What Does John (Hansell) Know?

I hope you enjoyed the daily whisky reviews this past month. I think it was a good way to introduce you to the other whisky reviewers in the Malt Advocate team. Although they follow the Malt Advocate rating scheme, each one has his own style. Our new issue of Malt Advocate hits the streets today. It’s a special one: our 20th Anniversary issue. If you are not a subscriber, be sure to pick up a copy. It’s our largest issue yet–and our most personal. You’ll find out how Malt Advocate (and WhiskyFest) was created, and there’s an interview with my wife Amy (pictured) and me. She has been my business partner since the beginning. Without her, there would be no Malt Advocate or Whiskyfest. This will probably be my last post for about a week. I’m taking the next couple days off for vacation. Then, the first half of next week is filled with editorial meetings, doctor visits (routine stuff), etc. We have some very exciting things planned for the next 20 years. We’re already working on them.

Glenfarclas 175th Anniversary, 43%, £80 First things first — congratulations to the Grants of Glenfarclas on attaining their 175th anniversary. To celebrate, they have vatted together a cask from 1952 with one each from the following five decades — and released it at an exceptionally reasonable price! The nose has a lift of struck match immediately followed by cedar, pomegranate, blackberry jam, and Seville orange. There’s a thick caramel toffee sweetness to the palate alongside the classic ’Farclas depth where dried, but sweet, fruits repose. Recommended. –Dave Broom Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 91

Kilbeggan 18 year old, 40%, $130 Kilbeggan, once overshadowed by its stable-mates, is the rising star in the Cooley repertoire; an active distillery once more and capable of thoroughbred gems like this. This isn’t your typical Irish whiskey at all, so be warned. Sure there are lashings of soft caramel, peach crumble, and vanilla up front, but then the wood takes over and big waves of tannin and chili pepper kick in. It’s 40% ABV but it delivers a much harder punch. Limited edition release. –Dominic Roskrow Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 90

Penderyn Bourbon single cask, cask strength, 61.2%, $430 The unusual distilling process and some maturation in Madeira casks has given standard Penderyn a liqueur-like, perfumey quality many whisky fans don’t care for. This is a single bourbon cask bottling of the 11th cask the distillery ever filled, to mark its 10th anniversary, and is less cloying, less feminine, and more gutsy than the standard version. It’s also very palatable and of excellent quality. Some will make it to America, but the price tag will deter all but the most passionate. –Dominic Roskrow Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 90 Photograph courtesy of Penderyn Distillery

Fettercairn Fior, 42%, £36  Released with no age statement, Fettercairn Fior contains 15 percent heavily-peated whisky matured in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, along with a proportion of 14 and 15 year old spirit. The result is a bold and complex whisky with real nose presence; smoke, sherry, toffee, vanilla, and oranges merge on the nose, while the palate showcases more smoke and toffee, plus spices, oak, and licorice in the lengthy finish. –Gavin Smith Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 90

Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Cask Strength, 59.2%, €70 Kavalan is Taiwanese whisky from the King Car Company, and the progress its whiskeys are making is truly remarkable. With humidity roughly the same as Speyside — high — but the temperature more than 20° Fahrenheit higher, maturation is on fast forward. This is just 4 years old, but it’s a monster mix of kumquat liqueur, tropical fruit, blackcurrant, and strawberry and cream candy. Later on some eastern spices, especially turmeric, bring it all back home. Remarkable. –Dominic Roskrow Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 92

Glenfiddich, Snow Phoenix, 47.6%, $90 Second of this pair of limited editions from Glenfiddich. This was named after a number of the distillery’s warehouse roofs collapsed under the weight of snow in 2010. This was a bottling of a selection of casks — ex-sherry, ex-bourbon, refill — from one of those damaged warehouses. It is gentle and sweet — cooked pear, fruit crumble topped with rolled oats, golden syrup, and on the palate hints of raisin. A lemon finish adds a freshness to a dangerously drinkable dram. –Dave Broom Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 83

Auchentoshan 1998, 54.6%, $70 This 1998 vintage triple distilled Lowland Auchentoshan has been matured in fino sherry casks, which are rarely used for Scotch whisky maturation. The nose presents violets in fresh soil, honey, spice, developing citric fruit notes, and almonds. Quite full-bodied, fruity and zesty in the mouth. Lengthy in the finish, with spice, nuts, and oak. Becoming dry and gingery at the last. –Gavin Smith Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 85 photo courtesy of Morrison Bowmore Distillers

I first wrote about it here last week. Have a look if you need to get the background. Today, I’m going to give you the details of the 12-bottle first release and offer some brief thoughts on them. Here’s a breakdown of each bottle number, along with the variables from each bottling: 3 – Tight Grain, Top Cut, Rye Recipe 4 – Tight, Bottom, Rye 35 – Tight, Top, Wheat 36 – Tight, Bottom, Wheat 67 – Average, Top, Rye 68 – Average, Bottom, Rye 99 – Average, Top, Wheat 100 – Average, Bottom, Wheat 131 – Coarse, Top, Rye 132 – Coarse, Bottom, Rye 163 – Coarse, Top, Wheat 164 – Coarse, Bottom, Wheat As you will see, the variables are the mash bill (wheat or rye as the “spice” ingredient), which half of the tree the barrel was made from (top or bottom), and the grain size (tight, average, course). Note that the bottle numbers are grouped in pairs (3-4, 35-36, etc.).

Collingwood, 40% ABV, $27 Sweet, rich candy — pulled taffy, boiled sweets — with a little hot edge. Signature Canadian sweetness, but with more depth and a gently mouth-coating feel. Touches of vanilla, caramel, and some of those candy notes again, but the finish isn’t cloying. No overt evidence of the toasted maplewood finishing. Another exploration of what Canadian whisky is, or can be, that stays within bounds and makes the sweet whisky idea work. –Lew Bryson Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 84