Benriach to buy Black Bottle - well I could be wrong!

Meant to post this the other day when I saw this article in the Scotsman stating that Benriach are looking to buy a global blended whisky to help them move forward. Just putting 2 and 2 together and probably getting 74 but wouldn't black bottle be a good fit for them?

Black Bottle I think is currently owned by CL Brands who are in real trouble - word has it that Bunnahabhain is in real need of investment but little money is available for standard up keep of the distillery. With Billy Walker's Burns Stewart background and therefore understandable knowledge of the Black Bottle brand could this be a possible fit?

As I say it may be pie in the sky but if I am right you heard it here first. I imagine something will be announced that they have bought shortly as I doubt it is coincidence that Benriach say they want a blend without having an iron in the fire somewhere.

Ardbeg Double Barrel - Back with a bang

Well I have not been on here for a long long time so thought I would come back with a bang! Oh so many puns. Anyway I got the chance to the Ardbeg Double Barrel 1974. I was quite excited but I think I may have been put off a bit by the price. I have a small sample of each of them left so will try them again and see if I change my opinion. So here goes

Ardbeg 1974 Cask 3528 44.3%

Nose: initially very fruity, before the smoke grabs you. But then it disappears and becomes softer, smoked cheese maybe? Very soft tropical fruits.



Taste: Big wet ash hits you, some soft lime notes and a salty creaminess.


Finish: Lots of smoked cheese, a whiff of oil and pancetta

Comment a bloody good dram although a little one dimensional, I feel a little let down buy this due to the cost.

Score 88/100




Ardbeg 1974 Cask 3160 49%

Nose: Softer on the nose than the other cask. A creamy white chocolate note, gooseberries, and soft dull peat smoke.

Taste: Bigger on the taste, much more smokey and drier and with a hint of green chillies mixed with lime. Also soft custard creams.

Finish: long – bloody long, very industrial harbour and very dry. Also a faint hint of oranges.

Comment: Again a bloody good dram with a bit more to it than cask 3160

Score 89/100

Too Long

Once again I have neglected this site! I will try and get some new posts up and running again soon. So watch this space. It is my intention to get back on top of whisky again and start tasting more often - well to take notes whilst tasting again!

Glenglassaugh 21yo 46%

Was delighted to see Glenglassaugh reopening in November last year have had some really cracking whiskies from their in the past - a particular favourite was the 1973Family Silver bottling that came out a good few years ago. Anyway I know I am way behind the times in trying this but got the chnace to try the 21yo so here goes.

Nose: sweet, lemony, a little bit dry. Limeade, grape skins, peaches, green apples and faint raw mince!

Taste: quite drying, wet pencil shavings, a touch sour, more green notes coming through. Almost seems a little spirity but not - hints of stainless steel.

Finish: a touch of crayons (waxy) quite sour and again more metalic notes.

Comment: nice nose taste let's it down though. May need to retry a fresh sample some day but at this price unlikely to run out and buy a bottle.

Score: 80 / 100

For alternative reviews try, Whiskyfun or Whisky Pages

Price Checker

The Whisky Exchange - £135.00

Royal Mile Whiskies - £150.00

Loch Fyne Whiskies £144.00

Single Malts Direct - £145.00

Talisker 10yo RNLI Gift Pack

Ever feel guilty about buying yourself a bottle of whisky now you have the perfect excuse! Diageo have teamed up with the RNLI and are offering a limited gift pack in aid of the RNLI - a truely worthy cause. The proceeds from the sales of these bottles will go to help fund the RNLI which is purely charity based. It cost £378,000 a day to run the RNLI so what better excuse to buy a bottle. And what better excuse for me to taste one of my favourite drams - Talisker 10yo! Tasting notes will follow shortly.

Talisker, Arran, Highland Park, Scapa, Tobermory, Jura all Homeless

Having been reviewing the new SWA rules for Scotch Whisky - yes I know I need to get out more - I see that they have only protected 5 regions. Speyside, Highlands, Islay, Lowlands and Campeltown. So no mention of Islands which most people class as the sixth region so where does that leave these Islanders!

I know that the SWA (please note that there website is http://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/ and not http://www.swa.org/ as I wrongly put in my address bar and ended up at the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach! ) reinstated Campbeltown as a region as it has 3 distilleries there now - does that mean that if a new distillery was put on Orkney that they would be an official region. Using that Arguement should, Rothes and Dufftown not be designated regions - what about making Longmorn, Miltonduff and Benriach into a region!

Just a thought!

Whisky For Everyone

Just came across this new blog - Whisky For Everyone - definately worth a look and much more active than I am!

Make sure you give them a look.