Whisky review : The Dalmore 12 years old bottled @ 40%

Whisky review : The Dalmore 12 years old bottled @ 40%

-1st Dalmore, but 2nd Whyte and Mackay !
-Decent price
-Beware as there are lot of variation in Dalmore's quality (the casks)

Colour: copper, very dark malt. I'm not sure the colour is only caramel here, might be sherry influence as well. It draws long legs in the glass, looks thick.

Nose: Raw sugar, hot brown sugar sugary note, definitely a highland nose, close to some of the Glend's single malt or even some older blends. Dried Sultana, distant, but still present vanilla milk-chocolate (on 2nd try).

Mouth: first arrival, very thick and oily, sherry, then quickly changes to malt, the bourbon cask can also be felt, especially on the tip of the tongue. Very sweet tingly notes mixed with spices from the Sherry. With Water, it opens to a more soft and gentle malt, sweet grapes, the kind of grapes you would find on a vanilla-grape sablé.As time goes by, it sits down...and reveals more of the bourbon influence. Becomes more vanilla-sweet and adds some sherry elements to it. This whisky deserves time and water...patience....

Finish: The first time I was left with some kind of old dried sultana mashed on the tarmac kinda flavour...Sticky acidic sweetness lingering....But on 2nd try, I'm more a sweet eucalyptus, waxy grapes, sugary notes. Not unpleasant at all.


B++ for the taste. But with water. it finds it rhythm only after a dash of water. I'd say it's a nice sipping whisky.
B for the price. I would say that 45-50$ would be a price point.
A for presentation, The Deer looks very serious....

Whisky review : Clan Campbell The Noble Scotch Whisky bottled at 43%

Whisky review : Clan Campbell The Noble Scotch Whisky bottled at 43% (Vintage Miniature bottle
from the mid-80's).





-Very popular brand in France

Colour: light gold colour, very light, or to say dark straw.

Nose: Very soft nose, very fresh, sweet, apples, fresh apples, sweet, not too oily. It looks pretty clean. The quiet but fresh nose indicates that its been settling down for quite a while in its bottle. It's reminding me of a Glenfiddich 12.

Mouth: sweet, wood notes, raw sugar, followed by a medium heat burning chilli sensation. Odd flavour as it becomes a burn with no apparent character. It still is a harsh young spirit, not a very well balanced ''blend''. Although not written on the bottle, I'd have to assume it's a blend (It's not write ''single malt''neither).

Finish: leaves a bitter-sweet, woody feeling, with some kind of bitter melon sensation. It's the kind of whisky that I would gently pass on. I would rather welcome a Chivas or a Glen Grant.

E for the price. As a collectible, the market price for it is around 25$.
C- for presentation. Very sloppy label.
C- for taste. Harsh...bitter. Not something I would suggest

Whisky Review : Chivas Regal 12 years old blended Scotch Whisky vintage bottling from the 1980's bottled @ 43%

Whisky Review : Chivas Regal 12 years old blended Scotch Whisky vintage bottling from the 1980's bottled @ 43%

-Old vintage label
-Chivas at 43%

Colour: clear gold, seems they used less caramel back in the 80's.

Nose: sweet, raw sugar, straw, spirit, wood notes, sweet oak. Seems like a medium quality cask.

Taste: sweet arrival, spicy notes, still harsh tones, sweet, but not enough to hide the ripples. Sweet but in a not describable way...it's a vague whisky. Weird that it's still that harsh for a 12 years old. When a dash of water is added it opens to clean wood, apples and sweet notes.

Finish: sweet, wood notes, but still it fades away

B- for taste, still not a convincing blend, fad fad fad.
D- for the price (currently at 75GBP on the current market)
C for presentation, hate the silver foil packaging....

Whisky review : Grant's family reserve blended whisky vintage bottling 1980's bottled @ 43%

Whisky review : Grant's family reserve blended whisky vintage bottling 1980's bottled @ 43%

-Very old packaging
-Much more drawing on the tube and carving on the bottle than now

Colour: soft bright caramel colour indicating the clear use of caramel

Nose: Old woody notes, spirit, nothing else comes through....not a very distinctive nose

Mouth: spirity arrival, harsh, malty, sweetness, wood notes. It's still a rough blend even after all those years, got some harsh tingly notes and peppery vanilla notes. When water is added it turns to ether, hence it drowns.

Finish: ... spirity, leaves ethery notes...



C- for taste, not smooth nor well made as mentionned on the tube
B for the price, even at 25$ it's not a good buy
A for presentation, so much better than now

Whisky review : Glenmorangie 10 years old vintage bottling from the 1990's bottled @ 40%

Whisky review : Glenmorangie 10 years old vintage bottling from the 1990's bottled @ 40%

-Old label
-Old metal tubing indicating provenance

Colour : Bright yellow, very pure colour indicating the benefits of having the tallest stills.

Nose: Soft nose, soft creamy woody nose, very fruity, like a sweet fruit juice, like a melted banana popsicle.

Mouth: Oily, fruity, like a sweet juice, like the old wax tube juices - some will remember this. Honeyish notes, some distant wood notes, indicating again the purity of the spirit. Some spicy touches perhaps pepper ? With a drop of water it clears the nose and leaves a fresh juice, makes it spicier and openness up the woods notes, sweet wood.

Finish: Sweet lingering wood, sweetness.

B+ for the taste a very nice sipping whisky
B Valued at 60 pounds on the current marked, it's a bit pricey
A- the metal tubing seduced me.

whisky review : Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 years old Blended Scotch Whisky 200ml bottled @ 40%

whisky review : Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 years old Blended Scotch Whisky 200ml bottled @ 40%

-paid 80RMB (13-4$) for it
-Classical bottling

Colour: first glimpse, JWB is a definite blend. slightly dark amber warns of the caramel used to blend the spirits.very clear spirit for blend as it has been cold-filtered.

Nose: Sweet, hints of peats, fresh peat, cold toffee, very well put together. It does not have a rough side on the nose, it smells very well balanced. Raw sugar, almost creamy soft side to it.

Mouth: gentle arrival, sweet, ample, cover the mouth, touches of distant peat, not a strong one (I would say more of Bruicladdich or Kilchoman). Very soft spirit, a bit rough around the egdes, and surely not a strong tasty whisky. Due to its inherent quality, this blend does takes a bit of water. It's smooths it down but does not really give way to new flavours.

Finish: this blend quicly disappear upon arrival, which is interesting in itself to leave a soft spirit burn or perhaps we could consider it to be some spicy notes. If so, I'd say a tender chilly burn.

B+ for taste. It' a steady blend and a good introduction to entry-level whisky. However, it remains JWB...no surprise.
A- for the price. It available and affordable almost everwhere.
C+ for presentation. They really should learn to evolve and change the bottling....it's getting old.

Whisky review : Suntory old whisky 700ml, bottled @ 43%

Whisky review : Suntory old whisky 700ml, bottled @ 43%

-my second Japanese whiksy and 1st Suntory
-Nice twist-cap but a cheaper kind than Nikka's
-nice bottling, kind of a vintage looking bottle
-2nd online purchase
-Interesting enough, it is not listed on the Suntory website...


Colour: bright coppery gold. Does not mention whether or not it is a single malt or a blend. However, considering the price, it surely is a blend. I would also assume they used some caramel but not as much as the Highland cream, or even the Grant series.

Nose : spirit, creamy, vanilla, delicate yet some hints of not so fresh woods arise. clear but still very rough. I would think the cask they used was not of premium quality.

Taste: strong spirit arrival, spicy peppery notes, hidden candy sweetness to it, bitter taste, similar to the bitter melon style. Nothing too unpleasant. Still a very rough spirit. I was expecting much more from nosing it. Notwithstanding its higher Alcohol degree (43), this whisky does not take water. not a single drop. It easily drown.

Finish: light, no surprise here. Japanese whisky do not usually have this lingering finish. leaves a sweet tingliness in the mouth but not much else.

B- for taste, not a whisky to remember.
A for presentation, I do like this bottle.
A for the price. Paid 135RMB (23$)