I can't believe that I'm already on my 65th bottle of whisky from the Ian Buxton 101 Whiskies to drink before I die. It's been 2 years now and it's getting more and more difficult to source for some of these whiskies in the list. Thanks to a friend of mine, we managed to sample another 2 bottles from the list which I would have trouble looking for them.
The book does not have whiskies that are overly expensive, otherwise known as "water of emptiness" - whisky that empties your bank account. I was glad that thru this book, I have learnt to be more adventurous when it comes to tasting whiskies as there's so many out there! I've tried some Indian whisky (Amrut), grain whiskies, bourbons and also blended whiskies. If you want the list, just drop me a comment with your email, and I'll send it to you.
Name: Balblair 1989
Distillery: Balblair (Northen Highlands)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: Not stated (Vintage 1989)
Alc/Vol: 43%
Did you know that the Balbair distillery which is on the north of the village of Edderton is the 2nd or 3rd oldest distillery in Scotland? However, that statement depends on whose evidence you listen to. Originally dating back to 1970, though there are also records that show distilling done on the site as far back as 1749. The distillery had barely had a brick changed since it was rebuilt at the end of the last century and it had always been a architectural benchmark for all the other distilleries, including the world's malt distilleries.
How ironic for such a whisky that is so rich in history to be completely absent from our single malt market in our country. I have not heard of Balbair until I read that book. How unfortunate! While they do adhere to traditional methods of making a single malt, they do differ from other whiskies by pursuing a strategy of releasing vintages exclusively instead of the aged variants. I think vintages worked really fine, just like The Glenrothes. Every year, the Distillery Manager, John Macdonald selects the finest samples of Balbair from the maturing whiskies which he believes that it will best exemplify Balbair Highland Single Malt Scotch whisky with notes such as spices, fruits and leathery notes.
I do believe that there is some merit in the argument that whisky does have a character that varies from year to year and thus deviating from the normally aged expression to a vintage timed for perfection is not a bad idea. The Balbair 1989 won a Gold Medal in the 2007 International Wine & Spirits Competition (WSC) as it's not only affordable, it's definitely drinkable to a half-whisky-snob like me!
Tasting Notes : On the nose, it has aromas of sweetness from raisins, fruits and hints of coconut. The first sip was a bit rough on the edges but it does evolve into a spicy and citrusy palate with hints of nutty oak. It has a quick finish with hints of smoke and marine.
Distillery: Scapa (Orkney)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement:16 years old
Alc/Vol: 40%
We have all heard of the Highland, Speyside and Isle malts but what about distilleries from Orkneys? The Orkneys are a group of islands in the north-eastern corner of Scotland and perhaps fate has made this place a less well-known whisky producer because its two distilleries (Highland Park & Scapa) is seen as a microcosm of the industry as a whole. Huh Scapa? What is that? It is almost virtually unheard of except for a few connoisseurs in the know.
From what I read, the exterior of the distillery is somewhat characterless, doeful and ugly which can be seen from the shores of the Scapa Bay. For some time, the 14 year old expression was sold but it was not for long until Chivas Brothers replaced it with this 16 yo expression. It's for those who appreciate a lighter, unpeated island style that was unique.
This is a whisky that I would say that it's not worth my second visit. The taste is rather light with some honeyed sweetness and a tinge of saltiness. It's pleasant but not distinctive. It's a whisky that I would like to taste just to see how it fared but it's not one that I enjoyed sipping. It's definitely quaffable but I wouldn't buy a bottle on my own.
Macanudo Baron de Rothschild
Cigars and whiskies are like lovers. They complete each other and of course a good smoke will give the right note to a night cap. This 6.5" X 42 will give you a 40 minutes relaxation. Oh well, it also depends on how you smoke it because some might take up to 50 minutes. This Macanudo here is aged for years in my friend's humidor and you can see that it's well-kept and humidified. The size of this ring gauge looks really elegant for a lady.
The cigar is indeed beautiful with its shiny Conneticut shade wrapper. Rolled in the Dominican Republic, Macanudo is well-known for its mild flavour. It's not a cigar that will knock you off your seats but this one here gives you that laid-back feeling. It's probably a morning smoke or something you would take in the evenings. There's an initial kick but it didn't last very long. It's light, sweet, with hints of chocolate and a vanilla finish.
One thing about this Macanudo, you can easily have a few inches of white ashes before it decide to fall (due to gravity pull?) Haha... I had my white ash almost to 2 inches before it fell onto the table. The draw was smooth and easy. The burn was also even. I don't think the Macanudo is as expensive as the Cubans but this one here is quite an enjoyable smoke. And because it's well-aged, it doesn't have that grassy taste that you tend to find in the dominican cigars.
That's a 6.5inch Macanudo that I'm indulging!
Can't help but to have that sheepish look when I wrote that.
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