Whisky Review: Glen Breton 14 years bottled @43%

Whisky Review: Glen Breton 14 years bottled @43%

-1st Glen Breton
-bottled above 43%

Colour: pure gold, light bodied

Nose: smooth sweet notes, creamy wood notes, wood sawdust, light apples, handcream, banana. Very interesting nose, slightly more complex than the average Canadian

Mouth: Very light sweetness, pretty robust, does not hold very well, unsteady...candies? Light sweet notes...

Finish: Very flat, except some lingering light sweetness.

C for the taste. You would except so much more from this 14 years old...To a certain extent, it has the roughness of some NAS...I mean, not sure whether or not the casks are to blame, but I'd suggest using ex-bourbon casks to give more character.

E for presentation, outdated bottling in an oversized box = wasting money on presentation. Update the bottle and keep it simple.

D- for price. 94$ (SAQ) is a total rip off for this Whisky. We do get it's 14 years and from a smaller company. Yet the taste/price ratio of completely off. This could side with much cheaper Alberta Premium or even CC 20 years old (more or less 60$).  

Whisky review : Robert Burns Single Malt (Arran) bottled @ 43%

Whisky review : Robert Burns Single Malt (Arran)

-Bought Jan.2014.
-Bright yellow indicating the absence of caramel
-bottled at 43% we like that.
-Nice bottling.

Colour: bright yellow golden. Apple juice style.

Nose: strong acidic spirit notes, mashed apples, acid apple juice, very strong sweet-acidic re-fluxes. So so inviting yet interesting. 

Mouth: very thick spicy arrival, lots of barley, soft wood notes, remains very ''hot'' and a tad robust. Turns to acid apples notes as well. Water helps to cool it down, some bitter grain notes, then green apples.

Finish: sticky sweet-acid-apple after taste, creamy wood notes mixed with apples and barley notes. Nothing over the top, yet the finish is better than the mouth feeling for sure.

B for the taste. Arran delivers great products and this one is a slight exception to this. It's good but a bit too robust compare to any of his siblings (also NAS). 
A for the price. I paid 45.95$ (LCBO). If memory serves me right, it used to be 39.95 one or two years ago..why the sudden increase ? oh wait the packaging ? That being said, I will not buy again for 2 reasons : (1) it's not available anymore and (2) it was just ''ok''
A+ for presentation. Nice elegant colours yet simple. I must commend Arran for their ''money'' style design. However I must insist that it should not be main aspect of the Whisky : we want what's in the bottle.

Whisky review : Old Pulteney 12 years Old bottled @ 40%

Whisky review : Old Pulteney 12 years Old bottled @ 40%

Colour: Light golden, straw, medium oily.

Nose: Wood sap, green apple candy paste, fresh cut wood, light green apples, yellow pear, some rough spirit notes, light refined sweet notes. Very nice nose, yet some flaws are apparent.

Mouth: Delicate arrival, green wood, apples, bitter wood, reflux of light fruits, a bit rough around the edges, eucalyptus, more green wood and wood sap. Similar, in terms of flavor profile, to the Deaston. Yet I'd prefer the Deanston.

Finish: remain constant on sap and green wood, apples, touches of honey and bitter-sweetness.

For 69,75 (SAQ) it's a tad pricey for a 12 years old. 55$ would be more appropriate.
Very stylish bottle ! Double necked bottled and a Mariner style !
This whisky is sure to win over any Virgin Oak lover and spicy-green wood flavours. But if budget is an issue, aim for the Deanston.

Whisky review: Michel Couvreur 'Intravaganza' bottled@ 50%

Whisky review: Michel Couvreur 'Intravaganza' bottled@ 50%

-....Michel Couvreur again.
-Mentioned it was originally 69% but toned down to 50%

Colour: Pale Straw, medium oily body.

Nose: Very thick mineral, deep caramel, honeycomb very well put compared the 2 last one. Maybe the best Michel Couvreur nose so far.

Mouth: Yellow fruits, Mineral, butter caramel, touches of chili. Mouth coating and mouth watering. The Best so far.

Finish: Stays on caramel and mineral notes. But does not hang around long.





69$ (SAQ)....Humm, let me see, do they have Johnny Walker Black in stock ? they do ? then I'll take one instead of this (anytime).
Sloppy presentation....lose the wax. Even the spirit inside the bottle looks dirty.
This whisky is perhaps the most interesting (quality/price). However I strongly suggest a try before buying.

Whisky review : Michel Couvreur Overaged 12 years old Bottled @ 43%

Whisky review : Michel Couvreur Overaged 12 years old Bottled @ 43%

-Another Michel Couvreur...
-bottled at 43%
-MC is confused between Armagnac Age Statement and Whisky I believe as 12 years old is merely matured in terms of Whisky but considered X.O or even Hors Age (Ageless) in Armagac and Cognac

Colour: Dark copper, heavy sherry influenced, light bodied

Nose: Caramel, some fruits, thick caramel, mineral notes. Much more interesting than the Unique

Mouth: Initial impact ; caramel and spices, more mineral notes. Very nice arrival yet it disintegrate very fast. Remains robust with bitter notes. Remains rough after 12 years of maturing....

Finish: Sweet, mineral and harsh eucalyptus notes. (aka its robust)

76$ for a 'Malt Whisky' aged 12 years old coming from an unknown company like Michel Couvreur is simply put, a joke.
A tad better on the arrival, yet no mid-section nor real finish.
Sad even sloppy presentation. Avoid.

Whisky review : Michel Couvreur Grain Unique, bottled @ 44%

Whisky review

-Another Michel Couvreur...
-Non-filtered and 44%, seems promising

Colour: Light yellow, medium bodied, maybe matured in ex-bourbon or light Sherry.

Nose: Fresh sugars, very light, a tad rough...no clear depth nor any wow factor.

Mouth: very light fruits, spices, quite spicy...on the robust side, rough, then flat. Light sugars and fruits. that's what you get plus some eucalyptus notes indicating youth and mediocre spirit quality. Water opens more fruits and some light bourbon notes.

Finish: Flat. The kind of whisky that will let you wonder 'was this a bad Chivas' ?

Conclusion, for 57$ (SAQ), avoid.
Presentation, angled label on weird JW bottling...sad.
Low quality spirit in off-wood = disaster or Michel Couvreur.

Whisky review : Glen Garioch ''The Founders Reserve'', NAS, bottled @ 48%

Whisky review : Glen Garioch ''The Founders Reserve'', NAS, bottled @ 48%

-2nd Glen Garioch
-Always appreciate the ABV
-Cool simple bottling.
-Non-filtered
-Maybe some caramel there, but it looks ok.

Colour: bright dark gold

Nose: Light fruits, a tad spirity, honey and some ginger notes too, spicy. Water brings more wood touches and flatten the edges...juicer, fresh sweet wood notes.

Mouth: Spicy light fruits, light caramel, ripe ginger and some bitter notes, more the acid green apples. Very nice malt, but come as a bit robust without water. More on the oak, wood sap side when water added. Remains light, bitter notes, juicy, light...very gentle.

Finish: Lacks finesse on arrival but then focuses on ginger and light oak notes when water is added. Came across, this a few years ago and bought the 12 years old as well.

B+ for the taste, as some people say this one is either loved or hated.
B+ for the price. 55.1$ (LBCO) is good considering that this whisky is probably no less than 6 years old.
A- for the presentation. I love the simple presentation of the Glen Garioch. They are not trying to do too much and put emphasis on the quality of the spirit rather on the name or the looks.