Two Old Glens: Glen Keith 1965 and Glenugie 1977

It's been a while and this entry has been slightly overdue with the introduction of the Glen Keith 1965 as one of August's 1965 vintages. Pairing up with the 1965 Glen Keith is another old(ish) whisky from another closed distillery, Glenugie. So here's the low down on the two whiskies...

Name: Glen Keith 1965 Gordon & Macphail Connoisseur's Choice

Distillery: Glen Keith (Speyside)

Type: Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: Nil

Bottler: Gordon & Macphail

Alc/Vol: 40%

For those who aren't familiar with Glen Keith, it is one of the distilleries in the bustling Speyside region, located near the town of Keith where it gets its name from. Unfortunately for the distillery, it was mothballed by current owners Chivas Brothers/Pernod Ricard in 1999. This means there is still hope that the distillery may open again, but for now Glen Keith's whiskies will be ever dwindling. 

Nose: Beeswax (very very waxy), fresh honey, some warm cinnamon, salt and fresh fruit notes of apple and pear. Interesting, light and fresh (22)

Taste/Palate: Fresh with a hint of malt and cured meat. Then it becomes very oaky and dry with notes of bitterness. (20)

Finish: Intense notes of licorice build up, with a lingering bitterness and slight hints of the fruit coming up again on the finish. The bitterness is a bit too strong though (20)

Overall: A good dram to try out if one wants to know more of Glen Keith, though the bitterness is a bit too strong for me overall (20) 82/100

Found at: Auld Alliance

Now let's turn our attentions to an even more lesser known distillery, Glenugie

Name: Glenugie 33YO 

Distillery: Glenugie (Highlands)

Type: Single Cask Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: 33YO

Bottle No: 105/577

Vintage: 20/12/1977

Bottler: Signatory Village

Alc/Vol: 58.1%

The distillery of Glenugie has made a name for itself as a hidden and little known gem in the whisky world. Closed in 1983, its history was littered with periods of closure and ownership changes. Nevertheless, the whisky that came out of this distillery has been lauded for its high quality. The quality of the whisky has even led Serge Valentin of Whiskyfun to name Glenugie as one of his highest ranked distilleries. This particular old Glenugie was distilled in 1977, during its last period of operation, and it was actually finished in Oloroso sherry casks for a whopping 84 months! That's a 7 year finishing period, which is extremely long. Let's see how this baby tastes

Nose: Really rich and full. Notes of red fruits, strong sweet English Breakfast Tea. Apple juice, caramel and chocolate and some even stronger black tea. Great stuff! (22)

Taste/Palate: Rich and Oily entry with notes of bitter cocoa on creamy chocolate like Royce chocolate. Mid palate it is extremely sweet with notes of chocolate mousse, red fruits and sweet cream. Lovely and pleasantly complex (23)

Finish: Long and extremely pleasant. Sweet and slight fruity with notes of apple rose tea and rose syrup. Great stuff! (22)

Overall: A great whisky that does prove that Glenugie is one worth sourcing out for. Quite strong though! (22) 89/100

Found at: Auld Alliance

Two Speysiders (anCnoc and Mannochmore) + 1 Highlander

Today let's have a look at the distillery expressions of two lesser known Speyside distilleries which don't have much coverage here in Singapore. Nevertheless, their presence here is very much encouraging, and let's hope the brands keep on coming! The two brands are anCnoc (Knockdhu) and Diageo workhorse Mannochmore. Both expressions are 12YOs, so this should be an interesting head to head to see if the Speyside 'Style' is present in both.

Name: anCnoc 12YO
Distillery: anCnoc (or Knockdhu) (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 12YO
Alc/Vol: 40%


The distillery of anCnoc or Knockdhu is located in Huntly, Aberdeenshire near the East side of Speyside. As one would notice by now, it goes by the name of Knockdhu. The reason for the change was to avoid confusion with another Whisky Distillery in Scotland, Knockando, also a Speyside distillery. Under the ownership of Inver House, anCnoc saw a re-branding in 2003, so this is the new look whisky coming out of the distillery since the ownership change. Let's see how it fares.

Nose: Pleasant nose with a very classic honey and spice notes. Honey, ginger orange spiciness, apples and some lemon. Little hints of vanilla, malt and eucalyptus as well. Pretty straightforward though (20)


Taste/Palate: Extremely woody and with bitter and burnt notes on the palate. Burnt nuts, dark roasted malt (like those used in Stout), burnt sugars. Hints of ginger, dried bark, honey, hibiscus flowers and some beer. Overly burnt for me sadly (18)


Finish: Slight licorice, more beer notes as well and a hint of fresh barley. Not too long lasting in my opinion. (18)


Overall: It is pleasant on the nose but I think the roasted notes are a tad too overpowering on the palate. Overall, the whisky is quite straightforward as a dram (19) 75/100


Found at: Drinks Fellas

Name: Mannochmore Flora and Fauna 12YO
Distillery: Mannochmore (Speyside)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 12YO
Alc/Vol: 43%


The distillery of Mannochmore is one of Diageo's workhorse distilleries, with most of its whisky production going to the drink behemoth's blends. Interestingly enough, it is also the distillery responsible for what is popularly known as the worst whisky ever produced, Loch Dhu Black Whisky. Its black colour and offensive profile has led Johannes Van Den Heuvel, the leader of the Malt Maniacs, to name it 'Aqua Crematoria'. Thankfully this 12YO Flora and Fauna expression, which was released by Diageo to showcase the 'house style' of its many workhorse distilleries, is very much different in style.

Nose: Malty, fruity and honied. Fresh barley water, fresh green pears, fragrant pears and apricots. A hint of raisins and grapes. Light, fruity and overall very pleasant! (21)


Taste/Palate: Notes of pear continue on entry with (interestingly) a light hint of peat. Oak and light creamy nuttiness as well. It continues with notes of malt and a touch of honey. (20)


Finish: Malty at the end with rich barley sugars and some oak. A pretty simple finish (19)


Overall: All in all this is a very drinkable and pleasant whisky. Nothing too exciting, but this is one that will go down easily when drank amongst friends or on a hot day. (20) 81/100


Found at: Auld Alliance, Quaich Bar

Last but not least, let's add in a bonus! Glengoyne is a distillery whose whiskies I've always wanted to try. Fiercely proud of their traditions like air drying their malted barley (meaning no peat at all!) and using the famous but notoriously low-yielding Golden Promise barley, this distillery should promise much... I hope!

Name: Glengoyne 17YO
Distillery: Glengoyne (Highlands)
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 17YO
Alc/Vol: 43%


Glengoyne distillery is an interesting distillery due in part to its locality. Located very near Glasgow (which is home to the Lowland distillery Auchentoshan), it is nevertheless classified as a Highland distillery, so their style should maybe be a mix of both? I'm skeptical about classifying all Highland malts under one style, so I'll rather try this with no pre-conceived notions of what it should taste like.

Nose: Full of honey, pear drops and vanilla. Extremely pleasant and rich. These are accompanied with hints of saltiness, oak and the artificial sweetness found in sweets. (21)


Taste/Palate: The fruity, oaky and honied notes continue on the palate with hints of banana, Manuka honey and marmalade. Loads of warm spice like ginger and licorice. Extremely pleasant. (21)


Finish: Creamy and malty with hints of very light white bread, barley and Chinese Malt Candy (麦芽糖 for those who know what this sweet is!) I also get a hint of a light flour candy I ate as a child! Interesting. It's not powerful but it is certainly pleasant (22)


Overall:  I really did enjoy this whisky, it's pleasant and is very enjoyable. Definitely worth a try I must say (21) 85/100


Found at: Auld Alliance

An Old Clynelish and a 1st Edition Brora

Lying in my old set of notes has been a pair of whiskies that are, quite simply put, absolute classics. After a while of keeping this to myself (partly as I am not sure if I can even do these whiskies justice), I think it is time to share it with the whisky world. These two whiskies are from two neighboring distilleries, and are extremely highly regarded in the whisky circle, namely Clynelish and Brora.

Credits: Scotchwhisky.net

For those who are slightly unfamiliar with these two distilleries, Clynelish and Brora have an intertwined relationship that bonds both of them. Clynelish started out in 1819, and things weren't so complicated till 1968 when the owners built a new distillery that was much bigger, and moved the name Clynelish to this new distillery. The old distillery was closed but eventually opened again a year later, this time under the name Brora. Sadly though, Brora shut its doors again in 1983 and has remained that way since.

This hasn't stopped the whiskies that have been created at these distilleries, especially in the 1960s-70s, from getting nothing short of rave reviews from the world's toughest whisky critiques. Brora distillery for example, ranks as one of Serge Valentin's top distilleries, and an expression from Brora got a staggering 97 points from Serge, reflecting the quality some of the whiskies from these distilleries possess.

But I digress, it is about these whiskies here, and so without further ado, here are the whiskies:

Name: Clynelish 24YO (Bottled for Sestante by Cadenheads)

Distillery: Clynelish (Highlands)

Type: Single Malt Scotch

Vintage: 1965

Age Statement: 24YO

Alc/Vol: 49.4%

This Clynelish is very much a legendary bottling, garnering high praise from all who have tried it in the whisky world. As a relative novice, to be able to even taste this is an honour and a spiritual experience. To say it was good doesn't really do it justice, it is arguably one of the best whiskies I've tried! The notes are skim, as I was basically just enjoying it...

Nose: Amazing. A superbly rich nose with notes of milk chocolate, vanilla, berries, cream and other fruits. Hints of raisins and a touch of peat to finish it off, but it is the richness and amazing balance of the nose that wins the day (24)

Taste/Palate: Full on again just like the nose. Notes of fruit, barley, oak and toffee bring up an extremely sweet and rich experience on the palate. There is an interesting smoothness that could be the waxiness that people state this distillery (and Brora) are famous for. Brilliant (24)

Finish: Oaky finish with notes of rich barley. Very lingering and amazingly balance (23)

Overall: Pretty much a brilliant whisky in every sense of the word! Definitely worth trying if one can get his/her hands on it (23) 94/100

Found at: Sadly I don't know any place that sells this.

Now let's move on to a brilliant Brora that started a phenomenon!

Credits: Royal Mile Whiskies

Name: Brora 2002 Edition (1st Edition)

Distillery: Brora (Highlands)

Type: Single Malt Scotch

Age Statement: 30YO

Alc/Vol: 52.4%

If one looks around for recent bottlings of now closed Brora, one would notice these very nice looking long thin bottles, all bottled at very healthy ages of 25 or 30 years old. These are owners Diageo's releases of this well-regarded distillery, and yes, due to the fact that stock is diminishing, the prices are very expensive. This expression, though, is the one that started it all way back in 2002. This first edition of releases set the tone for annual releases of the whisky, all of which are highly sought after.

Nose: Green grass, butter, hay, warm leather, spice and cream all hit one full on in an extremely powerful and pungent nose. Amazing stuff! (23)

Taste/Palate: Powerful stuff once again, with notes of spice, grassiness, cream, malt and oak. Hints of aromatic smoke, butter and that typical waxiness as well. (23)

Finish: Full on fresh barley with the grassiness continuing on, as well as the notes of peat that Brora is famous for as well. More importantly though, the finish is extremely long and lingering (22)

Overall: I can see why this whisky started a craze, it is brilliant, balanced and rich in flavours. However it is a powerhouse of a whisky so be forewarned! (23) 91/100

Found at: Auld Alliance

Many thanks to Emmanuel Dron for the whiskies!

The Birth of a Lion

It is a great day for SGwhisky when a whisky with a strong claim to fame. It is even better when the claim to fame is unique to the Singaporean context! A while back, SGwhisky was lucky enough to get such a whisky from Tullibardine, the Birth of A Lion 1965 expression for Singapore..

As mentioned many a time before, SGwhisky prides itself on all things Singaporean, and I have been lucky enough to try both the 1990 and 1988 BenRiachs that were bottled for the Singapore market. The elusive one however has been the much more exclusive 1965 Tullibardine Birth of A Lion whisky that was bottled in 2010 to commemorate Singapore's 45th year of independence. Well the time has now come and here is the review for that particular whisky! To the readers of this blog, SGwhisky proudly presents to you the 1965 Birth of a Lion!

As mentioned earlier, the 1965 Tullibardine was a single cask whisky bottled in 2010 to commemorate Singapore's 45th birthday. It is of course all the better that the whisky was a 1965 vintage, adding to the historical feel of the whisky, as Singapore itself gained its independence in 1965. It is, hence, quite a spiritual experience when the history embodied in this cask parallels the history of our beautiful young nation!

At the back of the bottle, Tullibardine states how this whisky is specially bottled for Singapore, and the name Birth of a Lion is shown as well. For those who aren't too sure why such a phrase is used, Singapore is known as the 'Lion City', with the image of a Lion synonymous with the historical fabric of the state. It is on our Coat of Arms, it is nickname for our Soccer team, and yes, our Singapore icon is of course:

Credit: newvisitarea.com

That of course is our beloved Merlion, a mythical creature, half fish, half lion, and it is one of the national icons. Another of course is the Durian, which is commonly embodied by the Esplanade (our National Performing Arts Theatre and Concert Hall), which oddly enough is in the background of the photograph with the Merlion.

But we digress, weren't we supposed to be talking about the whisky! So here it is, the 1965 Birth of a Lion!

Name: Tullibardine 1965 (Birth of A Lion)

Distillery: Tullibardine (Highland)

Type: Single Malt Scotch (Single Cask)

Age Statement: 45YO

Serial No: 104/208

Alc/Vol: 47.9%

Nose: Loads of unripe fruits: plums, peaches and fresh red apples. Citrus and a faintest hint of smoke come in as well. Very fruity and refreshing! (23)

Taste/Palate: Malty, oaky and rich with the notes of fruits playing a major role again. Orange peel, unripe tannic notes, cinnamon and ginger spice. Still has quite a bit of bite to it despite the prolong period in the barrel. (22)

Finish: Red fruits and Wolfberry (Goji) and some dried longans. Taste a bit like the Chinese dessert soup (Cheng Tng, Qing Tang) Interesting... (22)

Overall: The whisky is good for what it is, but does not really hit the highest of heights. Nevertheless, the story behind it really does push it to prominence, at least to this true blue Singaporean here. If I had the chance, I'll definitely buy one of these and keep it for my future generations! (23) 90/100

Found at: The Auld Alliance, Drinks Fellas

Tasting Two Tullibardines

For the next review on this blog, sgwhisky proudly presents to you a lesser known distillery that has been making a name for itself with a set of impressive 'boutique' whiskies, Tullibardine distillery. Not very well known in Singapore and indeed around the world, Tullibardine has started a slow but steady rise to prominence with a few amazing bottlings, including a famous 1966 World Cup Vintage to commemorate England's FIFA World Cup success, which garnered critical acclaim from the whisky world. Tullibardine, too, has also experimented with various different finishes to their whisky, one of which will be reviewed later on in this post.

In Singapore, Tullibardine is marketed by Drinks Fellas, who are the people behind the exclusive Singapore only bottlings of BenRiach and Tullibardine, the latter being an extremely precious and raved about 1965 vintage, commemorating the independence of our great nation. In the interest of full disclosure for the blog, sgwhisky would like to inform all readers that Drinks Fellas has kindly granted sgwhisky access to all the whiskies that they have available to them so as to write reviews on these whiskies. Sgwhisky, however, would like to stress that this in no way affects the impartiality of this blog, and all whiskies regardless of their origin will be graded in an objective manner.

So without further ado, let us have a look at these two interesting whiskies, the 1988 Tullibardine and the Tullibardine Port Wood.

Name: Tullibardine 1988
Distillery: Tullibardine
Region: Highland
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: Nil
Vintage: 1988
Alc/Vol: 46%


This 1988 bottling is one that steeped in history. Bottled to commemorate the 500 year anniversary of King James IV's coronation, this quincentennial bottling is arguably one of the most clear examples of the light, clean and pleasant style that is Tullibardine.

Nose: Notes of butter, malt and vanilla are very clean and evident (20)

Taste/Palate: Instantly honey sweet with touches of saltiness and refreshing maltiness. A bitterness then kicks in with a nice warm spicy sensation lingering in the throat. Clean, simple yet very pleasant (23)


Finish: Fairly floral finish of rose flavoured chocolate and butter cake (22)

Balance: An almost gentleman-like dram. Simple, balanced and well-mannered (21) 86/100

Name: Tullibardine Port Wood Finish

Distillery: Tullibardine
Region: Highland
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: Nil (But bottled in 2007 so it is around 14YO)
Vintage: 1993
Alc/Vol: 46%

The Port Wood finish is a highly recommended expression of Tullibardine that combines both the pleasant style of the distillery with a rich kick afforded it by the Port Pipes. This was the slightly more preferred dram of the night, and a very good after dinner whisky.

Nose: Rich malty and honey notes with a load of vanilla. The sweet fruity influences of the port come in with notes of berries and oranges. Unfortunately, the flavours don't seem to gel and are very distinct (21)

Taste/Palate: Very oily and medium-bodied. Initially honied with a fruity sweetness before a nice hit of cocoa and cinnamon come to the fore with a hint of creaminess and nuttiness (21)

Finish: This works though! A truly pleasant finish brings up the rear as should any good port wood finish (in my humble opinion though!). Light creaminess is complemented with a really light and pleasant sweetness and nuttiness that lingers on... and on.... and on.... (24)

Overall: Sadly for this dram, its finish is amazing but the rest of it don't seem to have the legs to catch up. A real pity though! (21) 87/100

Found At: Drinks Fellas

Review: The Connoisseur Emporium: Hidden Gems in a Hidden Gem

The Need to Knows:

Name: The Connoisseur Emporium
Address: 8A Marina Boulevard, #B2-66 Marina Bay Link Mall S(018984)
Tel: 6634-2268
Website: www.connoisseuremporium.com
Opening Hours: 10am-10pm (Mon-Fri), 11am-7pm (Sat-Sun)

It's great seeing how the whisky industry in Singapore is growing with many a good bar springing up, providing a huge range of whisky to suit all tastes and preferences. Retail outlets, however, are slightly lesser in number, but offer up some real gems for those seeking to start a collection or to just prefer to have their drams in the comfort of their own homes This article highlights The Connoisseur Emporium, a retail shop in the recently opened Marina Bay Link Mall, which sells a very interesting selection of Independent Bottling, Single Cask whisky from Scotland.

Opened in early December 2010, The Connoisseur Emporium is the retail arm of the established Connoisseur Divan at UE Square, but it sells a totally different set of products compared to the Divan when it comes to whisky. The bulk of the Emporium's 60 odd whiskies are Independently bottled Single Cask whiskies, which are sourced directly from Scotland.

In the earlier review on Lark Distillery, I briefly introduced Single Cask whiskies as a batch of whiskies that came from the same cask hence having the unique characteristics of each barrel. Independent bottlings, on the other hand, are unique in a very different way. Independent bottlings are mostly whiskies that have been purchased by companies/individuals, either directly from the distillery or from brokers, whilst it is still in the barrel. The company/individual that buys these barrels are then at the liberty to bottle the whisky as and when they feel it is ready to be bottled. The desired result, hence, is a limited released whisky from distilleries that is of a high quality and is also a unique product. Famous examples of independent bottlers would be Gordon & Macphail and Douglas Laing.

The independent bottlings at The Connoisseur Emporium, though, come from 2 other reputable Independent bottlers, Duncan Taylor, as well as Spirit of Scotland. Boasting a healthy range of cask strength, non-chill filtered and non-coloured whiskies, this place has arguably the largest set of special independent bottlings on sale in Singapore for retail. The Duncan Taylor range itself contains two ranges of Rare Whiskies, with old bottlings from the demolished Mosstowie and Caperdonich distilleries, whilst the other NC2 range (which stands for Non-chill filtered and Non-Coloured), contains slightly younger whiskies from established distilleries like Ben Nevis and Bowmore. The Spirit of Scotland Bottlings has a good range of vintages from distilleries like Caol Ila and Macallan, including a very special bottling from Macallan to celebrate the opening of the Connoisseur Emporium. There will be a short review on that whisky and a few more later on in this post.

On top of their wide range of Independent bottlings, The Connoisseur Emporium also boasts a comprehensive selection of the Glenfarclas range of Single Malt whiskies, which includes the standard expressions and the Family casks series of vintages from the 1950s to the 1990s. Of particular mention is the critically acclaimed Glenfarclas 40, which was given the Gold Award in its category by the Malt Maniacs in 2010. In addition to the whisky range, The Connoisseur Emporium also sells a selection of Edmundo Dantes Rum and some Cuban beer and coffee, so for those who want to get some of these, this is one place to go to as well!

One great thing about the Connoisseur Emporium, though, is its dedication towards not just being a retail destination, but a place that aids the education of those finding their way in the world of whisky. I had the good fortune of speaking to the two people that helm The Connoisseur Emporium, Heru its Business Executive, and Jon its Sales Executive, and both stressed that as a retail shop, their commitment is to helping their customers enjoy and understanding the whiskies they sell. This involves allowing them to try samples of the different whiskies, as well as conducting whisky tasting sessions for small groups, which take them not just through a special selection of whisky, but an in depth look at how the whole process of whisky from start to finish affects the whisky (for more details on the tastings please contact The Connoisseur Emporium as the sessions are small and one has to pay a fee for it)

Heru also gave me the chance to sample some of the more popular and sought after whiskies in The Connoisseur Emporium, so let's have a look:

Name: Duncan Taylor Rarest of the Rare Mosstowie 33 Years
Distillery: Mosstowie (Removed)

Region: Speyside
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 33 Years

Vintage: Cask 5817, Bottle 45/198, Bottled Nov 2008)
Alc/Vol: 47.7%

The Mosstowie distillery, as highlighted by Malt Madness, is essentially not a distillery on its own, but refers to two stills that distilled these whiskies in the Miltonduff Distillery from 1964-1981. These whiskies, hence, would be considered pretty hard to find, and that is probably why it finds itself in Duncan Taylor's Rarest of the Rare collection. This was perhaps one of the best ways to start a day of samples, as it was a quite brilliant whisky.

Nose: Very smooth and pleasant with honied and fruity characteristics that are synonymous with Speyside. Hints of candied apple and orange, fresh honey, bubblegum. Hints of toffee too (23)

Taste/Palate: Sweet, oily and full bodied. Rich fruity sweetness with hints of candied apples carrying on on the palate, along with the creamy toffee with the amazing influence of the wood coming into play as well. (23)

Finish: Estery and candied sweetness bring up the rear with an interesting hint of tropical fruit like mangoes and pineapples. Hints of warm spices like cinnamon too (23)

Balance: Lovely grace poise and balance, a charming and sophisticated whisky that is definitely worth trying (23) 92/100

Name: The Wealth of a Nation Single Cask Macallan Single Malt (Bottled for The Connoisseur Emporium)

Distillery: The Macallan
Region: Speyside/Highland
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: Nil

Vintage: Cask 09/001A, 1989 Vintage

Alc/Vol: 51.7%

A young-ish Macallan that was bottled exclusively to mark the opening of The Connoisseur Emporium, this Macallan is very different from the classic, sherried Macallans of old as it is aged in American Oak, but is decently good in its own right.

Nose: Charred wood with vanilla cocoa. With water the nose opens up with more fruity notes of cherry and a nice citrus aroma. (22)

Taste/Palate: Full of citrusy notes of lemon and orange, light vanilla notes with a thick creaminess that is ever present, even with water (22)

Finish: Rich orange and light liquorice fades to give an interesting note of mineral stones and grape. (22)

Balance: Overall a pleasant dram, but it is a little bit rough around the edges that prevent it from being a real winner. (23) 89/100

Name: Duncan Taylor NC2 Range Single Malt Scotch: Bowmore Distillery
Distillery: Bowmore
Region: Islay
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 11 Years
Vintage: Bottled 2009
Alc/Vol: 46.0%

The Bowmore 11 Years Old from the Duncan Taylor NC2 range is a very unique whisky. As highlighted, the entire NC2 range is named as such as it is both non-chill filtered and non-coloured, meaning the whisky is in no way adulterated and changed by any process, leaving a natural colour and full flavour. More importantly though, this is a Bowmore with a larger sherry influence, which gives it another layer of taste and depth of character to the classic Bowmore flavours of citrus and sweet smoke.

Nose: The Bowmore sweet smoke and citrus is complemented perfectly with the influence of cocoa and wood spice, with neither overstepping its boundary. Balanced and rich (23.5)

Taste/Palate: Rich and smokey with notes of honey baked ham, a strong hint of pepper, with the citrus and sweetness coming up the rear. The Sherry influence is far lighter on the palate than on the nose (22)
Finish: The finish is smokey with the pleasant sweetness of honey baked and applewood ham (23)
Balance: The nose is quite brilliant and so is the finish, but the lack of Sherry influence on the palate is a slight let down. (22) 90.5/100

Name: The Glenfarclas 40
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region: Highland
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Age Statement: 40 Years
Alc/Vol: 46.0%

This last one was the last whisky we tried for the day, and is quite possibly one of the most well-received whiskies around the world amongst enthusiasts and critics alike. A 40 year old whisky designed for drinking (as mentioned by The Whisky Exchange), the Glenfarclas 40 is a real masterpiece of balance and flavour, and it certainly left me, my buddy and Heru speechless.

Nose: An amazingly alluring rich and full nose. Sweet fruitcake, dark chocolate, brandy-soaked fruits, demerara sugar with a hint of black coffee. (24)

Taste/Palate: Rich and oily yet not at all intrusive, staying very smooth throughout. Sherry influences come out through the flavours of the wood, complimented by rich fruits and a chocolatey note (24)

Finish: The chocolate and fruit notes bring up the rear with rich milk and dark chocolate, juicy apples and currents and candied orange. The mouthfeel is very pleasant and coats the mouth. (24)

Balance: To my mind, one of the best I've tasted. This is textbook brilliance on how balanced and flavourful a whisky can be (24) 96/100

So for those looking for a nice unique dram for your house or to give to someone as a gift, The Connoisseur Emporium is a place where one can find some exclusive whiskies which would be a real pleaser. This place is indeed a hidden gem with contains many hidden gems! Many thanks to Heru and Jon for the lovely experience and their help.

Good For: Rare whiskies, Independent bottlings

A Duo From the Highlands

Top: The Blair Athol 12 (Flora and Fauna Series), Bottom: The Clynelish 14

Quite honestly, I have not really given the Highland and Lowland Malts enough airtime, so I believe the time is right to start exploring whiskies from these two regions. Yesterday I had the opportunity to sample two whiskies from the Highlands, and from two brands that one does not see too often here in Singapore: The Blair Athol 12 Flora and Fauna series and the Clynelish 14. 

Name: Blair Athol 12 Flora and Fauna Series
Distillery: Blair Athol
Region: Highlands
Age Statement: 12 Years
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 43%

The Blair Athol distillery is a very old one, dating back to the end of the 18th century. However, it's fame comes from being one of the main constituent whiskies in the hugely popular Bell's blend of whisky in the UK. Now owned by Diageo, this bottling was released under the Flora and Fauna series, which are expressions from numerous distilleries that Diageo owns. The Blair Athol 12 Year Old Flora and Fauna is pleasant, a very classic Highland malt with a nice balance of rich caramel and creaminess and floral and fruity notes.

Nose: Lovely caramel, toffee and light peppery notes, mixed with a lovely floral fragrance and the sweetness of fruits like grapes (maybe even dried grapes like raisins and sultanas?). 

Taste/Palate: Very pleasant mouthfeel and rather medium bodied with a oily mouthfeel. Fruity sweetness is well matched with the pleasant caramel and toffee notes. Hints of oak and spice with a light bitterness.

Finish: Floral and fruity notes bring up the rear with tastes of berries and Hibiscus

Overall: Nice classic Highland malt, definitely a good introduction to this type of whisky 87/100

Found at: The Auld Alliance

Name: Clynelish 14 Years Old
Distillery: Clynelish
Region: Highland
Age Statement: 14 Years
Type: Single Malt
Alc/Vol: 46%

Clynelish distillery is also a Highland malt, but reflects its more maritime characteristics on this bottling at least. More of a coastal highland distillery, Clynelish is the new distillery that takes over the Brora distillery. This whisky too has quite a strong following and has garnered very good reviews from reputable whisky writers around the globe. 

Comparative to the Blair Athol, this dram had a more spicy and malted barley edge to it. But it was also very enjoyable to try

Nose: Spicy and peppery with hints of cinnamon. Light hints of citrus fruit and honey but it is the sweetness of the barley that takes centre stage.

Taste/Palate: The 46% strength is very evident here as it is quite full bodied and packed with flavour in the mouth. Sweet malted barley with the slightest hint of honey, liquorice and some citrus. Robust flavours all around.

Finish: Very malty finish with light fruit flavours of apples.

Overall: A very flavourful dram which is nice and robust but not overwhelming 88/100

Found At: The Auld Alliance

Glenmorangie and Ardbeg Tasting @ The Auld Alliance

The Glenmorangie Range and the Ardbeg 10

Glenmorangie and Ardbeg hold very important places in my heart. As a total newcomer to the Whisky world, I stepped into Leeds in the United Kingdom thinking whisky was a drink that burnt your throat and I didn't even know that there was a difference between Johnnie Walker, Jim Beam and Jack Daniels. That all changed when I stepped into Morrisons in the Merrion Centre of the Leeds' city centre and got myself a Glenmorangie 10 year old Single Malt Scotch. It was smooth, light and most importantly, did not burn my throat at all. Suffice to say, that was the start of my odyssey. Similarly with the Ardbeg 10, it was the first Islay whisky I bought whilst on the way back to the UK from Hannover. I was overwhelmed by it initially, but I did see what the raving was all about as it was astonishingly complex and balanced.

So needless to say it was a special feeling to have been invited for the Glenmorangie and Ardbeg tasting at The Auld Alliance, and to re-live the moments where it all started for me. Hosted by the Glenmorangie Brand Ambassador David Blackmore, the tasting was a wonderful introduction into the Glenmorangie brand, the work put into the expressions we tasted, and it culminated in a tasting of the Ardbeg 10, a sister brand of Glenmorangie that is also marketed here.

The range we tasted included the Standard Glenmorangie 10, the Glenmorangie Lasanta, the Glenmorangie 18 Year, the Glenmorangie Signet and the Ardbeg 10.

Sounds great? Indeed it was for me, till my nose decided it will start to block leaving me with no way of smelling half of the whiskies on offer. Bummer. 

Hence, recognising the importance of the sense of smell in trying a whisky, I have decided to give short notes of (a) what to expect and (b) the little I managed to smell, instead of the standard reviews, just to let people have a feel of what each had to offer.

The Glenmorangie 10: The standard bearer of the Glenmorangie range, it is light and fruity, mainly due to the tall stills that are used in the distillery that capture the lighter essences that distill to the top. One can get strong vanilla, red apples, grapes and citrus in the nose, and the flavour continues that with a hint of oak.

The Glenmorangie Lasanta: Un-chill filtered, the Lasanta is the 10 year old Glenmorangie left to finish for 2 years in Oloroso Sherry Casks. The casks, hence, impart a more chocolate and spicy note to the finish, whilst retaining the fruity and floral fragrances of the standard 10.

The Glenmorangie 18: The 18 is a marrying of whisky that have been left in American Oak barrels for 15 years then finished in Oloroso and also whisky that have been left in American Oak for the full 18 years. The result is a nice beautiful mix of vanilla and spice, with the oak influences definitely coming into play.

The Glenmorangie Signet: One of the more exclusive Glenmorangies on offer, the Signet is a mix of the whiskies available to Glenmorangie, ranging from the 10 year old, to those that are 18-20 years old, up to 40 years old. A masterpiece by any standards, it is rich in coffee, liquorice, spice and still retains that fruity edge we associate with Glenmorangie.

The Ardbeg 10: It must be something about the Ardbeg that makes their bottlers proudly exclaim on their boxes and bottles that people consider it the best whisky in the world. It must be something more that makes whisky experts and tasters around the world shower it with acclaim. A lovely mix of sweet citrusy notes and that unmistakable smoked bacon sweetness, the Ardbeg 10 is definitely a dram worth trying!

Unfortunately for me, by the time I hit the Glenmorangie 18, my nose was a complete goner, so pardon the lack of much notes. I promise that if I can I will retaste these drams and write full notes for one and all!

Lastly thank you to my lovely drinking buddy who came with me again for this tasting! And of course many thanks to Emmanuel Dron and The Auld Alliance, and David Blackmore and Glenmorangie for the wonderful evening.