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After sampling the ‘Longmorn 16 year old’ or should I say after giving it the benefit of the doubt on three separate occasions, I honestly feel that along with it’s leather trimmed bottle, it could easily be mistaken for a dram that’s more about style opposed to any real dramming substance. Despite initially offering up some very pleasurable elements to both the nose and palate, it’s dominated by an overwhelming overkill of oak. There's also a rather unwelcome and unbalanced barrage of notes from one of those musty boxes of mass produced, bulk standard new world Chardonnay.
The nose kicks off rather promisingly with an abundance of apples being gently pulped and pulverised in a cider press, followed by the aroma of a just opened jar of mixed preserved peaches and apricots.
Before you’ve even had the opportunity to fully appreciate the initial nosing delights, overconfident waves of oak begin to take a stranglehold on the proceedings, along with the first inklings of that aforementioned Chardonnay.
Apart from a somewhat patchy encounter with some buttered granary toast and a hint of spiced honey, there’s no real opportunity for anything else to come through, due to being overshadowed and dominated by that winey, oaky overkill.
Initially the palate delivers a rather confident and balanced performance with a reappearance of those pressed and pulverised cider apples, followed by a generous spoonful of egg custard and some warm honey coated almonds.
Just when you think things are finally dramming along like a dream, an elevating wrath of oak begins to kick in, along with some rather over enthusiastic winey notes following on behind like a shadow. Though there is one saving grace, the Chardonnay has now evolved into a much more palatable mid range Riesling.
A much welcomed implosion of chocolate makes for the next palatable delivery, starting off with a milky wave from some ‘Lindt’ Swiss chocolate, followed by the semi bitter aftertaste from a bar of ‘Cadbury’s Bournville’.
It’s not long before an oaky obliteration firmly takes hold, and those chocolate notes soon become a distant memory. Elements of a rich concentrated cherry coulis along with a zestette from a lime also try to make an appearance, but are also wiped out pretty much instantaneously by you know who.
I have to admit that I was genuinely disappointed by the ‘Longmorn 16 year old’. The overbearing levels of oak and indeed its excessive wineyness, really let it down. If it had been any oakier it would of been nothing more than a palatable splinter.
Available from The Whisky Exchange for £44.49 and widely throughout specialist retail.
They may well be one of the younger boys on the whisky block, but there’s certainly nothing adolescent, juvenile or inexperienced about the drams from the ‘Arran’ distillery.
I do have to admit and ashamedly so, that I’ve only recently discovered the delights from this gutsy south islander. Back in July I was fortunate enough to enjoy a dram of their 15th Anniversary bottling, and I have to say that I found it to be a rather intriguing and impressive drop of stuff.
So imagine my delight, when within only days of reading about their new 14 year old release, a sample of this dramtabulous delight was delivered to my door.
Even before you've had time to fully enjoy the initial nosing and tasting of this dram, you're given a pretty good idea of what dramming delights lay in store, and indeed given a clear indication of how vivaciously vibrant and finessely finished this dram will be.
The nosing shenanigans kick off with bold yet balanced waves of vanilla and pear infused oak, followed by a multitude of summer berries floating around in a shallow and subtle pool of rose water.
A big wedge of warm malt loaf spread with a thick oozing glug of honey makes for the next sensation, along with a just opened can of peaches in syrup and a bubbling hot pan of winter spiced caramel.
A subtle coastal element then kicks in along with an infusion of galangal and preserved lemons, followed by the distant aroma of one of Grandma’s 100% proof summer fruit sherry trifles.
Just when you think there couldn’t be anything else left to delight the nose, there’s a bold arrival of some desiccated coconut and a tin of condensed milk, just before they're added to the mix to make some of those white and luminous pink coconut ice bars, that you find on sale at seaside alongside the sticks of rock.
The palate initially offers up big flowing waves of sweet oak and swirling glugs of honey infused with hints of cardamom, fresh mint and ground black pepper. Followed by a bowl of vanilla infused poached pears drizzled with some melted 70% ‘Divine’ dark chocolate.
A restrained coastal element sways itself back and forwards throughout the tasting of this dram, and helps to balance things out quite nicely without becoming overpowering in any way.
The palatable delivery of delights are then concluded with a satisfyingly long lingering finish, made up with all the ingredients of a rich, fruity and spiced Christmas cake, minus the eggs, flour and butter.
This is a superbly balanced and rounded whisky, which has only further fuelled my recent interest into all things 'Arran'. Not only would I recommend this highly to existing enthusiasts, I'd wholeheartidly urge all the newbies outhere to give this one a go.
Available directly from Arran for £38.99 and will soon be available throughout specialist retail.
If you’re looking for a bourbon that will entice, embrace, engage and enchant your senses, whilst simultaneously taking them on an enthralling rollercoaster of a ride, then you need look no further than ‘Elijah Craig 12’.
After my first sampling back in 2003, It’s fair to say that all my previous bourbon encounters up until that point were well and truly blown out of the water, thanks to this outstanding balanced benchmark of a dram.
The nose delivers a series of deliciously deep, decadent, dramtabulous delights. Kicking off with the sensation of a just opened packet of foil wrapped ‘Oreo’ biscuits, followed by dominant yet non overpowering waves of rich oak and thick wafts of vanilla.
Rich comforting glugs of rye infused caramel and spiced Tupelo honey float gently and prominantly to the forefront of the nosing action, before being cheekily but inoffensively upstaged by the sticky sweet delights of a 1950s American candy store on the run up to Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The aroma from a big slice of apple struddle, drenched in an ocean of custard makes for the next nasal sensation, followed by a lingering infusion of cloves and a jar of thick cut orange marmalade. There’s also the presence of some very subtle kiwi and avocado back notes.
The palate continues to channel in those waves of rich oak and gorgeous thick vanilla, along with the aftertaste you get from crunching on a whole mouthful of brown sugar cubes.
An infusion of rye, winter spices and smoking charcoal make for the next set of sensations, along with a few sprigs of flat leaf parsley and a few caramelised fronds of fennel.
The apple struddle then makes a subtle brief reappearance, but this time the portion size has been refined and it’s been served with a quenelle of Cornish clotted cream.
This is a truly outstanding bourbon, which is pretty much perfect in every possible way. If you’ve yet to discover the delights of ‘Elijah Craig’ particularly the 12, I strongly recommend that you add this to the top of your dramming to do list.
Available from Master of Malt for £24.95 and widely available throughout specialist retail.
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