Oban 14 yr old

An unusual age for a single malt?
We tried this tasty single malt at our fave local night spot - Chim Choo Ree - on Friday night after the hapless Chiefs managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against the Cheetahs.
It certainly went down well, and softened the blow of the loss, although I thought it seemed a slightly odd colour... maybe it was the lighting.
Everyone greed it was a pleasant drop.  I felt it was inviting without being impressive. The orangey amber tones perplexed me and the after taste lacked longevity, whilst it defintely remained a quality drop... More refined palates have written entertainingly at ...

Read what others have said on this whisky reviewing site
Scotland looks so beautiful! Must get there a.s.a.p. . . .

This could get expensive...

I suggest we of the inner circle of Whisky Wallop [Me, Bevin, Bill, Vike? Ricardo?] start a kitty for a monthly wallop of a different single malt each time to be sampled at ease at Whisky Wallop headquarters in Edinburgh Rd.

We might also dare to tread into town some time to sample the Hood St whisky tasting evening...

Aberlour 10 yr old

Aberlour 10 yr old single malt just happened to pop into my hands over the counter of Jan's fine wines in Hillcrest the other day. I owed Bevin a single malt for not completing my drawing assignment and low n behold - we nearly knocked the buggar off [the scotch, bot Bevin] between several of us over a convivial evening of chitchat around an autumnal fire on Wee Bevvy's glorious leather lounge suite.   [draws breath...]
The most interesting thing for me was to discover that it is a Speyside whisky. Apparently that means it's flash...read more about Speyside distilleries here
I enjoyed the drop without being blown away, but then, I'm no connoiseur.  My tendency towards the peaty Islay style renders many of my descriptions moot but others have also tried the golden nectar and said things such as:

[from the Aberlour website]
"A classic Speyside single malt, matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks. Welcoming, vibrant and rewarding."


David Boyd - Aberlour Chief Blender
Malt, spice, mint toffee, autumn fruits, apples, pears, plums, hint of peat, custard, sherry, nuts, buttery.


Custard!? What on Earth are these people on? 
I wish I could smell properly. 
Well I must have enjoyed it because I certainly tucked in and we left the other whisky untouched.  I liked that it wasn't sweet and syrupy like some other, lesser single malts of the slightly more common variety. 

Decision - Aberlour was worth revisiting, perhaps an older one next time to really be spoiled.

oddly enough, Strathisla...

Strangely the first wallop is of the Strathisla 12 yr old from the Strathisla Distillery that brings us the blended Chivas Regal range.
This is actually quite appropriate because apart from growing up around the odd Johnnie Walker Red Label [ooer ;-) ], Chivas Regal was the flashest of drops to grace our home [Yes, really].
My dad was a lover of a wee tipple [ahem], but not so much into whisky as I recall. One day, however, he came home with a super humongous bottle of Chivas [won in a raffle at the blessed C.T. Club in the 'Tron] and we were all in awe. What amazed me was the metallic look box it came in.
Here I am, around 30 years later sipping on the Strathisla brother of that drop.


I must add that I have a limited sense of smell and therefore my tasting ability is impaired, yet still strangely accurate at times. In this case, I suspect not, but here we go.

I found it to be smokey, tasty, initially spicy with a gradually sweetening aftertaste, ending in an aromatically uplifting effect [affect?] on my palate... does that make sense?

Now let's see what the distillery itself says about it's product:

Nose: Rich and fruity, with a complex array of hay-like aromas balanced with a dry oakiness
Taste: Full, fruity and hay-like flavours, with a mellow nutty sweetness
Finish: Rich and mellow

http://www.maltwhiskydistilleries.com/

Islay malts - Uisque beatha... the water of life.

Beavearneo and I favour the strongly flavoured and distinctive Islay malts. Here is a link to the island and a run down of the range of treats available.

"An eilean anns a'ghloine.
An gloine anns an làmh"
The isle within the glass. The glass within the hand

Whisky Walloping

My dear friend, Bevearneo, has done what no other has managed - turned me into a Whisky drinker. Previously I found the stuff vile and off-putting. Luckily, Bevearneo's passion for Single Malts of the Isle of Islay has lead to me seeing the error of my ways. I know now that Whisky is a treasure to be savoured.
In these blog posts, I will introduce Whiskey's that we have purchased and tasted. The four or five of us who I suspect will be invovled with th etasting are normal plebs with no claim to connoisseur status, but with different tastes, hence there may be some interest in comparing notes.
The hardy crew of reprobates I shall assemble include myself [David], Bevearneo, Ricardo, Vike and possibly Deeknow and a splendid chap I haven't met in person but who I know shares an interest in the malty treats. [I'll confirm his interest and prefered nickname before going any further.]
Feel free to join us in leaving comments/opinions on whiskys being discussed.