My friends and I gift a fair amount of whisky amongst ourselves… I imagine this sounds familiar to most people who would be reading and/or writing blog posts such as this!
One of my good friends has always been a bit more of a rum drinker but, over the years, he’s definitely expanded his repertoire into the world of whisky. We’ll, he celebrated his birthday recently so I dropped off a bottle of Old Pulteney and couldn’t resist when he invited me in for a quick pour.
As you can see, my buddy had been celebrating in earnest!
I had chosen this whisky because, in my experience, it would be an easy-drinking dram that a novice scotch drinker should enjoy and it seemed to turn out that I chose wisely.
Old Pulteney displays as a classic, honey-gold highland dram. The dominant aromas were gentle honey, vanilla and oak with an interesting herbal-tea quality. On the palate, assertive oak gave way to lots of caramel and a “Dad’s Cookie” cereal biscuit character. The finish seemed shortish, with sawdust, citrus zest and mint. Throughout my glass, I searched unsuccessfully for the briny, maritime note that I remembered this whisky to once have had…
Completely safe and inoffensive and my buddy said he quite enjoyed it, so mission accomplished, I think! I’d never turn OP12 down, but I was reminded why it’s not a regular inhabitant of my own cabinet.
Over the years, my lovely wife’s attitude toward my whisky-drinking hobby has evolved directly alongside my passion for the water of life. From eye-rolls when I’d come home with a new bottle to mild amusement toward my nerdy comments about the dram I was enjoying… I’m glad that she’s managed to put up with me all these years!
This summer, Tena and I celebrated our 19th anniversary. (Don’t ask me where the time went!) It’s pretty crazy to look back at how much things have changed over the years and the family that we’re raising… but this is a whisky blog, right! So let’s focus on her contribution to my spirited ramblings.
Yeah, she’s a catch!
On our anniversary, Tena surprised me with a bottle of the Glenfiddich 18 year old. I would have been surprised by any bottle but I was particularly impressed that she chose a rather well-aged single malt. Either she’s been paying more attention than I give her credit for or my buddy Richard was in cahoots on this one! This whisky is bottled at 40% abv and, as a gift, I have no interest in what it cost!
To the Eye
Manuka honey in a glass, with almost brownish flashes. A swirl of my Glencairn produces a crest that gathers dramatically before releasing thick tears and long, droopy legs. It’s a deep, dark and luxurious-looking drop!
In the Nose
Gently spicy right off the bat, with some bourbony vanilla and a subtle ginger zest that pairs intriguingly with a perfume-like floral note. A second sniff reveals classic Speyside apples, though these are more of the red, very-ripe variety. More nosing reveals some cinnamon and a bit of citrus.
On the Tongue
Bourbon? Sherry? Bourbon… sherry… It’s interesting how the influence of both cask types are dancing together in this whisky. Those dried fruits and toffee flavours I associate with bourbon are there, as is the dry, raisiny goodness of a sherry finish. In amongst it all, there are some of the classic Glenfiddich flavours of orchard fruits and cut green grass.
The finish is somewhat gentle but it lingers, with oak, cinnamon, and menthol.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes I have a hard time deciding what to think about rather well-aged, (presumably) more-expensive whiskies. Let me explain…
Would I like a whisky of this caliber at a higher proof? Of course! Did I expect some kind of stand-out, more-memorable characteristic? Probably… I think I tend to hold these kinds of whiskies to a higher standard, which might not be entirely fair.
The Glenfiddich 18 is a delicious drop! It is rich, well-composed and has a surprisingly long finish. If I had a larger whisky budget, this would probably be a favourite… the kind of dram I’d choose as an everyday sipper. However, at least at this point, that’s not quite my reality and, when I splurge, I’m still looking for something that blows my mind just a bit more.
What’s this, three bourbon reviews in a row? I guess that sums up where I currently find myself on my dramming journey these days.
The first time I recall hearing about this particular bottling of Wild Turkey was in a reply from fellow blogger, Whiskey Nut, to my review of the standard 81 proof offering. In this reply, I was encouraged not to give up on the Wild Turkey brand and try this, a more premium offering.
Anyway, I picked up my most recent bottle of Rare Breed to share at a camp-fire get-together with a couple of my friends known to appreciate a good bourbon. This whiskey is bottled at a whopping 58.4 abv and cost me right around $60 CAD.
To the Eye
Deep honey-amber… somewhat less orangey than some bourbons. A quick tears test reveals a curtain, rather than typical legs, which rapidly rejoins the spirit at the bottom of my glass.
In the Nose
Dill pickles! Every time I nose this whisky I’m shocked by how distinct this aroma is… and I like it! Despite the strong presence of those pickles is, there is a myriad of other smells to wade through: burned wood, honey, red apple peels, vanilla, baking spices and some hazelnut-chocolate spread. There are a couple vegetal notes that come across as both fresh cut and dry grasses. There’s lots going on but it’s a well-composed nose that is both engaging and enjoyable.
On the Tongue
An early impression is how silky and unctuous this dram is. There’s a grainy, nutty Sunny Boy porridge that jumps out, along with caramel and juicy red apples which creates a sort of savoury candy apple sensation. Cinnamon, carefully restrained oak, spears mint and spruce are some of the more noticeable flavours rounding things out.
On the medium finish, I get some serious rye spiciness that pairs nicely with honey, black licorice and orange zest. There’s also a dry grape-skin note that reminds me of a bit of Grappa.
Final Thoughts
Every time I drink this whiskey, it leaves me impressed! For a barrel-proof bourbon, I find Wild Turkey Rare Breed to be extremely approachable and drinkable. I’d stop short of calling it “smooth” but you might expect more burn from a damned-near 120-proof spirit and, after all, shouldn’t a good bourbon’s grab that hangy-down thing at the back of your throat at least a little bit?
This is a terrific drop! There are some interesting and unexpected characteristics in each of the nose, palate and finish but, at the end of the day, it’s still straightforward enough that all I really care about is how tasty it is! To top it off, it’s affordable enough to be an everyday sipper too… what’s not to like?!
An amateur's whisk(e)y wonderings… About drams I buy myself, for myself!
A Dram or 2 