Kyrö Rye, single malt rye whisky. Cask No 0002. ”Parempaa bordista buliin janoon”. A special bottling from the single cask for the friends of Kyrö. Made from wholegrain 100% Finnish rye. Cask filled 03/07/2014 – Bottled 16/01/2019. Copper pot distilled and matured in a 64 litre American white oak cask. 46,5%.

When I had in 2014 the chance to buy a share of a whisky cask from the distillery which is located almost next to my childhood home, I didn’t hesitate too much. Keeping that in mind I’ll try to be in this review as objective and critical as possible.

If you’re anxious to know what ”Parempaa bordista buliin janoon” means, you have to get a copy of Finnish slang dictionary.

Color: Bronze.

Nose: Huge burst of caraway followed by red berries like red currant.  Also some freshly cut rhubarb or rhubarb pie which my mother use to bake when I was a kid. Beautiful sweet rounded rye sings blues underneath.

Palate: It delivers all that the nose promises: Caraway is in the front which soon tranforms into new oak. Juicy maltiness brings out nice depth to the palate. Notes of red currant vinegar & dried red berries in the middle to give balance, coffee to add fragrance, sweet fresh oak to finalize the
experience.

It has all typical elements of a proper rye whisky, it is loaded with spices and tannins. The strength is spot-on.

Finish: Very dry with a pinch of cocoa powder. The end is sour and a bit woody.

Rairai! Great and very enjoyable whisky we have here – luckily I have a spear bottle.

PS.  I love the smell of caraway seeds but hate it when they overseason crispbread / hardbread (näkkileipä in Finnish) with it – please don’t do it.

kyrodistillery.com in rye we trust

UISGE X - The Judgement Days

At the very first UISGE (2011) 

I just want to share my thoughts after having been part of the jury of the Uisge whisky Festival. The festival has been held annually in my home town Helsinki for the last nine years. This year Uisge will be celebrating its 10th anniversary: Congratulations, that’s quite an achievement knowing the fact that Finnish government’s stand for the alcohol is not so liberal. For example the Uisge whisky festival cannot promote / advertise the event at all due to our country’s strict laws - and still the festival has been sold out for years – thanks to the whisky geeks. Luckily I haven’t missed any Uisge festivals during its ten year path so far. For those who don’t know the history of the Uisge festival, here’s a tiny history lesson: The first Uisge 2011 was held in the Gallows Bird pub in Espoo, since then the venue has been Vanha Ylioppilastalo in the heart of Helsinki city. I think that Vanha is absolutely the best venue that our capital has to offer for such a great event (see the pictures).

Vanha Ylioppilastalo - The venue

This year I was honoured to be a judge for this festival for the second time (as a blogger). The jury consists  of bar professionals, whisky enthusiasts, whisky bloggers etc. The judging itself takes three days in total – do to a vast amount of whisky and spirits to be judged/scored. I participated in the last two days of tastings.  The task itself is colossal. As this was a judging, we had to taste all whiskies in blind, so we could not get any influence in the scores by seeing the bottle labels or even get a hint of the distillery we were about to taste.

46 drams

Mark Watt @ Duncan Taylor
tasting (2012 Uisge)

The day #1 my job was to score Highland region whiskies, 46 whiskies in total from the biggest whisky region in Scotland. After scoring the whiskies (1-10 points) we handed over our scoring sheets to the organizers, and only then we got to see which whiskies we had just tasted/scored. There are always some surprises among the drams, no wonder. I was delighted to notice that I can trust at least a little bit my taste buds as I scored my highest points to drams/distilleries I’ve been a fan of for many years (the Glenlivet, Aberlour…).


My personal favorite of the punch was Aberlour´s A’bunadh, batch#62. Well this is a no brainer that heavily sherried cask strength (and cask strenght whiskies generally) whiskies get the highest scores in blind tastings. If these CS sherry bombs don’t have any clear faults (as heavy unpleasent sulphur etc.) they tend to get higher scores since they have such powerful aromas, both in palate and nose. Don’t get me wrong – of course this doesn’t apply to all sherried whiskies or cask strength whiskies. Naturally great whiskies tend to get decent points. I loved the A’bunadh; I’ve tasted this batch in question earlier and I loved it even back then. My second best points went to the Glenlivet’s Single Cask #19911, 17 yo (55,4%), an absolutely lovely natural cask strength American oak beauty. I have tasted in the past at Uisge festivals many other Glenlivet’s single cask bottllings and to be honest, I’ve loved them all. A little disappointment in the lineup was the Balvenie’s ”A Day of Dark Barley”, no particular reasons why, it just wasn’t my thing.I also scored pretty high marks to Glenallachie’s (10 yo, 12 yo, 18 yo) & Glenburgie’s whiskies (15 & 18 yo) & Tamdhu’s Batch Strength, batch #4, 57,8%.

Highland Park guitar on the
hands of Martin Markvardsen

Day #2 was the day to score the best of the best whiskies from each category winners which got the highest scores the earlier days of judging (Highland, Islands, Islay, American whiskies, Irish whiskies, Nordic whiskies, Lowlands & Blends), eight whiskies in total to put in order. This was no walk in the park either as there were quite narrow margins, but after an hour and a half my rankings were done. However the tastings were not over yet for the day: the day’s last task was to score Nordic gins, 14 in total. Again - not an easy job.However, separating the wheat from the chaff had to be done. Among these gins were clearly some excellent, some average and some not so good gins, therefore scoring them was a surprisingly easy job. In cas
e you’re interested in my scores - Helsinki Distillery Company’s Rhubarb gin (42%) got my highest marks followed by Spirit of Hven’s Organic Navy Strenght Gin (57,1%).

So that’s all folks, see you at the Uisge X on 7-8 February 2020!

Aberlour pic - Master of Malt
The Glenlivet pic - Alko
Other pics © WhiskyBloke
viskisieppo.blogspot.com/uisge

Ledaig 2008 Tobermory Distillery. Morrison and MacKay (MMcK) Potstill's Dog Edition - English Setter. Bottled for Potstill Austria. Distilled 13.05.2008 Bottled 22.08.2017. 9 years old, sherry butt. Cask number 700707. Number of bottles 72. Strength 59.9 % Vol.

I bought the bottle in the Potstill Austria, Vienna, back in May after a recommedation by the shop stuff. They kindly informed me that the dogs on the Dog Edition labels belong to the shop customers who had their share of these particular casks/butts. Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to meet the English Setter Duff from the label – nice dog, I’ve heard.
So this is drawn from a sherry butt and there are only 72 bottles out there. As this is not 50 years old butt, I guess there are some sister bottlings out there - or the share of the angels has been very generous.

Color: Light mahogany.

Nose: Smoked fudge and red berries & a breath of sea breeze. Sherry is there but it’s not dominant, peat hovers above and masks potential sherry dominance. Sherry is quite discreet indeed so I quess this is a 2nd or third fill butt. There are some signs of young age as well; sweaty gymsocks, wet gravel & concrete.

Palate: Sweet arrival, dusting sugar mixed with sherried peat & ethanol.  Brine (sea weed) and red berries. Also some wet cardboard, which isn’t so disturbing because it is just lurking in the background. Gets leathery with water and it brings out more obvious sherry notes – such as spices & sultanas. 

Finish: Quite long, getting saltier with time.

Great dram for the black winter days here in Helsinki.

tobermorydistillery.com
www.mandmwhisky.co.uk
www.potstill.org

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

Glenfarclas 2000 Premium Vintage edition, 15 yo. 46%. 9 000 bottles.

So, this one is a millennium vintage distillate, bottled for the German market after spending approximately 15 years in oloroso sherry casks. 

Color: Light amber. 

Nose: Sherry monster? Nah, the arrival is fairly soft and mellow - this is gentle stuff. Demerara sugar and nutty dry Jerez oloroso sherry. Caramel on a toasted bread. A whisper of curry powder. Raisins with sweet malted barley.

Palate: Semi-sweet arrival. Oloroso sherry for sure. A hint of metal spoon. Some nuts with skin. Spices show up towards the middle. A small bite of Christmas cake. I think this whisky was bottled at perfect strength, so adding water would be a waste of time (and whisky).

Finish: Dried herbs & demerara sugar. 

An easy after dinner sipper from the green meadows. Don’t bother if you’re yearning for a huge sherry bomb.  

glenfarclas.com

Glenfarclas 2000 edición Premium Vintage, 15 años. 46 %. 9 000 botellas.

Se trata de un destilado del año 2000, embotellado para el mercado alemán después de estar aproximadamente 15 años en barricas de jerez oloroso.

Color: Ámbar claro.

Nariz: ¿Un monstruo de jerez? No, primero está bastante suave y delicado – es una copa agradable. Azúcar moreno con seco jerez oloroso y nueces. Caramelo sobre pan tostado. Un susurro de curry. Pasas con cebada malteada dulce.

Paladar: Primero está semidulce. Claramente jerez oloroso. Un poco de sabor de una cuchara metálica. Un toque de nueces con piel. Especias aparecen hacia el medio. Un trocito de tarta de navidad. Creo que este whisky está embotellado en potencia perfecta, así que añadir agua sería una pérdida de tiempo (y del whisky).

Final: Hierbas desecadas & azúcar moreno.

Un fácil trago desde las verdes prados para disfrutar después de cenar. No vale la pena si estás buscando una enorme bomba de jerez.  

glenfarclas.com