Review #54: Clynelish 17yr 1995/2013, A. D. Rattray, 45.2%, sherry hogshead, cask #4630

very pale for a sherry cask

I had some big and bad reviewing plans, but right now a Clynelish seems comforting. Sherry must have had only a long-forgotten rendezvous with that hogshead, judging from the color

nose: waxy/fruity. That Clynelish nose presents itself right away. A big whiff of cardboard comes next, but it disappers pretty fast. Some smaller flavors take time to develop: honey, peaches and apples, yoghurt, marzipan, peonies, white chocolate, green grapes, and a wisp of smoke.

palate: oily and tangy. the fruit flavors become stronger and tarter, the white chocolate becomes creamier, and there's a little sour wood.

finish: nicely persistent with the smoke returning and a little chalkiness.

Clynelish is consistently pretty good, and this is typical Clynelish. I guess one could hope for a little more intensity and complexity, but I really like this profile.

score: 87

Review #53: Jim Beam Bourbon (White Label), 40% abv

in honor of yesterday's acquisition ...

This is the cheap stuff -- less than $20/liter. It sells about a gazillion (i.e., 6) million cases a year, I think. The world's most popular bourbon. It doesn't have an age statement, so I guess that makes it four years old. I haven't really thought about it much.

Nose: mostly wood and corn, and some chalky minerals, with tiny bits of honeysuckle, chamomile, and smoke. Spirity at first but then opens up a little over time. Does anyone wait for it?

Palate: light and little hot, with a lot of winey sourness and bitter wood. there's something else, too -- like a faint new-car-smell.

Finish: It stops abruptly. A moment of honey-vanilla and then bitter wood is the last thing left.

I don't know how to rate this. It sort of works for Old-fashioneds -- the intense floral/winey sourness stands up to everything else. But even then, it might be better to splurge on Green Label or Black Label for a little more flavor.

score: 62

(update: old review replaced when I realized that I my first pour was into a glass that previously had something much better in it. Amazing how much of an effect an apparently empty glass can have.)

Review #52: Big Peat Small Batch Islay Blended Scotch Whisky, Batch #22, 46% abv, Douglas Laing

still recovering from the holidays

Haven't been reviewing much lately, but I'm almost ready to get started again. I have a bunch of odd minis to get through quickly, and maybe then a normal routine.

But first a vatted malt. Big Peat "includes" whiskies from Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore, and Port Ellen. (The last of which probably comes from a medicine dropper that has to cover the next few batches.) It is NCF but only 46%. This is *not* the Christmas blend, even though I got it for Christmas.

nose: very pleasant, with nice phenolic smoke leaving room for lemon and distinct coastal elements (brine, seaweed, beach). some cotton candy and wet wool; a touch of (nice) bicycle tire.

palate: malty sweetness and ashes.

finish: slightly ashy and then just sort of dies. I don't recall ever having a peated whisky with such a short finish. Sweetness lingers, but that's about it.

This is tasty whisky, but it's odd that it doesn't taste feinty or newmakey at all, despite being NAS, and that the peat really isn't all that big. So I'm not sure what the point is, exactly. I guess if you like Caol Ila with Ardbeg sweetness (and then some) or a much milder, less smoky version of Laphroaig, then this is for you. Otherwise one might as well stick with the single malts.

Still yummy, though. The nose is the best part.

score: 81

whoah.

didn't see that coming.

Suntory of Japan to Buy Maker of Jim Beam for $13.6 Billion

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/01/13/suntory-of-japan-to-buy-maker-of-jim-beam-for-13-6-billion/?hp