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Recent releases, May 2007
Clynelish, Distillers Edition 1991 (Scotland) 
Regular visitors to this site will be aware of our admiration for Diageo’s Distillers Edition range of ‘finished’ single malts, and the latest addition to the line up is a 15-year-old Clynelish, produced on the east coast of Sutherland.
Over the years, Clynelish seems to have become less ‘coastal’ in character, with reduced seaweed and salt characteristics, and this expression, finished in an Oloroso Seco cask tends to confirm that view.
Sweet Sherry and honey on the nose, with a gentle note of cloves. Water teases out peaches and cream. The palate initially offers vibrant Sherry, with cloves, angelica and spices developing. The finish is medium in length, with a mild note of enduring ginger. A well balanced and very attractive whisky, but you wouldn’t necessarily know you were drinking Clynelish without looking at the label.
46.0% ABV, 70cl, £37.95, specialist whisky merchants.  |  |
Longmorn, 16-year-old (Scotland)
It’s good to see an unjustly neglected Speyside malt now becoming more readily available, and no longer just the preserve of the blenders. Chivas’ new expression of Longmorn is certainly a welcome addition, and is offered in an extremely attractive presentation, non-chill-filtered and at the unusual strength of 48%.
It replaces the existing 15-year-old bottling and Neil Macdonald, Brand Director for Malts at Chivas Brothers, says “Longmorn has been considered the ‘hidden jewel’ of Speyside for many years by distillers and connoisseurs alike and the new Longmorn is the perfect expression of luxury malt. Longmorn 16 Year Old is a rare and desirable whisky, with an outstanding reputation amongst whisky cognoscenti, paired with packaging that combines effortless simplicity and total attention to detail.”
The nose offers cream, spice, toffee apples and honey. Medium bodied in the mouth, this Longmorn displays fudge, butter and lots of spice. The finish is quite long, with oak and late lingering dry spices.
48.0% ABV, 70cl, £50, specialist whisky merchants.  |  |
Two from Isle of Jura
The first of two diverse limited edition Jura bottlings due to be released in time for the Islay Festival of Malt and Music later this month, is an expression distilled in 1999, and is a rare example of heavily-peated Jura.
The second expression is from 1988, and has been named in his honour of distillery designer William Delmé-Evans, who was responsible for the reconstruction of Jura between 1960 and 1963.
Jura, Crinan Canal Boat Festival Bottling (Scotland)
According to Master Blender Richard Paterson, “There’s great demand for the heavily-peated Jura in the Far East and Scandinavia. It’s been sampled at various tastings and it was released as a three-year-old in Japan. It was peated to 40ppm, and the heavy peating gives it a bigger body, greater complexity and smoke. One to sip and savour with the wind and the rain in your face.”
Very smoky, with slightly fishy peat notes. Sweeter when diluted. Concentrated smoke on the palate, giving way to sweeter peat and ginger. The finish is long, lively and spicy. The final impression is of cigarette smoke. Probably the most individualistic Jura of all time, though, interestingly, the heavy peating still doesn’t make it an Islay!
59.1% ABV, 70cl, £49.99, distillery website. |  |
Jura, Delmé-Evans Bottling (Scotland)
Richard Paterson says “This expression was re-casked from ex-Bourbon wood into a Gonzales Byass Europa Oloroso cask for around three years. That has given it warmth and nuttiness, with hints of pepper, spice and crushed almonds. We already have a 16-year-old and a 21-year-old in the range, so this gives us something in the middle.”
Sweet Sherry, brittle toffee and a green, herbal note on the nose. Then cough lozenges. Mouth-coating, big and Sherried on the palate, with stewed fruits, drying with liquorice and spices. The finish is very long, spicy and warming. A slight suggestion of cough medicine. As with the heavily peated expression above, this is a Jura considerably removed from the core range of bottlings, but undoubtedly a pleasing departure for lovers of Sherried malts.
60.3% ABV, 70cl, £99.99, distillery website. | |
Ichiro's Malt Card Series
Following the positive reception which greeted the release of four bottlings in the Ichiro's Malt Card Series last year, Norwich-based Japanese whisky specialists Number One Drinks Company has just issued some more Ichiro's Malts, distilled in the now closed Hanyu distillery.
Ichiro’s Malt, 1986 King of Spades (Japan)
Comparatively reserved on the nose. Resin and sultanas, with a touch of vanilla and butterscotch. Intense on the palate, with bitter marmalade, a hint of lime and maple. With the addition of water, more perfumed and floral. Slightly smoky in the finish, with oak and lingering wine gums. Seems to possess less scope and fewer facets than the much younger Two of Clubs, though still a very solid dram. 57.0% ABV, 70cl, £100.00, Royal Mile Whiskies. |  |
Ichiro’s Malt, 2000 Two of Clubs (Japan)
Very pleasing on the nose, with peaches, toasted almonds and orange blossom. Water brings out a significant vanilla aroma. Bold and intense on the aromatic palate, with Seville oranges, spice and a hint of plain chocolate. Drier with water added – a touch of smoke and cinders. Medium to long in the finish, spicy, and ending with a flourish of cream. Remarkably complex and accomplished for a young whisky. 54.0% ABV, 70cl, £65.00, Royal Mile Whiskies. |  |
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