Century of Malts (Chivas)

Bought – Online Whisky Auction, 22nd December 2013

Ratings:
94/100 – Whisky Bible 2006

This miniature was bought as part of a mix of 10 blends. I’d heard of the ‘Century of Malts’ but I didn’t check Jim Murray’s rating in his Whisky Bible 2006 until after the auction. He particularly loved the taste, remarking “mind-blowing complexity on arrival” and saying the Speysiders lead the way. With a mark of 94/100 it puts this blend in the category of ‘superstar whisky that gives us all a reason to live’. It’s a pity I’ve only got 5cl of it! Unfortunately it was discontinued in about 2004/5, which is understandable considering it’s a blend of 100 different malts. With that many you’d think it wouldn’t take long before 1 of the 100 ran out. A great idea though, and if I enjoy it as much as 94/100 I’ll be aiming to track down some more!

I’ve just discovered that ‘Hard to Find Whisky’ are trying to sell this miniature for £69.95. Yes, seriously! I’ve included the link for as long as it lasts but I doubt anyone will be buying it. The bottle cost about £2.50 at auction.

Glenshiel (Loch Lomond)

Bought – Online Whisky Auction, 22nd December 2013

I can’t say I’m surprised that I couldn’t find a review of this ‘quiet’ blend from the Loch Lomond distillery. Glenshiel appears to be discontinued now but, when it does appear in auctions or select shops, it commands a very low price. I get the impression that if a 70cl bottle of Glenshiel was on sale today it would be less than £20, in the budget range. I’ll be interested to see what it tastes like, and if it reminds me of anything else, either blend or malt.

Glen Shiel is a rather attractive part of Scotland, in the north west. Not exactly close to the Loch Lomond distillery which is a 3 hour drive to the south. So obviously the name wasn’t picked by the distillery because it was close at hand. Perhaps it was chosen because of the battle of Glen Shiel in 1719. A fight between the British and the combined Jacobite and Spanish force. Except the British won, so it’s hardly a whisky to celebrate a famous Scottish victory! Maybe the Loch Lomond distillery made the blend for the English market? So it’s probably got cyanide in it. I’d best be careful! 🙂

Pinwinnie Royale 12-year-old

Bought – Online Whisky Auction, 31st December 2013

Ratings:
85/100 – Whisky Bible 2006

A discontinued blend, this 12yo version of Pinwinnie Royale is one of two principal releases, the other being a no-age statement (but there might also be a ‘deluxe’ version of the latter, which I’ve also seen).

Although both these mini bottles are the same 12yo, they have a difference. One expresses its age in Roman numerals (XII) and the other in standard metric (12). The Roman numerals are what I’m used to seeing on a bottle of Pinwinnie. The bottle with the ‘12’ on it says on the label that it was imported to Kentucky. This makes me wonder if the label was changed from XII to 12 for the American market. Perhaps Roman numerals aren’t big in America?!

Getting a good mark in the Whisky Bible 2006, Jim Murray says of this 12yo blend “finely-textured and attractive throughout with great spice finale”. Sounds nice to me! My difficulty now is deciding which bottle to drink and which one to keep in my collection. XII or 12? Hmmm.

Pinwinnie Royale (no age statement)

Bought – Online Whisky Auction, 31st December 2013

Ratings:
83/100 – Whisky Bible 2006

A discontinued blend, this NAS (no age statement) version of Pinwinnie Royale is one of two principal releases, the other being a 12-year-old (but there might also be a ‘deluxe’ version of this blend). From what I can find out online, the Pinwinnie distillers handed over the blend’s production rights to Inver House. I’m not sure when this happened but Inver House began life in 1964 and there does seem to be bottles of Pinwinnie Royale around from that period. If they have “bottled in Airdie in Lanarkshire” written on them (as my one does), Airdie is where Inver House head office is. What’s confusing is when you find a bottle of Pinwinnie Royale that says it was bottled by Blairmhor Distillers, who are also based in Airdie. Same company perhaps?

Inver House own several distilleries which include Old Pulteney (Highlands), Balblair (Highlands), Knockdhu (Speyside), Speyburn (Speyside) and Balmenach (Speyside). It’s said that the majority, if not all of Pinwinnie Royale is a blend from some or all of these distilleries.

What annoyed me during my research is the number of whisky auction houses that say the Pinwinnie Royale is “very rare and long since discontinued blend” when it’s constantly appearing in auctions! I’ve found this blend everywhere! Although I don’t know when Inver House stopped producing it, Jim Murray was still reviewing it in 2006. He calls this version “an absolute classic!”

Kilkerran ‘Work In Progress 5’ (Bourbon Wood)

Bought – Amazon, 31st December 2013

Ratings:
90.5/100 Whisky Bible 2015
84/100 – Ralfy – His Review on YouTube (June 2013)

Originally founded in 1872, Glengyle distillery was revived in 2000 and whisky production restarted in 2004. Guess what that means? 2014/15 could see the release of the first 10-year-old! But it’s not as if the good folk of Glengyle distillery have been twiddling their thumbs waiting for this magical year. Because the name ‘Glengyle’ is already registered for a blend, the distillery have been issuing single malts under the name ‘Kilkerran’. Several ‘work in progress’ releases have been issued but No.5 is the first that Ralfy has considered worthy of review. He gives the ‘Bourbon Wood’ version (matured in bourbon casks) 84/100 and the ‘Sherry Wood’ version 83/100. On his 1 point preference I went for the bourbon casks version and it is delicious! I toasted in the New Year with it and it was an excellent choice.

Update (Feb 2015). Added the rating from the Whisky Bible 2015, which has been newly included for this year. The good news is that, like Ralfy, Jim Murray (Bible author) ranks the bourbon finish above the sherry, which scores 86/100. But he also includes the scores for ‘Work in Progress 6’ with the bourbon wood scoring 92.5/100 and sherry wood scoring 88.5/100. Both seem to be improving with age.

AnCnoc 12-year-old

Acquired – Christmas Gift, 25th December 2013

Ratings:
94.5/100 – Whisky Bible 2014
90/100 – Ralfy, of www.ralfy.com
Review: – Ralfy – AnCnoc 12yo – YouTube

In the Whisky Bible, Jim Murray (author) has 4 separate categories, each marked out of 25, that he totals up for the final score out of 100. These categories are Nose, Taste, Finish, and lastly the overall balance and complexity. It’s this last category where the AnCnoc 12yo scores an almost perfect 24.5/25 with the comment “a more complete or confident Speyside-style malt you are unlikely to find. Shimmers with everything that’s great about Scotch whisky…always a real dram, but this is stupendous.”

Combine Jim Murray’s mark with that of Ralfy, who rarely gives a score in the 90s, and you’ve clearly got an excellent whisky in the AnCnoc.

Canadian Club 1968

Bought – Online Whisky Auction, 16th December 2013

Not surprisingly I’ve been unable to find a review of this Canadian whisky from 1968. The ‘Club’ range itself though is generally very well liked, so I’m hoping this one is enjoyable. Not that I’ll be drinking it! I have a close relative born in 1968 and I bought this as a present for them. They might see fit to give me a sip but I think we’ll have plenty of other whiskies to choose from. 😉

Highland Park 12-year-old

Acquired – Gift, December 2013

Ratings:
78/100 – Whisky Bible 2013 (and 2014)
84/100 – Ralfy – His review on YouTube (June 2014)
91/100 – Whisky Bitch – Her review on YouTube (December 2011)

Ratings can be confusing. When Ralfy reviewed this 12yo back in 2009, the Whisky Bible 2009 rated this bottle at 91/100 and Ralfy 88/100. But the bible was actually based on whisky tasted in 2008. In 2013 Jim Murray, in his Whisky Bible, drops this 12yo down to 78/100 and says he hopes the fall from grace is due to freak casks. He goes on to say that the Highland Park 12yo is one of his favourite whiskies of all time. But I got this bottle in 2013, where as his review was based on a bottle from 2012. I’m just hoping the whisky used for this 12yo in 2013 was an improvement on the 2012 batch!

As if by magic my copy of the Whisky Bible 2014 arrived this morning – woo0-hoo! 🙂 And the entry for this 12yo is, drum roll please, still 78/100 with the same comment as the 2013 bible! Now, either the whisky hasn’t changed, which might be possible, or the author has been a bit lazy here. I have to wonder how much of the bible is simply copied forward year-upon-year. I suppose you could say the same about most dictionaries but whisky changes more frequently than words.

I’m yet to try this 12yo but I’m tempted now to track down an older bottle, pre 2012, to have as a comparison. I bet I end up loving this version because it will still have the Highland Park flavours, which are delicious!

Scapa 1993

Bought – Online Whisky Auction, 11th December 2013

Ratings:
81/100 – Malt Maniacs (average from 3 reviewers)

My second bottle of Scapa and also my second from the bottlers ‘Gordon & MacPhail’. At some stage I’d like to get an official bottling from the Scapa distillery but, as I write this, the entry level 16-year-old is nearly £50! It seems rediculous when you think an excellent 12yo bottle of the orcadian neighbour to Scapa, Highland Park, can be bought on discount from Tesco for £25 – half the price! And the Scapa 16yo gets some very mixed reviews.

Speaking of reviews, this mini Scapa 1993 gets a good mark on Malt Maniacs with 81/100. The one reviewer that leaves a comment says it goes very well with a chocolate-based dessert. I’ve heard that about whisky and chocolate before but I can’t say I’ve ever tried it (apart from mixed in to my mother’s whisky pudding). Sounds like something new for 2014!

Mackmyra ‘Brukswhisky’

Bought – Amazon, 9th December 2013

Ratings:
95.5/100 – Whisky Bible 2013
90-93/100 – Daniel Jakobsen – His review on YouTube

Mackmyra popped onto my radar back in July 2013 before I’d decided to focus my collection on Scottish single malts. I’d read about this Swedish distillery in the book ‘101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die’ by Ian Buxton and thought it sounded very interesting. The book talks about the First Edition release which Ralfy gives 89/100 in his YouTube video here back in 2011. When Ralfy gets close to 90 you know it’s an excellent dram!

I was all set to track down the First Edition when I bought the Whisky Bible 2013. The first whisky mentioned for Mackmyra is ‘Brukswhisky’ getting 95.5/100 and the comment “One of the most complex and most beautifully structured whiskies of the year. A Mackmyra masterpiece, cementing the distillery among the world’s true greats.”

And the final element that convinced me to get the Brukswhisky was Daniel Jakobsen’s video review mentioned above. A must for any whisky collector or for someone who likes a dram and fancies something different!