Our Top 10 whiskies of 2011 - Numbers 1 to 5

Welcome to our Top 10 whiskies of 2011. Some people like Top 10s, some don't. They are always subjective and therefore contentious as a result - everyone has differing opinions at the end of the day. We have tried to select our Top 10 on a ratio of quality, value for money and availability to the public. To this end, there are not really any single cask or independent bottlings included, despite some excellent ones being sampled throughout the year. However, some are limited edition bottlings that are still available to purchase.

We have split our choices in to two parts. In this second part we cover our Top 5, including our 'Whisky of the Year', plus a short list of some excellent whiskies that didn't quite make the final cut for one reason or another.  The first part covering numbers six to ten was published yesterday - to read this click here. Please feel free to leave any comments about our selections at the bottom of either post.

So without further delay, let's get down to business and announce our 'Whisky of the Year' and the Top 5.  Drum roll please ...

Whisky For Everyone's Whisky of the Year 2011

Great King Street

When boutique whisky blending company Compass Box released this blend back in the Summer, they cannot have imagined what a stir it would cause. Nicknamed 'The Artist's Blend', it has received a plethora of rave reviews and laughs in the face of those that think that blends are an inferior product to single malts.   

Great King Street (named after the street where the company's Edinburgh HQ is located) re-affirms the high standards of excellence that Compass Box have set themselves in the last decade and will surely go on to win a heap of awards around the world.

Not only is it our favourite whisky of the year in terms of quality, flavour and character but it is also highly affordable at just £25 a bottle. It ticks every box for us and is a fantastic product.
Reviewed on 9/8/11 - click here for original notes.

2 - Auchentoshan Valinch
This whisky was also released back in the Summer and the Lowland distillery came up trumps. To release Auchentoshan's soft triple distilled spirit with a powerful alcohol strength of 57.7% ABV could have been a tricky marriage, but it worked a treat.  Sympathetic casking and the skill of the Master Blender are evident here. It can take plenty of water also, and holds up very well. The Valinch is planned to become a regular annual feature for Auchentoshan and if each batch is this good, then we can't wait for this year's version. Another bargain at around £40-45 a bottle.
Reviewed on 25/7/11 - click here for original notes.

3 - Benriach Solstice 15 years old
The first 'wow' moment of 2011 was provided by this whisky from one of our favourite Speyside distilleries. Standing at the Whisky Live show in London the Solstice announced itself with a splendid mix of intensity, smoke, fruit, wood spice and warm biscuit notes. It is unusual for a Speyside single malt in that it is heavily peated and has been part matured in ex-Port casks.  The combination works superbly and makes you think that more distilleries should try it. A new 17 year old version has just been released in a similar vein, so we cannot wait to try that and hope it is as good as this beauty.
Reviewed on 9/3/11 - click here for original notes.

4 - Greenore 18 years old
Hailing from the Irish distillery of Cooley, this is the first single grain whiskey to appear on one of our Top 10 lists. To put it simply - this is the best single grain whiskey that we have tried to date and the only one to which we have returned on numerous occasions. If you have never tried a single grain whiskey before, then this Greenore would be a good introduction to the genre.  It offers wonderful bittersweet cereals, creamy vanilla and coconut, spiced orange and plenty of wood spice characteristics. All are perfectly balanced and the result is delicious and rich.
Reviewed on 6/2/11 - click here for original notes.

5 - Shackleton Highland Malt
Another blend in the Top 5 - what is going on?  This is a whisky with a difference - it has a unique story (synopsis - someone finds old bottle under Antarctic ice after 100 years, someone else brings bottle back to Scotland and recreates replica as near to the original as possible), but also a unique flavour profile. The original was from an era where single malts did not exist as a product and this was produced in the old Highland style with some richness and smokiness. The back story is great but for us the most important thing is that the whisky in the bottle stands up on its own.
Reviewed on 26/4/11 - click here for original notes.

As mentioned, the selections for numbers 6-10 in our Top 10 were revealed in the first part- click here to read if you missed it.

We found it tricky to select our Top 10, as we have sampled so many good new whiskies throughout the year.  Naturally, some excellent products did not make the cut for one reason or another.  Below is a list of some others that we felt deserved a mention.  We have also attached the links to the original reviews, if you wish to take a look at them.

• Balvenie Tun 1401 (Batch No.2) - Reviewed on 28/9/11
• Bowmore 1982 Vintage -  Reviewed on 14/6/11
• Brora 32 years old - Reviewed on 24/10/11
• Jura 1976 Feith A' Chaorainn - Reviewed on 22/11/11
• Kilbeggan 18 years old - Reviewed on 27/4/11
• Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy - Reviewed on 28/9/11
• Port Ellen 32 years old - Reviewed on 24/10/11

Have just tried > Greenore 8 years old

Greenore is a whiskey that is made at the Cooley distillery in County Louth, Ireland. The distillery lies roughly half way between Belfast and Dublin and is one of only three whiskey distilleries currently in operation in Ireland (Bushmills and Midleton are the others). Cooley was founded in 1987 by John Teeling and his idea was to resurrect some of Ireland's oldest whiskey recipes and traditions that had become extinct during more difficult times. He converted an old vodka distillery and Cooley has since won over 100 awards worldwide, including the title of European Distillery of the Year at the prestigious International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) awards in 2010.

At Cooley they produce whiskey using traditional recipes, each with a different mixtures of barley and other grains. Their range includes some famous Irish whiskey names such as Connemara (the only peaty Irish whiskey), Kilbeggan, Locke's, Michael Collins, Millar's and Tyrconnell. Around 95% of all the whiskey produced at Cooley is exported, with the UK, mainland Europe and South Africa being the current main markets. Greenore is unique as it is the only Irish grain whiskey that is in regularly production. Grain whiskies contain no barley but are made from a mixture of other grains instead. This Greenore 8 years old is part of Cooley's core range and has won a Gold Medal at the IWSC awards. It is bottled at 40% ABV and is available from specialist liquor retailers. A bottle should cost around the £32 mark.

Our tasting notes
The colour is a bright golden yellow and the nose is fresh, vibrant and tangy. Initially, it has plenty of cereal, honey and oaky coconut aromas and these are joined by more subtle notes with time. These notes includes some zesty lemon peel, light brown sugar, warm buttery biscuits and a hint of dried grass (think of hay). The nose is very pleasant - you could sit and sniff it forever! On the palate, this is smooth, creamy and sweet with lots of distinct cereal grains (imagine the more bitter husks especially) to begin with. Then comes a delicious mouth-coating combination of sweet vanilla, honey, almonds, warm woody spices (think of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg) and plenty of freshly grated coconut. The progression from the sweeter to the more bitter/spicy elements is sublime and very, very enjoyable. It just seems to melt in your mouth. The finish is warm and honeyed with plenty of enjoyable bitter cereal notes coming through and a good dry woody spiciness at the end. The only slight downside is that the finish is slightly short and disappears too quickly (sadly).

What's the verdict?
This is an easy one - Greenore 8 years old is delicious. And enjoyable. And rich. And very moreish. And complex. And well balanced. And offers high quality. And value for money. And is unique ... you get the idea! It is easy to see why this has won numerous awards as it offers winning combinations of aromas and flavours in abundance. If you have never sampled grain whiskey before, then you have to try this one as it is an excellent example.

New releases > Greenore 18 years old

Greenore is a whiskey that is made at the Cooley distillery in County Louth, Ireland. The distillery lies roughly half way between Belfast and Dublin and is one of only three whiskey distilleries currently in operation in Ireland (Bushmills and Midleton are the others). Cooley was founded in 1987 by John Teeling and his idea was to resurrect some of Ireland's oldest whiskey recipes and traditions that had become extinct during more difficult times. He converted an old vodka distillery and Cooley has since won over 100 awards worldwide, including the title of European Distillery of the Year at the prestigious International Wine & Spirits Competition awards in 2010.

At Cooley they produce whiskey using traditional recipes, each with a different mixtures of barley and other grains. Their range includes some famous Irish whiskey names such as Connemara (the only peaty Irish whiskey), Kilbeggan, Locke's, Michael Collins, Millar's and Tyrconnell. Around 95% of all the whiskey produced at Cooley is exported, with the UK, mainland Europe and South Africa being the current main markets.

Greenore is unique as it is the only Irish grain whiskey that is in regularly production. Grain whiskies contain no barley but are made from a mixture of other grains instead. This 18 years old is a brand new small batch bottling of just 4000 bottles and is the oldest bottling of an Irish single grain to date. It replaces the popular Greenore 15 years old which was highly awarded, including the prestigious Best Single Grain at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in both 2009 and 2010. The new 18 years old is bottled at 46% ABV and is non chill filtered (for a definition of this - click here). It will be available from mid February for approximately £65-70 a bottle.

Our tasting notes
The colour is vibrant gold and the nose is perfumed and very promising - it has aromas of distinctive and fragrant cereals, honey, vanilla, shortbread or butter biscuits (or maybe even uncooked pastry?) and some oaky coconut. In addition, there are more subtle notes of spiced orange, a whiff of burnt sugar and a hint of old polished furniture. With time, the aromas really jump out of the glass at you. On the palate, this is initially tangy and sweet with a golden syrup-like sweetness combining with some spiced orange (the combination is reminiscent of a good marmalade). Then plenty of distinct cereal grains and woody notes develop and the whiskey feels a little oily and syrupy in the mouth. Further notes of vanilla, honey, toasted almonds and warm wood spices (think of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg) add to the enjoyable flavours. The finish is warming and long. It again begins sweetly before the woodier and drier notes come through to give a pleasant bitter, almost cleansing quality. Having said that, it is more 'bittersweet' than 'sweet followed by bitter'. The refreshing nature of the finish is reminiscent of a bourbon whiskey which has been sympathetically matured.

What's the verdict?
This Greenore is very good and one of the better single grain whiskies that we have tried to date. The joy is that while it has a certain level of complexity, it never gets too involved or complicated and the aromas or flavours are therefore well defined. It offers plenty of sweetness but also interesting spiciness to compliment. If you have never tried any grain whiskies before, then this would be a great starting point - it is clearly well made and well balanced, with the increased age softening some of the sharper elements sometimes found in younger grain whiskies.

Five whiskies for St. Patrick's Day

Today is St. Patrick's Day, the national day of Ireland. We thought it fitting that we should put together a post featuring some of our favourite Irish whiskies that we have tasted to date. The tradition of having a dram of whiskey with a pint of Guinness is one that will be followed by millions across the globe this evening. The most popular Irish whiskies by volume of sales are Jameson and Bushmills and plenty of drams of these will be sunk tonight. We have reviewed these but we thought we should champion some of the excellent but maybe lesser known Irish whiskies that will go well with a pint of the black stuff. Enjoy!

Connemara Single Malt
Connemara is produced at the Cooley distillery in County Louth - a distillery located roughly half way between Dublin and Belfast. Connemara is the only Irish whisky that is regularly produced in the peaty style and Cooley follow the original recipe from the old Connemara distillery that was located on the western Galway coast. The colour is light gold and the nose is has aromas of heather, honey, vanilla and soft earthy peat smoke. On the palate, there is more honey and vanilla, nuts (think of almonds), malty cereals and woody oak. The smokiness seems stronger and has an earthy, mossy edge to it. The smoke is prominent on the finish that mixes sweet honey and vanilla with drier, spicier oak and cinnamon notes. A lovely dram that combines the softness of an Irish whiskey with the more robust smoky notes of a Scottish island whisky.

Greenore 8 years old
This is a limited batch single grain whiskey that is made at the Cooley distillery in County Louth. Greenore is unique as it is the only Irish grain whiskey that is regularly released. Grain whiskies contain no barley but are made from a mixture of other grains. The colour is vibrant gold and the nose has cereal, honey and oaky coconut aromas. On the palate, this is smooth and sweet with lots of distinct cereal grains (think of the more bitter husks especially) vanilla, honey, almonds and warm spices (think of ginger and nutmeg). This is very full bodied, creamy and melts in your mouth. The finish is warm and honeyed with plenty of enjoyable bitter cereal notes and a good dry woodiness at the end. If you have never sampled grain whiskey before, then try this one as it is an excellent example.

Paddy Old Irish
This whiskey is named after the legendary whisky salesman Paddy Flaherty and is currently made at the Midleton distillery in County Cork. The colour is pale golden yellow and the nose is aromatic and clean. There is fresh vanilla, malted cereals, honey, nuts (think of almonds and hazelnuts), oak and grass notes (imagine dried grasses or hay). On the palate, this is mild, soft and light with mellow malted barley, vanilla, honey, sweet coconut, toffee, more grassiness (dried hay again), toasted nuts (almonds especially) and woody spice (think of cinnamon). The finish is soft, sweet and very malty and grainy. An easy drinking and uncomplicated dram. To read our full review of Paddy - click here.

Power's Gold Label
One of Ireland's most popular and oldest whiskies (it was first produced in 1791). Power's is currently made at the Midleton distillery in County Cork. The colour is golden yellow with a delicate, light nose. It is sweet with a combination of aromas - cereal grains, vanilla, caramel and a floral honeysuckle note. On the palate, this feels light, soft and creamy. There is a distinct, slightly bitter grainy character that is joined by sweeter elements such as vanilla, caramel, butterscotch and nuts (especially hazelnuts and almonds). A herbal note appears (imagine dried grass) and gives a good balance. The finish is short but smooth, sweet and warming with grassiness, vanilla and cereal notes. The whiskey is not the most complex but is extremely well balanced and enjoyable. To read our full review of Power's - click here.

Redbreast 12 years old
This is a pure pot still whiskey produced at the Midleton distillery. Pot stills are frequently used in Ireland and these are short, fat, large stills that produce softer and more rounded spirits. The spirit is further softened by being distilled three times, instead of twice in Scotland. Redbreast has a golden, slightly amber colour and the nose is light and fresh with some vanilla, honey and fruitiness (like fresh apples and pears). On the palate, these notes are prominent and are joined by dried fruit (imagine raisins and sultanas), ginger and a bit of spiciness (think of cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper) right at the end. It is creamy and rich but very fresh. The finish is long, complex and very well balanced. A top dram - this is one of our favourite Irish whiskies.