/mcp) [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)