Whisky review : Mac Na Mara Gaelic Blended Whisky bottled @ 40%.

Whisky review : Mac Na Mara Gaelic Blended Whisky bottled @ 40%.

-2nd Gaelic blend
-decent price
-Double mature Oak + ex-rum cask.

Colour: light brown, watery. It is a rum finish but I am tempted to say ''Caramel added'' still. It shows on the nose.

Nose: Spicy, sweet, juicy, light young rum, so-so cask selection, not very settled down here.

Mouth: sweet spicy arrival quickly goes to chili, light vanilla. Hints of cocoa taste and smoke, more on the palate. Nothing intense. Not a very strong personality here compared to the better Té Behag. (Same price range as well). Some orange notes.

Finish: chili burn, touches of apples, not very distinctive.

A for the price. At 34$ at the LCBO, it's a good calm and quiet whisky to sip. Not very suited for the enthusiast however.
B- for the taste. A poor cask selection and caramel are preventing what could be a better hand crafted whisky
E for presentation. It looks cheap and not attractive at all.

Whisky review : Oban 14 years old, bottled @ 43%

Whisky review : Oban 14 years old, bottled @ 43%

-60th review
-got it for cheap thanks to Guillaume

Colour: gold with hints of red. Looks thick and oily in the glass. Not sure it is natural colour or caramel has been added. Should be stated on the bottle.

Nose: fresh fruity notes, sweet, sweet malty notes, very juicy and appealing to say the least.

Mouth: fruits, peat, spices, chili, fresh sweet peat...but still a bit rough (considering its only 43%). Hot spicy chili-burning peat turning into eucalyptus. Leaves and acidic taste in the mouth as well. Would expect more from Oban and its 14 years matured spirit here. A great reminded of a toned down (on peat) Talisker for this matter..but it does not develop the same complexity. With water the burning cools down, more open on dried fruits, wee bit of marmalade, sour apricot.

Finish: An interesting malt from which I remember much better days. Getting a felling of bitter cocoa, grass, salt water but not ''wow'' factor.

B for the taste. I've had much better Oban than this. (Hence I do agree with Jim Murray on this one).
C for the price. This whisky is usually priced around 108$ at the SAQ and 106$ at the LCBO. If it were 85$ here in Canada, I would definitely put an A on it. However, since you can get it in USA for 59,99$, I strongly suggest buying it while on vacation.
B++ for presentation: Looks ok, tall and firm, but the tube is sad and not very eye catching at all.

Whisky review : Alberta Premium ''Dark Horse'' , bottled @ 45%

Whisky review : Alberta Premium ''Dark Horse'' , bottled @ 45%

-New great release of Alberta premium
-Great bottling
-Hopes this Canadian meets the need of connoisseur
-Regular twist-cap

Colour: orange coppery. very dark and oily, very long legs.

Nose: Ionized metal, a lot of spices, cinnamon, touches of Anise ,creamy coconut, some kind of hot and wet copper pan...very interesting yet bizarre, sherried wood and more spices, Tobacco leaves, captain black pipe tobacco. It's a very complex and thick nose for a Canadian whisky. Broken sugar pieces.

Mouth: Spices, Sherry arrival....then a boom of fruits (small red fruits...berries) on the palate followed by licorice, more spices, pepper notes, but more like a hot pepper. Acidic, yet not unpleasant. Touches of candied ginger, more and more sherry and spices, lots of it. Eucalyptus. The metallic nose is not in the taste for sure. I'm not sure I would add water to this as I feel it's already great neat.

Finish: It leaves a more intense sherry taste than the CC Sherry Cask. Yet this one is more balanced with spices and some hidden fruity notes. Yes a Canadian whisky with a finish, a real one!

A++ for the price, for less 30$ at the LCBO, it's a steal. A definite must try for the price. It's even cheaper than some of the Canadian Club or the Forty Creek.
A for the taste. I am amazed by this Canadian Whisky, I have to admit it. For 29ish dollar.....w.o.w Possible one to store or to buy asap.
A for the presentation. Great bottling, nice sober yet modern label. Highly recommended.

Whisky review : Bruichladdich PC8 Ar Duthchas (Port Charlotte), bottled @ 60.5%

Whisky review : Bruichladdich PC8 Ar Duthchas (Port Charlotte), bottled @ 60.5%

-PC9 available at the LCBO for 149$.
-Nice bottling of old and legendary distillery !


Colour: clear bright yellow, straw, similar to the Arran Bourbon Cask. No colouring here...

Nose: morning fire with white ashes and light smoke. intense yet tamed peat smoke, peat and more peat with fresh vanilla on the side, soft white cake. Incredible nose. It's like a peat fire controlled with vanilla and apple wood.

Mouth: green grass, wet straw, peat......more peat smoke, peat even more peat and this creamy vanilla feeling. Amazingly smooth for 60%. Water cools it down and opens it to a more spicy and lingering peat smoke. White pepper notes. Peated coated mouth is the term here. It's an aggressive peat but yet very mannered in the delivery. Incredible.

Finish : smoke, more peat smoke and lingering creamy sugary vanilla and chocolaty flavoured peat. One for the ages. An experience as much as an investment for sipping.

A++ for the taste. in one word : Wow.
A+ for presentation. the bottling is gorgeous, simple and sober yet elegant.
B- for the price. Listed at 140$ at the SAQ is....we have to admit, a fair price considering the intrinsic qualities of this spirit. It's bottled at cask strength and no colouring..non-filtered. A great product. I would recommend anytime (only if you are not on a budget).  An amazzzzzzing whisky !

Whisky review : Aberlour 12 years old Unchill-filtered, bottled @ 48%

Whisky review : Aberlour 12 years old Unchill-filtered, bottled @ 48%

-double matured in ex-sherry casks
-Bottled at 48%
-1st reviewed Aberlour

Colour : nice coppery tint, thanks to the sherry influence here. It's a very thick and oily whisky, with long legs.

Nose: raw sugar, dark chocolate, hand lotion, toffee, caramel. With a touch of water it opens on fruity notes, more spices and creamy sugary cane

Mouth: Spicy, very tingling, pear, apples, smooth ginger, white pepper. It coats the mouth with its hot and soft sherry notes. Lingering candied fruits. With a dash of water, it becomes spicier, light sugary paste, but fades faster.

Finish: long spicy and fruity, sugary finish. One to remember.

A for the taste. Simply put, it's a great whisky. Very well balanced and delivers a nice punchy flavor. Worth a try and sip...and another try.
B+ for presentation. The small ''wider'' bottler is nice.
B for the price. It's priced at 74,5$ at the SAQ, not available at the LCBO. Not quite sure I agree here. The regular 12 should be around 55$ to make room for this 60ish whisky. 75$ is a bit excessive. However, if money is not an issue, it's a safe bet.

retaste* 3 oct. 2013

Colour: light copper tones, medium bodied, nice sherry cask influence

Nose: spirity, touches of anise, light spices, broken sugar, light fruits, grapes.

Mouth: soft bread pudding, fruits, chili, the sherry seems off here compared to the first time. A bit sad...can't compare to its former self ! Just became a sad whisky. Does not worth the premium anymore.

Finish: chili, lingering spices, touches of sugar and sherry.

Very so so....sadly, it's not the Aberlour I've tasted before. I would advise to avoid it for the time being. B for taste.

Whisky review : Bowmore 15 years old ''Darkest'', bottled @ 43%

Whisky review : Bowmore 15 years old ''Darkest'', bottled @ 43%

-1st reviewed Bowmore
-I would say that Bowmore reaches high here, not sure I would venture above the 15y (price wise).
-released in 2007


Colour: As it is matured in Oloroso sherry casks, it is hard to say if the colouring is 100% natural or enhance by caramel.....Dark coppery, very oily

Nose: Peat, wet tar, I would compare this peat with a Laphroiag style one, smoke, dark chocolate, and sweet notes as well, behind the smoke and the peat are the Sherry notes and its fruity spiciness

Mouth: sweet peat, more peat, bitter chocolate, it's a calm spirit. Not too harsh. More peat smoke and broken raw sugar pieces.

Finish: lingering peat, sherry sweetness, smoke. It is a Bowmore, for sure. The sherry notes are very interesting here, it adds a new side to Bowmore, it makes it more appealing than the unfamous 12y. However, the sherry influence could be push more and the APV should be higher as well, 46 or 48%.

B++ very nice tasting whisky. The Sherry puts it above the 12y. I would like to see Bowmore doing a Cask strength release of this one....
B for presentation...same old Bowmore label and bottle
B- for the price. It's 96$ at the SAQ and 90$ at the LCBO. For 3 years of extra maturing, that can't be right. I would pin this one down to 70ish dollars. If so, then the price turns into a A. More than that, I would not buy. However, I strongly recommend trying it in a bar, it's a good value dram !

Whisky review: Bruichladdich First Growth Cuvée C: Margaux (Chateau Margaux) 16 Year Old, bottled @46% 700ml

Whisky review: Bruichladdich First Growth Cuvée C: Margaux (Chateau Margaux) 16 Year Old, bottled @46% 700ml

-Cask finish attempt by B
-Recommended 90$ in the USA...but 106$ at the SAQ
-Sad to say it is weird cask finish and hopefully they will put more time in selecting the Casks next time.
-Non-chill filtered. 

Colour: Copperish, oily, very thick, can see the redness of the wine coming out here...very long legs.

Nose: dark red fruits, mulberry, tiny breath of hidden peat, sweet, the kind of spicy sweetness one would expect out of a Sherry finish, a touch of creamy-nutty vanilla ointment in the back as well. Very interesting nose indeed.

Mouth: Strong spicy arrival, followed by a touch of floral and fruity, oak, soft almonds...but then turns into something not so fresh...almost like the wood (Cask) was not of premium quality. Old sandy bitter wood....then eucalyptus notes. Water does not really helps as well, just tone down the not-so-fresh parts.

Finish: clinch on the spiciness, but somehow fades very quickly in the mouth. Not as good as it advertise. And where is the peat ? not in this bottle....Not exquisite and surely did not worth the 14$/dram we paid for it.

C++ for the taste. I had better blends and much better (cheaper) Bruichladdich ! Waves, Rocks, PC4 and Black Magic. This one is a sad one...
A+ for presentation, very clean and sober but still trendy looking bottle and packaging.
C for price. Considering it's a 16y old, the price is reasonable. However, the taste reminds me of a much younger spirit, harsher and full of ripples. For this reason, it's way overpriced.