Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (July 24, 2020)

Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information. Here is the news from this week ...

Have just tried - Taketsuru Pure Malt 12 years old

This is a whisky that is produced by the Nikka Whisky Distilling Company in Japan and is the entry level product in their Taketsuru Pure Malt range.  Nikka own two single malt distilleries - Miyakigyo (pronounced mee-yag-ik-yo) and Yoichi (pronounced yo-ee-chee)- and both are included in this whisky.  The term Pure Malt is used as there is no grain whisky in the product, just single malts.  This 12 years old expression is joined by two others in the Taketsuru Pure Malt range, which have age statements of 17 and 21 years of age.

Have just tried - Miyagikyo 12 years old

The Miyagikyo distillery (pronounced mee-yag-ee-kyo) is a Japanese whisky distillery that was found in 1969 and is owned by the Nikka Whisky Distilling Company.  They own two distilleries in Japan, with the other being Yoichi.  They also own the Ben Nevis distillery near Fort William in Scotland.  Miyagikyo is located in the Miyagi Prefecture to the west of the city of Sendai.  The distillery was firstly named as Sendai, then changed to Sakunami before becoming known as Miyagikyo in 2001.

Whisky Live 2010, London - Whiskies we sampled

This is the second part of our review of the recent Whisky Live event in London. Whisky Live is an event that showcases the diverse world of whisky to the general public. There are two events in the UK - one in London and the other in Glasgow. They are the biggest whisky shows in the UK and this year's London show marked the 10th anniversary of the event being held in the city.

This year, the venue was the prestigious Hurlingham Club - a posh members only club on the banks of the River Thames. For two days last weekend they allowed the commoners in to drink some whisky. We were both in attendance for both days of the show - Matt doing his 'day job' selling whisky to people and Karen doing her 'favourite hobby' ... drinking whisky! Between us, we sampled plenty of whisky and decided to split the reviews in to two parts. The first part included the new releases and other special Whisky Live bottlings that were on offer. This second part concentrates on some of the other interesting whiskies that we sampled.

Aberlour 18 years old
This whisky is one of the rarer single malts in the core range of this popular Speyside distillery. Aberlour are well known for their use of quality sherry casks during maturation and is in the top 10 for worldwide single malt sales and number one in France, who are the biggest consumers of whisky in the world. This 18 years old is dark amber in colour and has a rich, fruity nose - dried fruits (think of raisins especially), candied orange peel, sandalwood and waxy furniture polish. On the palate, the whisky is velvety and soft with a lovely combination of notes - rich sweet caramel, raisins, plenty of dried orange, nuts (imagine walnuts) and wood spice (think of cinnamon). The finish is long and sweet with the cinnamon putting in a good appearance. A great example of a sherry cask matured whisky.

Dalmore King Alexander III
Dalmore have produced this limited edition that contains whiskies that have been matured in no less than six different styles of cask - bourbon, Madeira, marsala, Port, red wine and sherry. It is named to commemorate the ancestor's of the local Mackenzie clan who rescued King Alexander III from bandits in 1293. This is one hell of a complex whisky - the colour is a dark reddish amber and the nose is rich and sweet. There are distinct notes of caramel, dried fruit (think of raisins, sultanas and candied orange peel), almonds, wood spice (cinnamon especially) and dark espresso coffee. The palate is rich and silky with plenty of caramel, dried fruit and orange up front. Notes of nutmeg spice, coffee, dark chocolate, almonds, cereal grains, fudge and chilli join to create huge complexity. The finish is soft, sweet and very enjoyable. Cracking stuff but very rich.

Longrow 14 years old
Longrow is produced for roughly one month of the year at the cult Springbank distillery in the Campbeltown region of Scotland. It has a much higher peat level than regular Springbank and therefore is much smokier in character. This 14 years old is pale in colour and the nose is light and fresh with a lovely mix of fresh green apple, vanilla, dried grass and earthy peat smoke (imagine damp moss). The palate feels richer with some initial sweet vanilla and obvious smoky peat (think of damp earth, moss and iodine). The iodine note gives a bitter edge to the sweetness and has a hint of disinfectant to it. Further grassiness (think of straw or hay) comes through and leads through to an enjoyable and decently long finish. The smokiness is more ashy on the finish. A very good and very drinkable dram.

Millstone Dutch single malt
Dutch whisky, I hear you cry! Yes, indeed - this single malt is produced at the Zuidam distillery in the town of Baarle Nassau, to the west of Eindhoven. The distillery was founded in 1974 and is run by father and son Fred and Patrick van Zuidam. Initially they produced various spirits including genever gin and vodka, with whisky being first made in 1998. They currently produce 20,000 litres of whisky per year. This whisky has no age stated and is light and delicate on the nose. There is plenty of cereal grains here with some vanilla and honey also. A whiff of raw spirit is evident but not off putting. The palate is again light with a pleasant combination of grain (lots), nuts (think of almonds and coconut), some grassiness (imagine hay), honey, vanilla and a hint of nutmeg-like spice. The finish is short and sweet. Interesting stuff and interesting to try.

Miyagikyo 10 years old
Miyagikyo is located on the eastern coast of Japan's main island of Honshu to the north of Tokyo and it was founded in 1969 by the Nikka Corporation. Miyagikyo's whiskies have won many awards in recent years around the globe. We had never tried any Miyagikyo ... until Whisky Live that is! The colour is golden and the nose is soft, sweet and almost understated. There is a lovely mix of vanilla, caramel, honey and something floral. On the palate, it feels silky and smooth with a pleasant creaminess that incorporates those elements from the nose with some woody spices (think of cinnamon and nutmeg), toffee and earthy ginger. The finish is drier than the palate and is oaky and spicy in nature. Top stuff.

Nikka 'Taketsuru' Pure Malt 17 years old
This is another whisky produced by the Nikka Corporation. It is a vatting made from single malts (hence the name Pure Malt) from both of their distilleries - Miyagikyo and Yoichi. Yoichi distillery is located on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and was founded by Masataka Taketsuru (who lends his name to this whisky) in 1934. This makes it Japan's second oldest whisky distillery behind Yamazaki. This Pure Malt has an expressive nose with an interesting combination of aromas - vanilla, malty cereal grains, dried grasses, orange oil and just a whiff of earthy peat. The palate is soft, smooth, creamy and velvety with the vanilla, grains and orange oil particularly prominent. The cereal grains add a pleasant bitterness to the other sweeter elements. The finish is drier than expected and is slightly spicier (think of ginger and nutmeg) and smokier (imagine bonfire ash).

Scapa 16 years old
The Scapa distillery is located in the Orkney islands and this bottling was released a couple of years ago, to replace a 14 years old in their small core range. The low production capacity dictates that Scapa whiskies are hard to find but are highly sought after and regarded. The colour of this whisky is a vibrant gold and the nose is delicious. There is plenty of vanilla, coconut and hazelnuts and these are carried through to the creamy, velvety palate. The combination of flavours that come through on the palate is fantastic - hazelnut praline, some milk chocolate, vanilla, coconuts and a hint of fresh peach. It feels very soft and sumptuous. The finish is fairly short but expressive with the coconut and hazelnut elements particularly prominent. An absolutely lovely and well made dram.

Van Winkle Rye whiskey
One of the few American rye whiskies at the show this year so it was an opportunity not to be turned down. Van Winkle was founded by Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle Snr in 1893 and is now operated by the fourth generation of his family (one of these, Preston Van Winkle, was at the show). The company's range of whiskey is made at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky and follows strict secretive recipes that have been handed down. This whiskey is dark amber and has an intense nose. It is packed with plenty of orange (think of candied peel or marmalade), vanilla, cereals (think of the bitter husks especially) and coconut. On the palate, it is equally intense with the plenty of wood spice (imagine nutmeg and cinnamon) joining the orange, vanilla, cereal grains and coconut from the nose. The combination is fantastic with the rye cereals adding a lovely bitter edge to the sweetness. The finish is long and spicy. A cracker of a dram!

Wild Geese Irish whiskey
The Wild Geese are a range of Irish whiskies that are bottled and distributed by an independent company. These whiskies are produced to a specific recipe at the Cooley distillery and are available in 38 countries around the world. The name of the range is taken from the name given to Irish soldiers who fought in various European wars in the 17th and 18th centuries - they were known as 'wild geese'. Three whiskies were available for tasting at the show - two blends and one single malt.

First up is the Rare Irish, one of the blends. This is very light and pale lemon in colour and the nose is delicate (lemon zest, vanilla and rose petals). The palate is equally light and has a fresh vibrancy to it. Delicate flavours such as vanilla, honey, malty cereals and zingy lemon are present. The finish is short and crisp. Next up is the Fourth Centennial, a limited edition blend containing some older whiskies. This is richer with a combination of vanilla, cereals (imagine porridge oats), wood spice (think of nutmeg) and a lemony tang on the nose. The palate exhibits similar characteristics but has more nutmeg spice and the vanilla is sweeter and more reminiscent of marzipan. The finish is of decent length and is drier and oaky. Finally, the Single Malt. The nose is fresh with plenty of vanilla, coconut and cereal grains. On the palate it is light and refreshing with the elements from the nose being joined by some toffee, a hint of earthy peat smoke and some peppery spices. The finish is sweet and enjoyable.

In the whisky cupboard ... Nikka 'Whisky From The Barrel'

Nikka are one of the biggest producers of single malt whisky in Japan. It is a company that forms part of the massive Asahi Brewery Company and they own two distilleries - Miyagikyo and Yoichi. Miyagikyo is located on the eastern coast of Japan's main island of Honshu to the north of Tokyo and Yoichi can be found on the western side of the northern island of Hokkaido. This 'Whisky From The Barrel' forms part of a series of vatted whiskies that are released by Nikka. Vatted whiskies are produced using single malts that are mixed together. These single malts may be of differing ages and from different distilleries. They are similar to blended whiskies in this respect, but blends include whisky made from other grains. Vatted whiskies only include single malt whisky produced from malted barley. In this case, Nikka have used different ages of single malt from both Miyagikyo and Yoichi and married them together over time. The 'Whisky From The Barrel' is a multi award winning whisky, including scooping the Best Japanese Blended/Vatted Whisky prize at The World Whisky Awards 2007.

This bottle was received recently as a present and has been exclusively labelled for La Maison du Whisky shop in Paris. It is bottled at cask strength (51.4% ABV) and the colour is a golden orange brown with a very pleasant nose. There is plenty of sherry cask influence here with lots of dried fruits (think of raisins and sultanas), candied peel (especially orange), some malted barley (imagine a rustic loaf of bread) and something reminiscent of dark chocolate or espresso coffee. These characteristics are replicated on the palate. It is rich and succulent with a lovely level of sweetness and a touch of spiciness (think of nutmeg or cinammon). This whisky is deceptive and certainly does not taste or feel like cask strength. That could be dangerous on future evenings! With a drop of water, a sugary sweetness appears (imagine caramel) and the candied orange peel springs to life even more. The finish is long, fruity and sumptuous.

'Whisky From The Barrel' is an excellent whisky and one of the best blended or vatted whiskies that I have tried to date. If you have tried the Hibiki 17 years old blend from other Japanese powerhouse whisky company, Suntory, then this is in the same vein (although considerably cheaper!). A great example of how the use of quality sherry casks can influence whisky during maturation. It is still relatively difficult to find but distribution is improving to Europe and the UK. A 500ml bottle should cost £20-25 from selected independent whisky retailers.

Great places to drink whisky ... The Red Lion & Sun, London

The Red Lion & Sun pub can be found in Highgate village in north London. Highgate village is a leafy suburb that has been swallowed up by London sprawling outwards, but still retains a unique character and charm. It was an excellent surprise on a recent visit there to discover that the Red Lion & Sun has had a major revamp. Previously a dusty old place serving up warm real ales with funny names and microwaved food, the place has now been sympathetically modernised. Part of this modernisation includes introducing the residents of Highgate to one of the larger selections of whiskies that we have seen in a pub. There is a whisky menu with around 25 different Scottish malts, about a dozen bourbons, 6 or 7 Japanese whiskies and various others from around the world, all of which are decently priced. The staff are passionate about whisky and they also run a whisky club and tastings (you can sign up for this at info@theredlionandsun.com). We decided to try a few different things that we had not had before.

Glenlivet 12 years old
Glenlivet is one of the most popular whiskies in the world. The distillery is located in Speyside and they produce a light and easy drinking spirit. This 12 years old is light but quite complex and refreshing with lots of fruit and floral notes on the nose and palate. There are apples and pears (a classic Speyside characteristic), some citrus (imagine lemon zest), lots of malted barley and cereals and a distinctive heather element. The finish is light, crisp, dry and good!

Aberlour A'bunadh
Another Speyside distillery, Aberlour is less well known in the UK but very popular in mainland Europe especially France and Spain. Famous for their use of sherry casks for maturation, the A'bunadh (pronounced a-boona) has a massive sherry cask influence and is released as cask strength (over 60% ABV in this case). They release limited batches of this every so often with each batch being slightly different. This is rich and creamy with loads of intense dried fruit, butterscotch, concerntrated citrus flavours (think of orange marmalade) and honey. Adding some water takes away the strength of the alcohol and reveals a gorgeous spiciness (imagine cinnamon and nutmeg). The finish is long, creamy, rich and spicy. Lovely.

W. L. Weller Special Reserve
The Weller distillery closed in 1991. This American bourbon is now made at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky using the traditional recipe and grain mix. This special reserve is released at seven years of age and is light and refreshing. The nose and palate are full of woodiness and vanilla. There is a very nice creaminess in the mouth with a note of honey coming through with something spicy at the end (think of cinnamon and nutmeg again). The finish is crisp with lots of wood and sweet vanilla with an interesting bitterness, that reminded me of a dark chocolate or black coffee. Very drinkable but you would really have to like that woody taste to enjoy it fully.

Nikka 'Straight from the barrel'
This Japanese whisky is cask strength vatting made up of whisky from Nikka's two distilleries - Miyagikyo and Yoichi. It is rich with strong elements of vanilla and fresh fruits (imagine apples and pears). There is also something nutty (reminding me of hazelnuts and almonds, i think), some caramel/butterscotch and just a hint of some smokiness. The finish is sweet, spicy (think of something warm like ginger) and refreshing.