Kavalan

Bought – Tesco, 13th August 2013

Ratings:
91/100 – Whisky Bible 2013
80/100 – Ralfy, of www.ralfy.com
Review: – Ralfy – Kavalan – YouTube

Monkey Shoulder

Bought – Tesco, 13th August 2013

Ratings:
79.5/100 – Whisky Bible 2013
79.69/100 – Whiskybase (average from 60 member votes)

79.5/100 in Jim Murray’s ‘Whisky Bible’ classifies this vatted malt as “average and usually pleasant though sometimes flawed”. The author says, “distinctive fault found especially at the finale, which is disappointing. Even before hitting that point a big toffeed personality makes for a pleasant if limited experience.”

79.69/100 on Whiskybase is very consistent with the Whisky Bible score. Comments include “just a good blend”, which seems damning with faint praise.

Although Ralfy of www.ralfy.com doesn’t give this a mark out of 100 (that I’ve found) he does recommend it as part of a video review of 5 good malts. See that here: Ralfy’s Recommended Blended Whisky

Here’s Whiskey Aficionado with his review on You Tube (October 2014):

The Antiquary 12-year-old

Bought – The Whisky Shop, 23rd August 2013

Ratings:
92/100 – Whisky Bible 2013
86/100 – Whiskybase (from one member vote)

The Antiquary is a blend from the Tomatin distillery in the Speyside region of Scotland. Scoring 92/100 in Jim Murray’s ‘Whisky Bible’ classifies the Antiquary 12yo as “brilliant”. The author says of the taste “immediate oils and smoke form a thick layer in almost Caol Ila style, but penetrating grains and juicier Speysiders ensure parity of style.” He summaries with “a staggering about turn for a blend which, for a very long time, has flown the Speyside flag.”

Comments on Whiskybase for my miniature of the Antiquary 12yo include “smooth, oily, balanced and rather dry. Not bad at all but nothing special either.” And “pretty drinkable”.

Here’s Ben Bowers of ‘A Dram a Day’ with his review on You Tube (Sept 2016):

Ardbeg 10-year-old

Bought – Wine Rack, 18th September 2013

Ratings:
97/100 – Whisky Bible 2013
90/100 – Ralfy, of www.ralfy.com
Review:- Rafly – Ardbeg – YouTube

I first tasted the Ardbeg 10yo about 15 years ago during a whisky tasting night with my brother, uncle and cousin. It tasted superb! The smell made me think of Islay, with the salty spray of the sea, the chunky seaweed on the rugged rocks and the peats being cut from the land to burn in the wee but and ben. What a heavenly dram!

Jump forward 15 years and I crack open a bottle of Ardbeg 10yo with nothing but fond memories. I smell it and….OMG! What is this shit?! Has it always been this medicinal? The smell takes me back to a hospital ward my grandfather was put in where most patients never made it out alive. As you can imagine, the tasting didn’t go too well after that. My love of Ardbeg now lay in tatters.

6 months later and I tentatively try the same Ardbeg bottle again. Wow, that’s more like it! The medicinal hit had mellowed and everything beautiful about Ardbeg is there again. Now, why was that? Had the space in the open bottle allowed the remaining whisky to breath, and the medicinal smell had drifted away? Or perhaps some other unforeseen factor was at play here? Whatever it was, I’ve now had several tastings over the weeks and my love of the Ardbeg 10yo has been restored. A quality dram on all levels but perhaps one that needs time to breath in an open bottle.

Highland Park 26-year-old

Bought – about 2000 from an online source I can’t remember.

Highland Park has always been a family favourite, so it was an obvious present option at the start of the millenium when uncles began reaching 90th birthdays. I found this particular ‘rare’ batch online for £40, which seemed very reasonable 12 years ago. Whisky reviews were in short supply back then so it was a bit of a shot-in-the-dark. Thankfully it hit the bullseye and is a very nice tipple. I recently saw a bottle from the same cask (but with a more fancy label) go for £100 at auction. It’s a shame I’d not invested in a Macallan or I could have been swapping it for a Ferrari by now! Thankfully I didn’t buy this bottle as an alternative to a pension plan. It’s better for sipping than selling!

Ratings – none that I’ve found but it’s VERY nice in my opinion.