Scotch Review: Bowmore Small Batch & Glen Moray 12 Year

By John Barecki & Friends

To spice things up a little bit and to learn more of other peoples' perspectives I thought it would be fun to get some of my co-workers and friends together to try some new whiskies, collect what they experience and compile their findings. I find that listening to what other people are picking up while enjoying whisky and comparing it to your own findings helps you understand the full spectrum of aromas and flavors available in these spirits. The best way I found to do a tasting like this is to accept that we all have our own palates, and that we perceive smells and tastes differently from one another. Some things will ring clear to all in the room while others may clash and pull away as opposites. Either way you come out looking at these wonderful liquids in a new light and have a bit of fun while doing so.

For our tasting, we chose a relatively new expression from the Bowmore and a lovely 12-year expression from the Glen Moray. These two whiskies are imbued with idiosyncrasies of the areas that surround them — not to mention the methods by which they are distilled — but they also take notes from around the world to create their final crescendo.

The Bowmore has maritime/seaside notes with a hint of smokiness from the environment on Islay, as well as sweet and nutty characteristics from the bourbon barrels used for aging. The Glen Moray 12 Year follows a different path, producing fruity and earthy flavors akin to autumn while holding on to a rounder style that is reminiscent of a herbaceous white wine. While both whiskies hold to their different styles and are good examples of the differences between the two distilleries, they do have some things in common. The tasting notes listed here are compiled from the five of us who tasted.

Glen Moray 12 Year

• Nose — Vanilla and honey, a bit of slightly burnt caramel with floral and earthy notes of fall, apple and candied citrus, a little bit of cocoa and spice.
• Palate — Velvety mouthfeel, fruity and baking-spice notes, a touch of tobacco and oak with a bit of char on it all surrounded by light vanilla and caramel.
• Finish — Earth and spice, charred oak with a slight smoke, returning tobacco with ginger and nutty characteristics peppered in.
• The Numbers — Glen Moray 12 Year (40%ABV) is available at Siciliano's for $37.99/750ml.

Bowmore Small Batch

• Nose — Earthy, peat smoke and oak, slightly tropical fruit notes with apple chunks thrown in, sweet vanilla and sea side maritime characteristics (mineral and salt). 
• Palate — Oily, a bit phenolic, sweet, spice and smoke with a vanilla-covered fruity core.
• Finish — Smoke and earth with bits of black pepper and pipe tobacco, sea spray and brine, long and lingering on the palate.
• The Numbers — Bowmore Small Batch (40% ABV) is bourbon-cask matured and available at Siciliano's fro $39.99/750ml.

Both of these are fine examples of single-malt Scotch whiskies. With distinct flavors apparent from the use of divergent techniques and aging styles, they touch on the characteristics of “terrior” or a sense of place, showing off aspects representative of the different production areas for both whiskies. More importantly, the end product of this tasting was a success for me. We all analyzed what was in front of us according to our own capacities and found what we liked individually and collectively. Tasting in groups can be quite fun in that it introduces people to something they might not try normally and allows them to experience a range of products in one sitting.  No doubt it can be an informative and effective way of honing your individual palate.

The tasting group.

Cheers!

Aultmore 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky Review

By John Barecki

The full name of Aultmore 12 Year Old Whisky —Aultmore of the Foggie Moss — calls to mind images of a fairy world. The liquid inside the bottle is just as special. Some reviewers have called it ethereal, as if it is of celestial making. In reality it's one of the five releases in “The Last Great Malts of Scotland” from Dewar's, a collection with some very interesting additions that up until now have only made it to the United States in a few blends and independent releases (which are limited). Aultmore for me was an adventure of the palate. It is subtle and boisterous at the same time, and because the distillers do not use peat to kiln their malt, one gets to enjoy the exciting flavors produced in the distillation process and from the effects of barrel aging.

Aultmore 12 Year Old Whisky pours a pale gold. On the nose it is fresh and vibrant with hints of peach and mint. There is also wildflower honey mixed with a slight wood resin note followed by almond, while an overall “green” character flows throughout. On tasting I found a medium to light body with honey and jasmine tea and a bit of apricot covered in a very light caramel. Hints of vanilla and marzipan (almond paste) are quite cooling on the tongue. The finish is dry and refreshing with a little lingering stone fruit, light cereal notes and lime peel, reminding me of a dry fino sherry.

This malt stirs up memories of walking through the woods on a spring day thanks to lots of bright green tones surrounded by earthy and floral scents. It is lively on the palate but also quite complex, a great before-dinner aperitif style that could work wonderfully with ice or as a highball with a bit of club soda on a hot day. Like other reviewers, I would definitely say this whisky has an ethereal quality, and as I stare out at a winter landscape (I'm writing this in January), a sip of the wonderful “spirit” makes me think of the warm days that will soon be coming back to us.

The other whiskies involved in the “Last Great Malts of Scotland" collection look promising as well (see for yourself in the video below). The Aberfeldy, Royal Brackla, Deveron and Craigellachie are all distinct from one another, using old and new processes to create flavors and textures each with a different tale of honey and citrus, maritime sea side tone, fruity to sulfury. They all seem like a wonderful cacophony for the senses. 

Aultmore 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky ($64.99/750ml) is available now at Siciliano's Market.

David Nicholson 1843 Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

David Nicholson 1843, $19.99/750ml

Review by John Barecki

The recipe for David Nicholson 1843 has been passed down from distiller to distiller from its creation in 1843. This whiskey even flowed through the famous Julian ”Pappy” Van Winkle in 1893 at the Stitzle Weller distillery. Like most things that pass hand to hand there are always changes from the original, and that seems to be the case with this one as well. But while tastes change the heart of the idea is always present. This version does not have a distillery of origin but we at least know that it is made in Kentucky.

There has been a bit of an uproar lately in the whiskey industry about misinformation or flat out missing information on bottles with regard to where a product is made. I can understand it to a point but I also think that there is a lot of unneeded stigma around certain brand names. Fact is, just because you don’t know where a spirit has been distilled does not mean you will not like it, and there is a lot to like about David Nicholson 1843. First off, it is bottled at 100 proof, which promotes a higher flavor and aroma potential since it is not watered down before you buy it. I have been diligently trying to find whisky/ey that is at least 100 proof or higher for a lower price than most and, at only $19.99, this bourbon meets that requirement, something that is becoming increasingly harder to find in higher proof whiskeys. (My two cents, take it or leave it.)

The characteristics of this bourbon are pretty bold on the nose. You have earthy barley tones with black tea and menthol and a slight sour mash tinge. On the tongue the earth is even bolder surrounded by light caramel and vanilla creme and the finish is woodsy with more wet earth notes and charred oak, which goes to a lingering real cinnamon note that hangs on for a good while. This whiskey has a good frontal attack with a warm center that finishes with a cooling spice. My guess is that they use a higher barley and rye content along with the corn backbone. This is a good whiskey in my book. It might not be single barrel or cask strength but it meets my requirements of a good sipper.

Also, to those that would like to sample a good amount of whiskies, there is an event called Whiskey Business MI that will be happening at the Goei Center on November 20th. They are going to have some fun things to sample and at $40-70/ticket the cost to attend is not too bad. The website will have all the information for selections of products and where to buy tickets.

Brewery Ommegang Glimmerglass Saison

By Doug Dorda

Brewery Ommegang Glimmerglass

It seems that most human beings in this far state are as unenthusiastic about the upcoming weeks of weather as I am. In fact—no need to sugar coat it—this weather sucks something fierce. However, in the spirit of keeping on while keeping on, there are many things we might do to harden our resolve until the seasons finally shift. Might I suggest drinking a beer?

I could pour syrup-laden prose all over my review of Glimmerglass, the “spring” seasonal offered by Brewery Ommegang this year, but you will have heard it all before. At the risk of tiring my fingers I will simply state that this saison, made with sweet orange peel and pink peppercorns, conjured an image of a morning's dew bending blades of new grass that unabashedly bathe the atmosphere in a sweet aroma, all of which somehow reads “new” in my mind.

As of this moment, there is nothing that the common man can do to make the season change. There is no magic that we can wield. Unfortunately we get to be reminded of that on a daily basis. Nevertheless we might find a small comfort in knowing that our favorite breweries will not cease to bottle “spring” and therefore we are able to enjoy it now, if only 12 ounces at a time.

Brewery Ommegang Glimmerglass ($2.89/12oz) is now available at Siciliano's.