NdW 27|17: Clan Denny, Glen Moray, Arran und SMWS

Mit ein wenig Verspätung kommen sie doch noch die Neuerscheinungen der Woche. Clan Denny mit insgesamt 14 neuen Abfüllungen. Glen Moray stellt endlich offiziell den MASTERY vor. Arran bringt den letzten Teil der Schmuggler Serie und die SMWS stellt 8 neue Single Malts und einen neuen Grain vor.

• Clan Denny, 9x Single Malt, 5x Single Grain, u.a.
  • Auchentoshan, 16yo, 48%, ncf, nca
  • Glengoyne, 20yo, 48%, ncf, nca
  • Craigellachie, 21yo, 48%, ncf, nca
  • Bowmore, 15yo, 48%, ncf, nca
  • Port Dundas, 28yo, 50%, ncf, nca
• Glen Moray, MASTERY, 52.3%, ncf, 1.000 Flaschen, UVP 800.- GBP
• Arran, Smugglers’ Series Vol.3 ‘The Exciseman’, CS, ncf, nca, 56.8%, 8.700 Flaschen, UVP 89.99 GBP
• SMWS, Juli Outturn, 8 neue Single Malts und ein Grain

ncf = no chill-filtration (keine Kältefiltration), nca = no color added (ohne Zusatz von Zuckerkulör), CS = Cask Strength (Fassstärke)

Weitere Informationen und Tasting Notes

Clan Denny

Ich muss gestehen, Clan Denny kannte ich bis vor Kurzem nicht. Die Firma hinter dieser Marke heißt Douglas McGibbon & Co und dahinter stecken Fred Laing uns seine Tochter Cara Laing (u.a. Douglas Laing). Das neue Branding zum 70-jährigen Jubiläum wird mit 9 Single Malt und 5 Single Grain Abfüllungen gefeiert.

Glen Moray MASTERY

Nun wird der MASTERY endlich offiziell angekündigt. Ich durfte während meiner diesjährigen Reise im Rahmen des Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festivals bei der ersten öffentlichen Verkostung des MASTERY mit dem Distillery Manager Graham Coull teilnehmen. Meine eigenen Eindrücke, beschreibe ich Euch noch, aber hier schon mal die offiziellen Notes.

Offizielle Tasting Notes

• Colour: Rich gold
• Nose: An aroma explosion of sugar crusted rhubarb crumble, chocolate raisins and oak smoked toasted almonds
• Taste: A cocktail of roasted & toasted coffee beans, melted dark chocolate and sweet raisins infused with fortified wine. Rich and complex and extremely well balanced.
• Finish: Long and satisfying. Spice and oak come to the fore. One to savour and reflect on.

1000-bottle-release presented in individually numbered decanters housed in a leather box

Arran

Hier sind die tasting notes von James MacTaggart, dem Master Distiller von Arran: „The iconic citrus notes of the Arran Malt are at the fore of ‘The Exciseman’, mingling with scents evocative of the outdoors and a hint of coastal character. Notes of apple and vanilla coat the tongue without a hint of dryness. The addition of water opens up the complexity beautifully and reveals a lighter sweetness of candied lemon. A long, luxurious and yet delightfully fresh finish give a lightness of character whilst the body remains solidly complex and robust.“

Erhältlich wird der Online ab 12.07.2017, 11 Uhr (Ortszeit) sein. Der „The Excisemen“ ist der letzte in der Trilogie Smugglers’ Series und wird sicher von Sammlern sehr gefragt sein. Die beiden vorherigen Ausgaben heißen „The Illicit Stills“ und „The High Seas“.

SMWS

• 6.24 Herby Mint Julep, 8yo, 223 Flaschen, 59,9%, 48,00 GBP – Macduff
  (Glen Deveron) (only 1 /member) Nosing this one neat we noticed plenty of fresh mint and freshly cut grass at the start before slightly more herbal aromas arrived, just like a cool morning walk on a sunny late autumn day along the Moray Firth in the north east of Scotland. The taste neat warmed us up quickly, an intense heat to begin with followed by the refreshing lemon mint flavour of sucking on a herbal/sweet bonbon. Diluted; aromas of salted toffee and hot water with honey, lemon and freshly grated ginger whilst on the palate now a mint julep with the extra addition of thyme and lemon.
  Refill barrel, Jahrgang: 2008 | Region: Speyside Deveron
• 121.99 Masala Chai black tea, 17yo, 234 Flaschen, 53,2%, 65,60 GBP – Isle of Arran
  The nose neat initially was just like making toffee, melting the sugar and the butter. The aroma was rich, full and fatty; a sticky toffee pudding with blood orange, tangerine and whipped double cream. The taste was that of chewy pumpkin spiced caramel washed down with an Indian spiced Masala chai black tea. With a drop of water we opened a wooden tea chest and had toasted pita bread dipped into a lemon and coriander hummus spiced up with some Jalapeno chilli. After fourteen years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky directly into a 2nd fill Sauternes cask for the remainder of its maturation. 2nd fill Sauternes hogshead, Jahrgang: 2000 | Region: Highland Island
• 85.47 Tropical cream tea, 9yo, 240 Flaschen, 61,2%, 49,40 GBP – Glen Elgin
  (exclusive for package) It was immediately fruity with a juicy punch of tangerine, pineapple chunks in syrup and baked apple sprinkled with brown sugar. The fruit combined with a buttery note like scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam but also sweet brioche bread and almond croissants. The palate warmed the soul with citric heat and cooling menthol before caramel and vanilla combined with honeycomb crunch and the suggestion of perfumed tobacco. Water revealed pine forest floors and pickled ginger whilst the cream tea had transformed into lime cheesecake. The finish carried exotic spices and star anise with the lingering memory of banana whipped cream and bitter lemon.
  1st fill barrel, Jahrgang: 2007 | Region: Speyside Lossie
• 55.45 Dreamy dandelion fuzz, 16yo, 285 Flaschen, 56,7%, 68,00 GBP – Royal Brackla
  We all closed our eyes and imagined what it would be like in summer; skylarks singing, hedgerows buzzing with bees enjoying the wild flowers and we licked on a buttered popcorn ice lolly. On the palate plenty of spices; nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and fresh ginger – mouth numbing at first but soon followed by the juicy sweetness of peach slices in Gewurztraminer. A drop of water and we moved into the rose garden for buttered crumpets with strawberry & champagne jam and apricot & nut cookies with Amaretto icing. After fifteen years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky directly into a 1st fill French oak hogshead for the remainder of its maturation.
  1st fill French oak hogshead, Jahrgang: 2000 | Region: Speyside Findhorn
• 48.90 Cedar, sandalwood and rose, 11yo, 192 Flaschen, 57,1%, 48,90 GBP – Balmenach The sweetly perfumed and attractive nose whispered to us of cedar, sandalwood and rose, summer picnics in flower meadows and waxed jackets in a candle shop. To taste, caramel wafer and vanilla sweetness was out-performed by the perfumed elements – ‘all scent-wearing ladies, gin parlours and nail bars’. Some spicy, spirity heat was also evident – chilli chocolate, caraway, clove, pepper and horseradish. The reduced nose had a variety of aromatics – laurel bush, Simnel cake, Kummel and After Eight mints. The reduced palate was unusual but very pleasant – rose bud tea, sweet vermouth, herbal cigarettes and lavender in a lingerie drawer. 1st fill barrel, Jahrgang: 2005 | Region: Speyside Spey
• 73.87 Dare you enter?, 14yo, 558 Flaschen, 59,5%, 55,50 GBP – Aultmore
  Initially the nose encapsulated the fragrant whiff of a scented garden, rich in orchids, jasmine and hibiscus flowers. An orange sponge cake had been baked for this occasion, dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by an apricot flan. The introduction of water uncovered an altogether denser disposition as sticky dessert wine, toffee apples and figs in syrup entered the game. Then came the first nuances of spice with hot cross buns, cinnamon, ginger and orange chutney. The palate unashamedly delved deeper into darker dimensions as we encountered rich fruitcake, juicy malt loaf and black cherry jam. The texture became thick, syrupy and intense like mulled wine combining honey, cherry brandy and oloroso sherry. After 13 years in an ex-oloroso sherry butt it was transferred to a 1st fill Spanish oak Pedro Ximenez butt for the remainder of its maturation.
  1st fill Spanish oak Pedro Ximenez butt, Jahrgang: 2002 | Region: Speyside Deveron
• 70.21 Rosehip & Hibiscus Infusion, 9yo, 239 Flaschen, 60,0%, 49,00 GBP – Balblair
  We detected a mixture of sweet notes gently entwined with herbal aromas. A traditional hessian sack full of russet apples was next to rosehip peels and hibiscus petals as well as, caramels coated in dark chocolate. What an indulgence on the palate – double chocolate brownies scattered with cherries and hazelnuts accompanied by a glass of vintage Port wine. Water added the earthy note of a black tea called Pu-Erh from China and to taste now sweet dumplings simmering in bubbling cinnamon-spiced blackberry compote. After nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, we transferred this whisky directly into a 1st fill new French oak hogshead for the remainder of its maturation.
  1st fill French oak hogshead, Jahrgang: 2007 | Region: Highland Northern
• 35.187 Gentle confidence, 9yo, 277 Flaschen, 61,6%, 49,40 GBP – Glen Moray
  “Shimmering Sahara sunset” someone described the colour as they poured it into the glass and the complex aroma which greeted us was rich but at the same time soft and gentle. Lemon butter biscuits, toasted coconut marshmallows, a well-used leather tobacco pouch, red cedar oil and dried apricot and pineapple jam. The taste neat had plenty of wood spice and bitterness like a dark chocolate ganache with red tea, rooibos blended with cinnamon, orange peel, ginger, star anise, cloves and black pepper. Water added roasted hazelnut brownies, orange marmalade cookies and on the palate, spicy, tangy and sticky like Moroccan lamb and kumquat tagine.
  1st fill French oak hogshead, Jahrgang: 2007 | Region: Speyside Lossie
• G15.1 Lead us to temptation, 9yo, 268 Flaschen, 58,6%, 55,00 GBP – Dumbarton
  (One per member) With a gentle introduction and mild manner we became acquainted with juicy mirabelle plums, fresh strawberries and sweet cherries. Cream covered banoffee pie guided the way towards richer notes of caramel, ground coffee and the sweet nuttiness of hazelnut spread. On encountering the palate we were delighted to find pink wafer biscuits, baked apple rings and dark chocolate with chilli but also fragrant violets and spicy ginger cake. A unity with water enhanced the floral feel with a definite deliverance of lavender and soft pear. The finish was sweet and juicy with the tingle of salted popcorn and the spicy prickle of Szechuan peppers. 2nd fill barrel, Jahrgang: 2008 | Region: Highland Southern