Closing out my week of Laphroaig reviews, here is another 13 yo, but unlike Wednesday’s 13 yo from Duncan Taylor (and also Monday’s 17 yo from SMWSA) it was not distilled in 1997 or matured in a bourbon cask. This is from a refill sherry cask filled in 1998, and was bottled by a relatively obscure Dutch outfit named Kintra Whisky (and seems to be the only Laphroaig they’ve yet bottled)—back at the start of the decade there was a lot more indie Laphroaig around than there is now. This is another bottle that I purchased a long time ago and kept unopened for no good reason. I finally opened it, alongside the Duncan Taylor 13 yo, for one of my local group’s tastings earlier this year (it was a tasting that featured two 14 yo Springbanks and two 13 yo Laphroaigs, one each from bourbon and sherry casks). I liked it fine then but found it a bit raw (and more than a bit sulphured). Since then it’s mellowed considerably and I’ve been enjoying it more. And now it’s time to take some notes. Continue reading
Category Archives: Kintra Whisky
Clynelish 16, 1995, Refill Sherry (Kintra Whisky)
I’ve not been overly impressed with the few bottles from Kintra Whisky that I’ve tried (though an old Tomintoul I had one small sample of was rather nice). I hope this Clynelish 16 from a refill sherry cask will make it past the mid-80s. I rather came to like the last Clynelish from a sherry cask that I reviewed and that was from 1995 as well.
This is one of only 90 bottles released by Kintra Whisky which suggests a cask split with another bottler.
Glen Garioch 22, 1990 (Kintra Whisky)
I have previously reviewed two Glen Gariochs from 1990. I quite liked this 21 yo from Archives, but was less enamored of this 20 yo, which was from the Dutch bottler, Kintra Whisky, as is the one I am reviewing today. Those were both from bourbon casks, whereas this one is from refill sherry and a hogshead at that. Indeed, it may be the only sherry cask among the few Glen Gariochs I’ve tried. Let’s get right to it.
Glen Garioch 22, 1990 (51.2%. refill sherry hogshead #7934; from a purchased sample)
Nose: Sherried indeed with raisins and orange peel but also a lot of pine resin and some rawer oak along with a lot of woody spice (clove, cinnamon). The raw wood subsides quickly and there’s more salt now. With even more time the pine subsides as well and now it’s more conventionally sherried with toffee and light salted caramel. With water there’s some apricot jam and lemon peel. Continue reading
Glen Garioch 20, 1990 (Kintra Whisky)
The recent official Glen Gariochs I have reviewed so far have not greatly enthused me. Let’s see what the story is with some older, recently released independents. First up, is a review of a 20 yo from 1990 from the new’ish Dutch bottler, Kintra Whisky. This will be followed soon by a review of a 21 yo from 1990 from another Dutch label, Archives (the imprint of the guys at Whiskybase). Though the reviews are being published a few days apart the whiskies were tasted together.
Glen Garioch 20, 1990 (49.6%; Bourbon Hogshead #5873, Kintra Whisky; from a purchased sample)
Nose: A little spirity at first and then some light fruit (green apples, peels and all) and a minerally, mildly sooty note. Quite austere. Not much development with time. Wait, with a lot more time there’s a light almondy note. Hmmm I can’t really say that water makes much of a difference to the nose; maybe brings out a faintly sweaty note. Continue reading
Quick Hits: Two Aged Tomintouls
Once again, the “Quick Hits” notes are briefer takes on whiskies I only have small’ish samples of. No ratings for that reason.
The last time I tasted two reasonably old indie Inchgowers from the 1980s. Today, two very old indie Tomintouls from the 1960s. One from the new Dutch bottler, Kintra Whisky, and one from the famous Italian bottler, Samaroli (whose 31 yo Caol Ila so disappointed me a couple of weeks ago). I don’t know too much about Tomintoul and these are the first whiskies I’ve tasted from this distillery, so I cannot speak to how typical or atypical they may be. But I do hope they’ll be less disappointing than the Inchgowers were. Continue reading
My Annoying Opinions 