Glenmorangie 10 year

   How long spirits and/or alcohol of sorts have been produced in the Tain region of Scotland is up for debate and since time machines are out of the picture, shall remain so. And why not. The mystery and mystique of time is what makes it so mysterious and mystical; the allure of the unknown. What is known is that since about the mid 1980s the Glenmorangie malt has been the best selling malt in Scotland. Translation: the Scots drink a lot of scotch and Glenmorangie reigns numero uno. But sales aren’t everything. Is it just hype? Hyperbole? Flight of fancy?
I trust Scotland and her people to know good scotch and in that, Glenmorangie is no exception. A few unique factors go into her spirit of singularity which makes this journey into flavordom most unique. For one, Glenmorangie utilizes the tallest stills in Scotland, measuring in at an impressive 26 feet and 3 inches. Looking at my own bottle, I note the prideful inscription of “Perfected by the sixteen men of Tain”. Dad instilled in me at a young age to do what one does once and to do it well, otherwise where is the pride and where is the accomplishment, no matter how small or large the task. He also taught me to love what you do and if you don’t, then do something about it and do it once, do it well, and don’t look back. In the cellars of Glenmorangie, sixteen men are tasked with the sacred duty of nurturing, nourishing, and celebrating the fruits of their labors.
And celebrate the fruit of their labors I shall. To not judge prematurely. To be open and free in impression and inspiration. To savor what is as what should be. In all these regards and more, I live and tell.

Color: light clear straw. Honey and sunshine.

Nose: gentle and supple. Straw and biscuits. Honeycomb. Baled hay. Sunflower. Essence of orange. Orchard must. Golden fields.

Body: swirls with a nice oily layer. Smooth and silky, oily and creamy. Sticky and supporting a nice weight.

Palate: honey, straw, and hay. Honeycomb all over lips which tingle long after each quaff. Sunflowers amidst a pervasive essence of golden fields ready for the harvest. Oily and creamy. Coconut husk and natural coconut water. Orange oils. Grassy. Spice in the back.

Finish: tingly lips. Heat and spice in breath lingers impressively. Lemon skin. Honeycomb. Dry along the sides and sticky everywhere else.

I mistakenly went into this single-malt not expecting to be all that impressed, but now I can see why she is the biggest selling malt within her home country. Greater depth, clarity, weight, complexity, and character than the other bar standards, at least bar standards here in the states. I may not have understood or appreciated what Dad was teaching me when I was younger, but now it all makes sense. And to all who have and continue to broaden my view of the world near and far, large and small, thank you. The Glenmorangie 10 year is young and playful yet also wise beyond my years, a character which shown clear and true.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

Macallan 17 year ~ Fine Oak

   The Macallan - speak its name and no matter who you are or where you are and they will know its name. Long before I was enraptured by the single-malt, I knew of Macallan, even if only by name. An unassuming gent fondly known as the Whisky Chaser wrote a book or three which this amateur whisky chaser has read from cover to back. Enraptured not just by the picturesque Scottish isles, mores, highlands, and beyond, his slight of pen and prose brought me back into the mystical world of the malt, single of you please, even blended. If you let the malt speak for itself, then limitless discoveries await. I know. I see, smell, taste, and savor.
The Macallan is no stranger to the stoic nature and whimsical fancy of the malt and those who fancy her. Wood is an important partner in flavor and recently Macallan has been dabbling with beauteous White Oak. The white oak Macallan prefers for her Fine Oak series hails from three legendary regions of Spain which have been host to the great Spanish Oak; those regions are Galicia, Cantabria, and Asturias. Once the casks are complete, a little bit of love between legendary Jerez sherry and oak makes for a divine resting place for the awaiting malt. On occasion, even American Oak from the elder forests of Eastern United States which are then shipped to Jerez for a scintillating date with Jerez sherry before lying with Macallan malt.
For my first foray into Macallan, I find it rather appropriate that she be not just a Macallan but a Fine Oak Macallan bottled at the tender age of 17. My love for white oak is no secret and so let the journey begin.

Color: clear burnished coppers. deeper along the edges than in the middle.

Nose: sweet and honeyed. pervasive coconut. banana skins. raw oak, sweet and spicy, mingles with the coconut. guava and plantains. honeycomb raw and dripping. orchard must. pear and apple skins essence. teasatory tickle of heat and spice in the back, dry. golden biscuits without the sausage and gravy.

Body: oily, sticky, and mouth-coating in the middle. leaves dryness on the lips and along sides of cheeks and tongue.

Palate: clean and dry along the sides with white oak, spice, and fruit skins - pears and apples. coconut is everywhere, toasted, then dryness of husk. papaya, guava, and plantain greenness. spicy oaky planks in the breath. orange peel. sticky sweet earthiness of fresh honeycomb.

Finish: long, spiced, delicately sweet, and oaky. continues to dry sides of cheeks and tongue while the lips remain sticky. heavy in the middle from start to finish.

A thorough delight from start to finish. Now that the tasting notes are done, I am eager to savor a few drams sooner than later because as I write this, a thirst calls my name. The Fine Oak series is a welcome diversion from the long centuries old tradition of Macallan which I believe will become a tradition all her own.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

Lochindaal 10 year

   It took me forever to find information on this particular scotch but persistence prevailed and thus here I am with more than just tasting notes.
A hanger-on from my old place of work (a liquor store - surprise surprise), the Lochindaal 10 year called to me because 1) I'd never tasted it and 2) twas was a mystery. Once in my tender care, I discovered my new addition to be a bit of a bastard. What I mean is that there really isn't a Lochindaal (Loch Indaal) distillery which is active or actively produced this single-malt. He is instead the Bruichladdich 10 year in disguise as dictated by the Associated Scottish Distillers. For no other discernable reasons other than the sheer sake of marketing was such trickery played out.
Pretenses and falsities aside, once his origin was established it was time to let my palate of five senses do the rest of the talking.

Color: golden sunshine on a clear summer day. brilliant fields of straw.

Nose: honeyed straw with a green grass border slightly sun baked and bales of dried hay lingering about. coconut husk. green cut grass damp dewy and summery sweet. green banana peel. honeycomb. lemon peel.

Body: light and clean, almost airy though not watery. dry in the middle and finish. very mildly mouth-coating. floats across the tastebuds.

Palate: honeycomb clean and tight with lemon peel zipping into simply sippable fresh coconut water mingles with green bananas. honeyed rolls still doughy and yeasty. freshly picked and sliced pineapple. grass and hay in the back.

Finish: spicy husky coconuts, straw, and baled hay. very faint hint of lemon and honey rolls. overall rather short-lived the flavors that linger. a minor hit of heat reminds me of a ray of summer sunshine here now and gone later. paprika makes a startling albeit agreeable appearance.

Overall an alright 10 year single-malt. What stood out the most to me was that no one thing ever really stood out and as quickly as he entered my thoughts did he quickly exit.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

BenRiach 10 year

   It doesn’t have to be a big name distillery to produce big name single-malts. While ultimately it all boils down to flavor within which I would also include quality, innovation, inspiration, and tradition, personal taste also plays a factor. But! One must always keep in mind that one’s favorite single may not be anothers which is in no way relevant to the quality of that single-malt. During my tenure at a local liquor store, I slowly and quietly fell in love with single-malts and Scotland through the words of Michael Jackson and other great whisky chasers. During my tutilage, there was a nondescript bottle of BenRiach 10 year which beckoned in soft persistance. Suffice to say, I am right here right now because resistance is futile and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The distillery itself, BenRiach, has been around since the turn of the 19th century – 1898 to be exact. Just as Scotland has ridden the highs and lows of the whisky booms and busts, so too has BenRiach thus it pleases me to no end to pronounce this distillery quite alive and well. Amidst her many ownerships, the last of which being the behemoth Chivas Brothers, BenRiach now rests amidst the tender cares of three private individuals where she has flourished and continues to thrive.
I can’t say for sure, but I am fairly certain that the bottle which won my heart not so long ago was a prior release under Chivas ownership since I don’t see her anywhere on the new BenRiach website. And so, without further ado and a nod to my Lovely, it’s dram time.

Color: gold and straw with a clear brilliance marked by a medium depth bordered in ambers.

Nose: honeycomb, wood (raw oak), vanilla, saffron. Dew-dropped green grass amidst fields of wild flowers with waves of golden grains upon the horizon. Tickle of heat in the back which leads into a cooled honey glaze. Fruitcake esters in the middle – candied maraschino and pineapple. White bread crusts.

Body: light in front, full and sticky in the middle which features predominantly atop the tongue, and dry in the finish. Medium to medium-light weight. Delicate along the edges.

Palate: tickles in the back of spice, oak, and orange peel. Warm honeycomb sweetness finishes with oak in the back where gentle leather whispers. Candied pineapples underneath. Honeyed bread crust. Apple skins. Flavor dominates in the middle.

Finish: long and dry on top of the tongue with vanilla and saffron. Rawness of oak and orange skins.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

Auchentoshan Classic

   My first experience with the single malts from Auchentoshan was a few years back with my old buddy, Chris, who had acquired a most delicious bottle of Auchentoshan 20+ year. It's been too long since I savored her luxuriously amber depths ripe with plummy and stone fruits to remember all the details, but her memory has lingered long and warmly. I find it quite appropriate that I am back in her embrace not with a particular age statement but with one of their newer bottlings from a recently revamped selection of differing quality single-malts.
For those not familiar with this oft under-appreciated distillery, she stretches back as far as 1823. What was once a popular method of distillation is now uniquely singular to the Lowland whisky of Auchentoshan: triple distillation. Anyone familiar with Irish whiskey knows of this distillation method but for Scotland tis an unusual and unique hold-over from times past. While all other Scottish single-malts double distill, Auchentoshan triple distills. Some could argue for a better product or lesser, but I think of her as simply different and different is neither less nor more but simply a beautiful sum of her differing parts for a truly unique tasting experience steeped in tradition and history.
The Classic is a fresh young spirit aged in bourbon oak casks and trust you me, she was all that much more tasteful for it. There is merit and truth in vintage single-malts, but as we explore and understand more about whisky, a young spirit in deft hands can be just as meritous and passionate as her older, matured brothers and sisters. As I prepare to delve deeper into her spiritous depths, Cheers! to my lovely for choosing this bottle for my next Dramventure.

Color: on the lighter side of honey with her colors thinning along the edges of her glassy vessel. swirls with a solid sticky layer of tears which linger nicely.

Nose: light, delicate, elegant, and seductive. gentle honey, hay, and straw notes. sticky sweet with a hint of orange in the honey with the comb adding earthy crispness. subtle vanilla which reminds me of the soft crumbly vanilla cookies of cookie tin yore. fresh young morning dew drops - like waking up to a clear sunrise on a slightly crisp yet sunny spring day. silken. sugared lemon drops which leads into lemon poppy seed cake. freshly cut oak lingers in the back with a tickle of sweet heat and spice.

Body: clean and light with sticky lips and sticky cheeks. dries top of tongue - slightly brash but not detrimentally so, coming across as raw white oak planks.

Palate: sweetness of real honeycomb on the tip of my tongue leads into orange honey then lemon peel and white oak. peppery and spicy in the back, seductively so. dryness of white oak in the middle and underneath while vanilla mingles with the honeycomb. each quaff solidly grabs middle of my throat. thin but in an elegant posh silken way. a bold middle explodes with all flavors, then disperses slowly, each flavor seeping into my body both alone and together.

Finish: long, dry and sweet. white oak. whole black peppercorn. vanilla in breath. lemon peel back of tongue, grabbing my attention with each swallow. maintains a refreshing dew-dropped spring morning. mint drifts by upon a gentle breeze.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

Bowmore Darkest *Sherry Casked*

  What I have before me today is an older bottling of Darkest from Bowmore of the island of Islay, Scotland. Judging by their website, the newer expressions of Darkest are 15 years. My bottle doesn't have an age statement per say so some further research will reveal whether her unspoken age is 15...or not. I originally purchased the bottle from my previous place of work, Great Spirits, where for three years she gazed at me and me back at her until I could resist her siren's call no more.
I am glad I finally chose the path of least resistance to Bowmore savoring bliss. Not necessarily the peatiest or saltiest example to start with, she nonetheless wore her sherry robes in glorious sophistication. Adding to her overall unique maritime charm is the active use of her own maltings, something which very few scotch distilleries do anymore.
In my virgin venture into sherry casked single-malts, I realized a horrendous deficiency in my tasting palate: sherry. Oloroso, Amontillado, Fino and beyond, these eyes, nose, lips, tongue, and body haven't yet explored this arena of sensory indulgence. Obviously an immediate resolution is in the works where sherry bottles of all varieties, origins, and stories will soon grace my liquor cabinet.
In the meantime though, I shall proffer my burgundian impressions of this fine single-malt. As my second review and much like my first and many more to come, she was chosen by my lovely.

Color: polished burgundy. deep rich woods steeped in time; like a gentleman's club of yore.

Nose: apples. sweet polished woods of luxurious high society designs. oil and polish, orange infused. black cherries juicy and divine. gentle pervasive essence of leaves changing color, a chill in the air, and winter creeping in. sticky. stewed spiced fruits; cherry, apples, plums, apricots.

Body: swirls with a long lingering oily layer. sticky then long and dry. clean.

Palate: sweet with silken stickiness up front and through the middle. dryness of sherry, wood, and spice take over the end and linger long. apple skins and spice mingle warmly with the wood. cherries and grapes sweetly stewed and spiced. brings to mind relaxing in front of a winter fireplace. fallen leaves of varied autumnal colors. maple melted apricots and apples.

Finish: long lingering dry and warm. a salty breeze settles in long after each quaff has passed. spices tickles amidst the dryness.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

Highland Park 12 year

  I have been looking forward to tasting the 12 year Highland Park single-malt since I brought her home. Ironically, my first Highland Park was the 15 year but that was long ago. A revisit is in order but seeing as the 12 year expression is a timeless classic, I can't imagine a better first for A Dram A Day, chosen especially by my lovely.
My bottle is an older bottling in the sense that it is the old round bottle design; the new bottle design is more of an oval shape and the label has a sleek new modern appearance. To clarify though, single-malts do not change/mature once bottled, but the stock mine came from may be different than the stock a new bottle of 12 year came from. Maybe.
Either way, a classy and classic single, I'd recommend Highland Park for both the novice and the aficionado alike.

Color: golds and coppers.

Nose: honeyed heather. forceful and big. embers and cinders, still glowing. orange marmalade. pepper. cinnamon apples. marzipan.

Body: decent tears. mouthcoating. sweet and sticky in the middle. lasting.

Palate: honeycomb. spice in the back. red hot woods and glowing embers. sticky orange marmalade. straw and dry grass in the back. heather. spice tickles. marzipan. apple cobbler.

Finish: long and sticky. honeycomb. flambeed orange marmalade.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)