Ben Nevis aged 20 years. Cadenhead’s (miniature). Vintage 1992, bottled 4/2012. Bourbon hogshead, 56,2%.

I bought this miniature in the Cadenhead’s whisky shop Berlin a few years back. An excellent shop, by the way – pay a visit if you’re visiting the neighbourhood.

Color: Straw.

Nose: Oh yes, very typical bourbon hogshead nose: Vanilla for sure and Walker’s shortbread (in case you didn’t know this shortbread factory is in Aberlour, Speyside). Fruits are yellow, apricots come first to my head.  I have to say that this is rather fierce stuff to nose as neat – so you have to be a little bit careful not to nose it too eagerly. After a while in the glass, dried apricots & strawberries pop up. With water, strawberry notes get stronger.

Palate: For some reason it brings some quality riesling white wines to my mind, I guess it’s the apricots and the acidity that make it happen. A selection of nuts, peeled almonds in the front.  The yellow stone fruits (apricots and yellow plums) make the whisky more mellow to the palate. White pepper, nippy oak with some ginger. 

Finish: Sour and nutty. As it develops it turns herbal – freshly crushed mint.

Summary: Quite average dram but still fairly enjoyable.  Summery whisky for the sunrises & sunsets.  

www.bennevisdistillery.com

www.cadenheads-whisky-shop-berlin.de/

www.walkersshortbread.com

Longrow Cadenhead's Authentic Collection. Distilled 1998, bottled April 2012. 13 years old. Bourbon Hogshead. 306 bottles, 55.0 % Vol.

Expections are always in high altitudes when you crack open a Cadenhead’s bottling from the Springbank distillery. ( …oops, I broke the cork, but no worries, I have a few spares…)

Color: Straw.

Nose: I know, this is from Islay – someone eager might shout in a blind tasting. Barbeque bacon & sweet peat. A bowl of ripe tropical fruits next to a cow stable. Haha!- a hint of Suave hair cream which my dad used to comb into his black hair in my childhood (it is not an unpleasent odor) . Very nice and alluring aromas, so how about the palate?

Palate: First impression - somehow it reminds me of Ardbeg’s Airigh Nam Beist 1990. I cannot pinpoint exactly what it is, but perhabs it is this creamy sweet smokiness that rings the bells.  Gentle sweet’n oily vegetal peat. Mustard oil and salmiac (Turkish pepper, a famous Finnish salmiac sweet), toasted oak with smoked vanilla custard. The balance is spot on as neat. Adding water emhasizes vanilla notes and adds a little chalkiness to the palate. 

Finish: Medium lenght. Dries out to a little chili heat.

As you might know I’ve always been a fan of these pure bourbon matured whiskies and this robust beauty makes absolutely no difference.  Perfect winter warmer as they say.

www.cadenhead.scot

springbank.scot/whisky/longrow/

Royal Lochnagar, Cadenhead’s. Aged 12 years. 58,5 %

Erm, it’s been ages since my last encounter to this blog. Some might speculate that my whisky vault has dried out – that’s not the case here, quite the opposite fortunately.

So, let’s start a new chapter in this blog with a highlander, from the neighborhood of the Balmoral Castle. I’ve visited the distillery once (just the visitor center) – two years ago, to be precise. A beautiful little distillery, as you may observe from the picture. I bought this miniature (among a few others) in the Berlin’s Cadenhead’s shop back in 2012, which means this royal liquid was distilled not later than 1999.

Color: Gold medal.

Nose: Very chalky & mineral to begin with. Pavement gravel after pouring rain. River bank clay from the River Dee plus some crème brûlée.  Citric notes in the form of ripe grapefruit, seasoned with muscovado sugar. Quite pungent stuff, enough to burn your nostril hair if you’re not careful. Adding water will certainly help.

Palate: At arrival sharp citric notes, in a little while melting butter on mashed potatoes. Ginger with barley sugar. Some herbal notes, rosemary perhaps. Water brings out notes of honeydew and vanilla. Turns metallic/tannic with water, especially in the finish.

Finish: Herbal, lemony, over-brewed tea. Short.

Quite an average dram, to be honest.

Royal Lochnagar, Cadenhead’s. 12 años. 58,5 %
Mmm, hace mucho tiempo que no escribo en este blog. Uno podría sospechar que mi stock de whiskies se ha acabado - eso no es el caso en esta ocasión, todo lo contrario.

Así que vamos a empezar una nueva etapa en este blog con un whisky highlander, desde la vecindad del castillo de Balmoral. He estado en la destilería una vez (solo en el centro de visitantes) - hace dos años, para ser preciso. Es una destilería pequeña y hermosa, como se puede ver en la foto. Compré esta botella miniatura en la tienda Cadenhead´s en Berlin en 2012, así que este whisky real ha sido destilado no después que 1999.

Color: Medalla de oro.

Nariz: Primero está muy calcáreo y mineral. Camino de grava después de llover mucho. Barro de la ribera del Rio Dee y además un poco de crème brûlée. Notas cítricas en la forma de pomelo maduro, con un poco de azúcar muscovado. Bastante acre, está lo suficiente picante como para quemarte los pelos de la nariz si no tieness cuidado. Añadirle un poco de agua ayuda mucho.

Paladar: Unas picantes notas cítricas pero después de un rato, mantequilla fundente sobre puré de patata.  Jengibre con azúcar cebada. Unas notas de hierbas, a lo mejor romero. Con agua aparecen notas de melon chino y vainilla. Agua lo hace más metálico/tánico, especialmente en el final.

Final: Aromas de hierbas, con sabor a limón, té demasiado fuerte. Corto.

Un trago bastante promedio, para ser honesto.

www.malts.com//royal-lochnagar
www.cadenhead.scot

Glen Grant Cadenhead’s Small Batch. 24 years old. Bourbon barrels. Distilled 1989, bottled 2014. 186 bottles. 55,5 %

I believe this is a vatting from two bourbon barrels.

Color: King of metals.

Nose: Quite aromatic - like walking in a meadow on a hot summer day, passing by a couple of beehives, heading towards a lemon orchard. As more formal whisky notes: Some kind of aged sweet wine – muscat perhaps? I guess it would be appropriate to call it rancio in this case. Honeycomb and beeswax. Quite strong stuff as neat, heavy lemony citric notes along with crushed mint leaves. After a few minutes, peach jam and faint notes of ripe black currant and vanilla. With water – all of the above plus more honey.

Palate: Sweet and pungent, not austere though. Oak is there, but it is subtle. Fresh ginger, lime and limoncello ice cream. After adding a few drops of water – tinned peach with citric oak. Honey and then green tea tannins.

Finish: Clean and long - from ginger to vanilla.

Wonderfully summery dram – reminds me a bit of Rosebank in some senses.

www.glengrant.com
www.cadenhead.scot


Glen Grant Cadenhead’s Small Batch. 24 años. Barricas de bourbon. Destilado 1989, embotellado 2014. 186 botellas. 55,5 %

Creo que se trata de un encubamiento de dos barricas de bourbon.

Color: El rey de los metales.

Nariz: Bastante aromático - como se estaba caminando en un prado durante un caluroso día de verano, pasando unos nidos de abejas, dirigiendose hacia un limonar. Y como una cata más formal: algún tipo de vino añejado - ¿a lo mejor moscatel? Creo que sería apropiado llamarlo rancio en este caso. Miel y panal. Está bastante fuerte como puro, unas notas cítricas muy intensas y parecidas al limón. Unas hojas de menta machacadas. Después de unos minutitos, mermelada de melocotón y unas ligeras notas de grosellas negras y vainilla. Con agua – todo lo anterior y también más miel.

Paladar: Dulce y áspero, sin embargo no austero. Tiene roble también pero está suave. Jengibre fresco, lima y helado de limoncello. Después de añadirle un poco de agua – melocotón en lata con roble cítrico. Miel y luego taninos de té verde.

Final: Limpio y largo – desde jengibre hasta vainilla.
Un whisky maravillosamente veraniego – me hace pensar en Rosebank de alguna manera.

www.glengrant.com
www.cadenhead.scot

Cadenhead's Authentic Collection Glendronach 1990, 16 yo, Bourbon Barrel, Bottled 09/2006, 210 bottles, 55,9 %.

This is the very first time for me to taste an un-sherried uisge from this distillery that is noted for its sherry cask matured whiskies. A "naked" Glendronach - very very interesting, let's see.

Nose: Citrusy, lemon tart. Creamy & fruity. Banana, cantaloupe. Sweet and crisp with a little bit of sourness. Very "Nadurra".

Palate: Fresh and vibrant. Yellow tropical fruits such as mango, banana; surrounded by beautiful oaky spiciness. With water: oak makes its' aromatic entrance.

Finish: Grapefruit. Oak emerges at the fairly long end. 

It's funny how much resemblance this Glendronach has to the Glenlivet's Nadurra, especially on the nose it's almost identical with same kind of tropical fruitness and creaminess. However on the palate Glendronach is spicier and drier. Seemingly, pure bourbon works very well with the Glendronach spirit. Yummy.

www.wmcadenhead.com
www.glendronachdistillery.com

Cadenhead's Authentic Collection Glendronach 1990, 16 años, barril de bourbon, embotellado 09/2006, 210 botellas, 55,9 %.

Esta es la primera vez que pruebo un uisge de Glendronach (destilería famosa por sus whiskies madurados en barriles de jerez) que no ha sido madurado en un barril de jerez sino solo en un barril de bourbon -  muy interesante, vamos a ver.

Nariz: Cítrico, tarta de limón. Cremoso y con olor a fruta. Plátano, cantalupo. Dulce y crujiente con un toque de acidez. Muy "Nadurra".

Paladar: Fresco y vibrante. Frutas amarillas tropicales como mango, plátano; rodeado por roble aromático hermoso. Con agua: aparece roble aromático.

Final: Pomelo. Roble aparece al final que es bastante largo.

Es raro cuanto tiene en común con la Nadurra de Glenlivet, especialmente la nariz es casi idéntico con la misma cremosidad y frutas tropicales. Sin embargo el paladar de Glendronach es más especiado y más seco. Aparentemente, bourbon puro funciona muy bien con el espíritu de Glendronach. Delicioso.

www.wmcadenhead.com
www.glendronachdistillery.com