Whisky review : Pike Creek Double Barreled 10 years old port finish bottled @ 40%

Whisky review : Pike Creek Double Barreled 10 years old port finish bottled @ 40%

-Cool bottling but cheap thread...simply glued on it.
-Port wine finish
-Sadly bottled at 40%...
-Rare whisky ! 

Colour : light goldish amberish. Very clean colour. I would suspect this is the result of the Port finish, a light Tawny port. Very thin if may say so.

Nose: You can clearly see the port influence here, sherry, spices, hot vibrant brown sugar, sugar cane, wood dust, nutty, caramel.

Mouth: Caramilk's caramel, malted milk, sugar, port, spices,ether, a few ''robust'' notes, spirity, some harsh tones. Dark fruits, but nothing over the top.

Finish: sweet, cherried caramel, light toffee, not very long nor memorable but still interesting.                                                                          
A for the price. Currently standing at 39.9$ (LCBO), it's a must buy for anyone wanting to enjoy a good yet different Canadian whisky.
B+ for the taste. The fact that it is still harsh and has ripples prevent this otherwise great whisky to achieve excellency.
A- for the presentation. I can understand the ''rustic'' aspect of the cord but....just don't stick it on with hot-melt glue...

Whisky review : Benriach 15 years Old Dark Rum Finish, bottled @ 46%

Whisky review : Benriach 15 years Old Dark Rum Finish, bottled @ 46%

-Unchill-filtered
-No colouring

Colour: light gold, oily, long legs, thick bodied.

Nose: caramel, hot rum, sugar cane, buttery notes, creamy, vanilla, light grass, fresh

Mouth: sweet rum, bourbon sweetness, butter, vanilla, raw sugar, iodine, hints medicinal oils, fresh ,juicy, cherries, dried red fruits,

Finish: Sweet raw sugar rum, spices, fruits, long sugary notes, light wax

A- for the taste. A very well rounded malt. I enjoy the iodine/raw sugar balance.
B for the taste. Massive 90$ (SAQ) vs. 70$ (LCBO)....quite obvious which one to buy....70$ is very reasonable for this malt. Hence at 70$ it stands at A-.
B- for the presentation. Purple tubing and label, need I say more ?

Whisky review: Benriach 12 years Old ''Horizons'' , bottled @ 50%

Whisky review: Benriach 12 years Old ''Horizons'' , bottled @ 50%

-Triple distilled
-Sherry finished
-Unchill-filtered
-No Colouring
-Started maturation in Ex-Bourbon cask

Colour: Golden, medium bodied, long legs, no colouring here.

Nose: light caramel, spices, touches of port wines, grapes, apples, eucalyptus, butter, cream,

Mouth: Sweet, spicy, caramel+mashed grapes waves, light yet pungent character, thick fruit juice, very light for a 50%

Finish: light, long sherry, spices, sweetness, light toffee, vanilla

B+ for the taste. It's good but, let's say I could choose between this and the 12y Aromaticus Fumosus, I would go for the 2nd one. For those who like Sherry, this might not be the one either.
C- for the price. 111$ (SAQ) seems a bit excessive for this 12y. I can purchase the Dark Rum Finish (15y) for 65$ (LCBO)....
A+ for the presentation, great looking box with matching sticker

Whisky review : Glendronach 14 years old Virgin Oak, bottled @ 46%

Whisky review : Glendronach 14 years old Virgin Oak, bottled @ 46%

-Unchill-filtered
-Finished in Virgin Oak

Colour: Pure gold, thick oily and sappy

Nose: Sweet, iodine, caramel, sap, more wood sap, fresh clear honey, fruits, bitter green wood notes

Mouth: Oak, more wood notes, wood sap, vanilla, juicy fruit notes, light spirit, spices, wax, toffee

Finish: Long sappy, green wood, sweet, cold yet sweet mashed apples.

B+ for taste. I good Malt. However, it seemed too limited in terms of palate to be really good. It remains however a very interesting dram as it has been finished in virgin oak.
B for the price. Listed at 89$ (SAQ), it's not a bargain as I am not sure everyone would enjoy this one. Some might but some could find it too light in terms of taste for the price....taste before purchase.
B+ for presentation. Cool light blue bottling, nice white/blue contrast too it.

Whisky review : Springbank 12 years old Cask Strength, bottled @ 58.5%

Whisky review : Springbank 12 years old Cask Strength, bottled @ 58.5%

-3rd Springbank !

Colour: dark coppery gold profile. oily with long legs.

Nose: sweet, iodine, light saweed, Salt air, thick caramel, medecinal herbs, fat caramel

Mouth: Iodine oil, peat, light sea side seaweed, Sea salt, cocoa notes, smoke. A very very nice experience in the glass. So complex and enjoyable.

Finish: Caramel, iodine, maritime waves....

A for taste. A great whisky. Complex, thick, oily. A must try,
B for the price. You can get this for 98$ (SAQ) and 103$ (LCBO). A bit overpriced but could be a great investment.
A- for the presentation. Unique style bottles. Not sure I enjoy the carton package.

Whisky review : The Arran Single Sherry Cask. Cask 1096 Bott. 181/318. 10 years old, bottled @ 55.1%

Whisky review : The Arran Single Sherry Cask. Cask 1096 Bott. 181/318. 10 years old, bottled @ 55.1%

-Another great cask finish by Arran !
-Good price
-matured in Sassacaia red wine cask.

Colour: light rusted water, touches of copper. very light and bright. No colouring, oily and very thick.

Nose: thick butter caramel, spirity notes, hints of red wine, port wine, spices, spiced caramel, still not too rough for a cask strength.

Mouth: caramel, light sherry, vague floral port wine, creamy toffee, thick flavours, still smooth, no need for water here. Juicy,

Finish:  very short. The point here is not the finish, it's in the palate. Still, sweet notes, hints of small red fruits.

A for the price. for 66$, definitely worth a try. Another great product from Arran.
B+ for the taste. Very thick caramel profile. Very nice indeed.
A for presentation. Handwriting always gets me ! Arran also shows the product just as it is, in a simple yet effective manner.

Whisky review: Old Pulteney 21 years old, bottled @ 46%

Whisky review: Old Pulteney 21 years old, bottled @ 46%

-Whisky of the year 2012
-Very nice bottle

Colour: Dark gold, oily, long legs, looks very thick.

Nose: Reminds me of the Cragganmore 12, very fruity, fresh, juicy, wood notes, hints of peat smoke, white grapes, lavender. Very interesting nose indeed !

Mouth: Caramel, sweet, thick fruity juice, coats the mouth, thick but light ! apples, pears, malted barley, vanilla notes, juice in wax tubes.

Finish: creamy sweet wood notes, long sweet and more sweetness. Waves of caramel and vanilla....

C for the price. It stands at 181$ (SAQ) or 230$ (LCBO) it's definitely not something every one can afford. I'd suggest instead the 12 years old. Better pricepoint.
B for the taste. It's good single malt but for a 21 years old, I would love something else than caramel....
A for presentation. Very nice bottle, double necked. Cheap carton tubing, fells too cheap.

Whisky review: Balblair 1989 2nd release (21 years old), bottled @ 43%

Whisky review: Balblair 1989 2nd release (21 years old), bottled @ 43%

-No colouring
-Unfiltered

Colour: Bright gold, light straw, thick bodied, high viscosity

Nose: fruit blast, oak dust, creamy wood, very well seated in the glass, not too aggressive but very dense and interesting ! Sweet, oaky, sweet fruity wood.

Mouth: very sweet, spices, vanilla touches, white dried honey, undefined sweetness, apples, juicy, very fruity, dried pineapple. Acidic, sticky sweetness of it. However, still some ''robust'' notes to it.


Finish: sticky fruit, not very long, sweetness, bitter notes.

B+ for the taste. It was yes, a good malt. Not a favourite for sure. I would instead go for a Cragganmore 12 or even a Dalmore 12. More interesting and cheaper.
B- for the price. at 127$ for a 21 years old is an ok price for sure. However, I was not blown away by this malt. It was good, but I'm not sure I'd pay 100$ for it.
A+ for presentation, Nice packaging and bottle.

Whisky review : Laphroaig Cask Strength Batch 003 (Jan 2011) bottled @ 55.3%

Whisky review : Laphroaig Cask Strength Batch 003 (Jan 2011) bottled @ 55.3%

-2nd Laphroaig
-Very rare in Canada
-Cask Version !

Colour: Bight light Gold ! No colourant added here! Medium bodied, not too oily for a CS...

Nose: Pungent peat ! more peat, a real peat D-Day, fruity, fresh, sweet, spirity, vanilla bulbs, more peat....peat ! and of course : PEAT. Iodine, peat vapours but cold ones, very intense nose, high phenol, white ashes and hints of smoke.

Mouth: a real peat attack, still smooth, more peat, old ashes, coal smoke, thick peat smoke, sweet, vanilla, more peat, medicinal herbs, cigar ashes in the back of the mouth

Finish: very long lingering finish of peat vanilla and smoke. A great Whisky ! After this one, even the Ardbeg is hard to really taste and enjoy. A definite WOW factor here.

A++ for the taste. Simply put, One of the best whiskies I have tasted so far. Very very close to the ardbeg uigeadail if not a tiny bit better. Very close call indeed !
A for the price. Purchased 71$ in USA. Looking at the products they have here (SAQ) I think they would retail it around 90$ if they had it. Hence I would suggest to find it in USA.
A for presentation. I love the red ''warning'' type square on it.

Whisky review: Bunnahabhain 12 years old (new bottling) bottled @ 46.3%

Whisky review: Bunnahabhain 12 years old (new bottling) bottled @ 46.3%

-A non-peaty Islay malt

Colour: Copper, dark for an Islay malt. I wonder if the did put caramel in it....

Nose: Caramel, soft fondant, toffee, touches of butter, barley sugar, caramel.

Mouth: Butter caramel (Kraft), fresh iodine, bits of wet peat, toffee, creamy, earthy salty flavors, grass, straw. Water does not help much here. Still turns to thick butter caramel !

Finish:  lurking buttery caramel, sweet, melted caramel. Very nice and docile dram ! One to be enjoyed over and over.

A for taste. Caramel all over the place. It's a very interesting malt. Remain thick and fresh.
C for the price. At 90$ (SAQ) it's way above mrp ! Since it was purchased in USA for 45$ it's perfect. Again, around 55$ it would be right on the spot. At 90$ I can't recommend a purchase.
A+ for the presentation. Black bottle ! looks old and mystic !


*retaste Octobre 10 2013*

Colour: medium bodied, nice gold with hints of copper, short legs

Nose: deep buttery caramel notes, sweet and very pleasant.

Mouth: very intense caramel, butter caramel, touches of spices.

Finish: lingering caramel and spices.

A for the taste. Still remarkable.
B for the price. 85$ is just above what would be reasonable for this malt.
A for the presentation. Black remains ''In''...for now.

Whisky review : The Cragganmore 12 years old, bottled @ 40%

Whisky review : The Cragganmore 12 years old, bottled @ 40%

-Classic malt, so they say,
-nice packaging

Colour: darker gold, straw, medium bodied

Nose: sweet Riesling, fruity, rough Sauternes wine, sweet apples, iced apple wine. Very fruity and sweet nose.

Mouth: light fruity, floral notes, charred wood, chewy green apple paste, but still some robust notes at the end.

Finish:  lingering apples notes, cold apples, gentle fruity notes. A very nice malt. !

A for the state. It's a great whisky. Simple and clean. a few rough notes but still, the nose and taste overcome these flat end.
C+ for the price. At 74,5 (SAQ) and 85$ (LCBO) it's a bit overpriced. I would see this one go for 60$. (considering it's a 12y...)
B+ for the presentation. Simple and clean ! Very classy presentation.

Whisky review : Collingwood (NAS) finished in Maple wood bottled @ 40%

Whisky review : Collingwood (NAS) finished in Maple wood bottled @ 40%

-Cool bottling
-Finished in maple wood
-cheap.

Colour:  like a B Syrup, medium gold. Not very thick in the glass, very light.

Nose: sweet, maple water, maple sugar, touches of oak dust, spirit notes, grain spirit. You can smell the ripples in the nose for sure. As it is a NAS, it's easy to imagine it's a young spirit.

Mouth: Very mellow, sweet, maple comes through, soon after the sweet mellowness disappears, some ripples arise. Some might say it has a ''robust'' side to it. More maturing would help this one to really settle down.

Finish: Sweet, maple wood, touches of sugar, but brief. Still very acceptable for a Canadian whisky.

B+ for the taste. A smooth Canadian, a very interesting one for sure. ! Still some ripples, but I'm sure they'll work on it.
A- for the price. At 30$ (LCBO) it's a give away ! Really, a must try. Forget the TAP3-5-7, which is more of a maple ''liqueur'' than a real whisky. Plus, it's cheaper.
A++ for the presentation. One of the coolest bottling I saw so far. Looks like an aftershave bottle !

Whisky review : Highland Park 18 years Old bottled @ 43 %

Whisky review : Highland Park 18 years Old bottled @ 43 %

-Met with the Brand Ambassador and discussed the colouring and pricing issues.
-He claim the superiority of his brand over the others.
-way overpriced

Colour : Amber, light copper. I would suggest caramel here, however it is finished in Sherry Cask and he assured me there was none. Still very light in the glass, juicy. Sad they filtered this.

Nose: Closed at first, marmalade, orange, apples, more fruit, toffee,

Mouth: Marmalade avalanche to begin with, Peat touch on the palate that immediately disappear to leave honey, dry honey, spices, not too sweet, red chili, white pepper notes, more fruits, dried apricot. hot, honey...Considering it's been watered down to 43% and it's medium complexity, I am not sure I'd add water to this.

Finish: Oak, touches of sherry, old sherry, oranges, blood oranges, caramel, but nothing really lingering. Good finish but not wonderful.

B for the taste. A good malt for sure, But not a malt you will remember. No wow factor. Some might even be disappointing considering it's an 18 years old.
D for the price. At 150$ (SAQ/LCBO) it's a complete rip off. At a retail of 90$ I would agree. But still, I would not purchase. I would rather buy a GlenFarclas 105 (70$), Glenfiddich 15 (60$), the aberlour 12 @ 48% (74$) and the Old Pulteney 12 (70$) before this one.
A for presentation. Cool glassware carving.

Whisky review : Jack Daniel's Old No.7 New Make Spirit Bottled @ 43%

Whisky review : Jack Daniel's Old No.7 New Make Spirit Bottled @ 43%

-Technically not a whisky
-Pure White
-Non filtered
-Distilled only once
-The picture is not correct. Imagine the Old. No.7 bottle with a White label in the middle + Bottled @ 43%



Colour: Clean white, very thick, very oily

Nose: Grain spirit, soft, very closed, sweet aromas, not as clean as the robe (considering it's been distilled only once...

Mouth: Very sweet, corn, candied corn, licorice, fruits, oily, coats the mouth. Very interesting spirit indeed ! I don't know what they do to it after to make it so repulsive !

Finish: Nothing distinct here, sweet, honeyish touches, that's about it.

They were at first reluctant to let me taste it, however, I must admit I would rather buy their new make spirit than their Old No.7 !

No Price tag, No ''real'' bottling hence no marking here. Simply put : A great experience !

Whisky review: Aberlour A'bunadh Batch Batch 38 Bottled @ 60.3%

Whisky review: Aberlour A'bunadh Batch Batch 38 Bottled @ 60.3%

-2nd Aberlour
-Each batches are different in both taste and quality so..beware.
-Non chill-filtered
-Cask Strength 
-A'bunadh = Original
-Blend of barrels containing 5 to 25 years old whiskies.

Colour: Dark brown, we can see it the Oloroso influence. Very thick robe (colour) yet very thin and juicy for a Cask Strength

Nose: Light distant sherry wine, a bit tight, closed. Brown sugar, licorice, sweet. Not very impressed but the nose even after giving it a few minutes to open in the glass.

Mouth:  A weird rubber taste, very smooth, spicy, red chili, vanilla, honeycomb, touches of cinnamon, distant hints of smoke, and a reflux of rubber. Very complex taste. Adding water opens this whisky to more fruity notes, sherry, spices. It remains similar to the ''neat'' version.

Finish: fruit acidity, red fruits, old sherry, spice dust.

B for the taste. It is simply ok. I am not sure I get the fuss about this bottling. Perhaps a different batch would have been better. In this regard, the 12 years old @ 48% was much better.
C+ for the price. It's priced at 90$ (SAQ) and 95$ (LCBO). At best the inconsistency proven between different batches should be toned by a lower price point: 60-65$ would be acceptable. Besides, as it takes time to open and has a complex palate, which at some point can not so interesting, I would suggest a taste before buying. Make sure you do enjoy the batch before purchase.
A for presentation. The bottling is always attractive and the handwriting makes it even more appealing. 

Whisky review : The Dalmore 18 years old, bottled @ 43%

Whisky review : The Dalmore 18 years old, bottled @ 43%

-2nd Dalmore
-Out of range in terms of price (and considering the inconsistency in quality...)
-Clean and nice blue packaging, makes us remember the JW Blue

Colour: light gold, oily, long legs, looks thick in the glass. Much lighter in colour than the 12 years old. Thanks for toning down the caramel.

Nose: citrusy, sultana grapes, very fruity, floral notes, cold brown sugar, apples, light ashes but not smoke, a yellow lemon paste, candied fruits. A very interesting nose indeed !

Mouth: Light, smooth, very well settled in the glass. violet, quiet white pepper, butter toffee, dried grapes. But it fades a bit fast.

Finish: more grapes, artificial grape essence, and floral notes on the back of throat.

B for the taste. The nose was much more interesting than the taste. Strangely, the ''young'' dalmores (12, 15, 18) are not consistent in their quality. Sometimes, every glass is different....but not in a good way. It's interesting for a try, but I am not sure I would pay for this.
D- for the price. Considering it's 18 years old, I do agree on 100-120$ However, it's priced at 157$ (SAQ) and 175$ (LCBO). The Dalmore always overprices its bottling based solely on its name. I think they ought to reconsider this point. When quality is absent (or lacking), the prices cannot rise. Hence, for people wanting to try the Dalmore, I recommend either the 12 or a simple Bar try.
A+ for the presentation. Very cool bottle and elegant boxing.

retaste* 20 nov 2012

Colour: very dark, oily, very dark coppery

Nose: heavy caramel, fruity, caramel, fruit juice, grapes, dried grapes,

Mouth: chewy caramel, butter, cream, light grapes, dried fruits, toffee, fondant, hidden floral notes ,touches of sherry

Finish: caramel, vanilla, oak, creamy red fruits

retaste** 3 oct. 2013

Colour: dark copper tones, long legs, oily

Nose: very heavy caramel, sherry, spices

Mouth: thick buttery caramel, figs, light red fruits, raisins, long and spicy with notes of dry sherry

Finish : lingering caramel and sherry spices.

Very consistent so far...all I can say. I would say B+ for taste...but still I wouldn't buy considering the price.

Whisky review : GlenFarclas 105 bottled @ 60%

Whisky review : GlenFarclas 105 bottled @ 60%


-Cask strength
-1st review of Glenfarclas

Nose: dusty wood, walnuts, sultana, broken brown sugar, light nose but full of hints of flavors

Mouth: spices, nutty, buttery, sweet, juicy, grapes, more walnuts and butter, very complex. Toned down with water, you get more grapes, brown sugar, butter, nutty

Finish: some bitter notes, acidic grapes, oak, old oak, malt sugar. Not bad for a 10 years old ! Quite good might I say

B++ for the taste. Considering it's Cask Strength, you discover new flavours at every sip. Water also gives away new flavours. Very interesting malt indeed.
B+ for the price. At 73,5$ (SAQ), it's a little bit above the price point. I would rather say 60-65$ would be perfect. However, it remains a good purchase.
B for presentation. The label is weird...simply weird.

Whisky review : Premium Bottlers STRT 101 10 years old (Strathisla). Barrel 101, Bottle No.77 of 379. Bottled @ 46%

Whisky review : Premium Bottlers STRT 101 10 years old (Strathisla). Barrel 101, Bottle No.77 of 379. Bottled @ 46%

-A pure gem of Single Malt and a touch of canadian know-how
-No colouring added, and no chill-filtration
-46%
-Neat clean and sober bottling
-If still available, buy asap.
-Vatted malt from 99% Single Scottish malt and 1% Canadian Single malt


Colour: Bright gazing yellow, pure colour here. Very thin in the glass, very juicy....as the Strathisla should be.

Nose: Barley sugar, hints of floral notes, salt, sour apple mash, light minthy caramel toffee, apple vinegar.

Mouth: Sweet, arrival, very juicy, thin, but acidic, apples, Chili, pear, straw, caramel, light buttery notes. In this regard, might be compared to a Lowland whisky.

Finish: Leaves some bitter notes, bitter cucumber, green sappy wood, sweet, leaves more a feeling than a taste. Quite acidic by moments.

A for the price. For a ''dead'' producer, 51$ is a give away (yes it's called Still Water now) Only a few bottles left....I might buy another one. Look out for their other bottlings : BLAT....BRIN....Higher prices, could be well worth looking for as these from prime distilleries. (before they disappear)
B for the taste. It is not very complex whisky. However, worth a try and is very light yet flavourful malt to enjoy.
A for the presentation. Clean bottle. Mentions everything we would like to know.