A double-header of Irish whiskey rounded out the end of summer for the club. A fresh tasting offering with lots of fruit, vanilla and honey, plum and cinnamon. A regular Irish crowd-pleaser, crisp and light. 46% in an ex-bourbon barrel. $175 at the LCBO.
Category Archives: Whisky of the Month
Posts of each month’s taster!
Glendalough 13 Mizunara Cask
The second of our Irish Whiskey double-header, Glendalough Single Malt Mizunara Cask was aged in a bourbon barrel and finished in a cask crafted from Japan’s mizunara oak trees. Mizunara oak is a rarity in barrel making given the difficulty inherent in working with the crooked, porous wood, as well as the fact that one of these trees has to be at least 200 years old to be considered a barrel candidate. Vanilla, stone fruit, chocolate, coconut and oaky spice make for a unique dram. “Stunning stuff from the Glendalough range” – Masterofmalt.com. “This is a rare gem among Irish whiskies” – Jonny McCormick.
$174 at the LCBO.
Carsebridge 1982
Bottled by Signatory Vintage as part of their fascinating cask strength collection (49.9%), it is always exciting to sample a whisky that will never be repeated as the distillery is simply now closed. Opened in 1799 and followed by a tumultuous history, Carsebridge was closed in 1983 and is now demolished. An obscure Lowland single grain in a refill sherry butt, this ghost wasn’t raved over by the club for any extraordinary complexity or surprise, but was surely appreciated as a 1-in-169 bottle privilege in which to partake. An easy drinker. It was available until recently in Alberta for $515 CAD.
Auchentoshan 15 (2003) – Distiller’s Art
I have no complaints about any Auchentosan I’ve tried, usually not a whisky that makes you go Wow, but consistent in quality. This 15 year-old is a bit of a different bird as it was bottled by Distiller’s Art from a refill Hogshead. At 48% ABV, it is pretty mild.
The nose is sweet honey and has hints of fresh grassy fields. The palate delivers a pepper spice, albeit mild and short, with hints of salt and mild citrus. The finish has a nice short burn that doesn’t linger.
Definitely a bottle you could sit around and keep pouring out on a summer night. Once again, Auchentoshan does not disappoint with a consistent and well manicured dram. $182 sourced from the LCBO in 2020 – Chad N.
Macduff 1997 First Edition
The nose reminds me of walking into a well maintained Century Home, this whisky is from a first fill Hogshead. Wood comes though on the nose, as well as floral notes and black liquorice.
The first sip definitely reminds me of black liquorice candies and maybe a tiny hint of pepper. It makes my throat feel like it’s been washed in chloraseptic spray, which isn’t actually a bad thing. It has a mild finish, with ginger, and is slightly warming but not overpowering.
A pretty decent whisky, maybe not perfect for my personal palate, but different than anything else I’ve tried before and enjoyable. Not something I’d sit down and drink more than one of, but a nice bottle to share with a fellow whisky enthusiast. 54.4ABV. $200 and sourced from Alberta – Chad N.
Ledaig 19 – Pedro Ximenez Cask Finish
A limited edition peated whisky from Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull, released under the Ledaig name. Generally referred to as “classic Ledaig” across many reviews, this whisky highlights several layers of smoky sherry with a peppery kick, as well as hints of red fruit and chocolate. 55.7% ABV.
Kinsip Cooper’s Revival
Canadian Rye Whisky. On Canada Day Weekend 2020, we supported this local distillery located in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Hand sanitizer made at the distillery during the pandemic rounded out the purchase! Oh Canada!
Kinsip Headland’s Hearth
See our previous post, #184, for our comments on this Kinsip, support local, double tasting.
Lagavulin 16
A lovely, rich whisky from this popular Islay distillery. Often called the “benchmark” for all other Islay offerings. Smoky and dry, its heavy peat reputation does not mask some complex flavours, with a surprising sweetness and hint of vanilla. Everyone seems to taste something different. A go-to for big peat lovers worldwide. 42.9% ABV and a very reasonable $144.95 at the LCBO.
Lagavulin Distillers Edition
Finished in a Pedro Ximinez cask, this dram is both a peat and sherry bomb. Lots of dried fruit amongst the smoke. Warm and inviting, bold and unapologetic. 43% ABV, distilled in 2001 and bottled in 2017. $159.95 at the LCBO.
