SmokyBeast: March 2013

March 29, 2013

Review: Havana Club Seleccion Maestro - Oh Sweet Contraband!

This week we're breaking all the rules. This is straight up contraband. Forbidden hooch that enters the United States in false bottom suitcases and mislabeled boxes in the bottom of speed boats. A smoky beast that can't be caged even by all the might of Uncle Sam. But that's not the worst of it. It's not even whiskey. It's RUM!

Badass Mofos

Winter, 1956 - The Sierra Maestra Mountains, Cuba - Brothers Raul and Fidel Castro rejoin forces with Ernesto 'Che' Guevara and the other surviving rebels after the slaughter of three quarters of their men at the hands of Batista's army. The Sierra Maestras overlook Santiago de Cuba, the headquarters of one of Cuba's most successful enterprises: Bacardi Distillery.

Che, Raul, and Fidel

In 1960, after the revolution, Castro returns across the Sierra Maestras to nationalize Bacardi. However, Don Facundo Bacardi's grandson flees to the Bahamas with the key ingredient: Bacardi's prized yeast. Without the yeast, the rum formula cannot be followed.

Castro turns his sites on another rum producer: Havana Club, owned since 1878 by the Arechabala family. Castro successfully nationalizes the Havana Club Distillery in the coastal town of Cardenas. Havana Club becomes the primary brand of Cuba and, of course, subject to the embargo by the United States. In 1993, the Cuban government inks a deal with Pernod Ricard to globally distribute Havana Club. Today Havana Club is the go-to brand across Europe and much of the world. But sadly it's still banned in the US along with Cohiba and Montecristo.

Rum Making

Christopher Columbus brought sugar cane to the Caribbean on his second voyage to The New World in 1493. Sugar cane was difficult to produce in Europe, but responded wonderfully to the warm tropical climate of the islands. During Cuba's dry season in the month of December, the "Macheteros" harvest the stalks of cane. (Is it too late for us to change careers and become Macheteros? Coolest sounding job ever...). The cane is then ground down into a dark molasses syrup. Yeast is added and the molasses is fermented, producing alcohol which is then distilled. The resulting liquor is aged in oak barrels. It's a very similar process to whisky making, basically substituting sugar for barley. (For more information about rum making and history than you ever wanted to know, check out www.therumelier.com).

The Line

Havana Club makes a Blanco and a Tres Anos, entry-level and premium light rums, that both

Havana Club Anejo 7 Anos

make amazing mojitos or Cuba Libres. There is a golden rum which we have not tried called Anejo Especial. The most popular bottle is the Anejo 7 Anos (7 year) dark rum. This was our first entre into Havana Club and it's an outstanding bottle. It should cost around $35-$40. This week's review, the Seleccion Maestro, steps it up a notch by blending different ages of rum including older barrels. It's named after the Maestros Roneros - Havana Club's master distillers, led by Premier Maestro Don Jose Navarro. Havana Club also makes a 15 Year and a "Maximo Extra Anejo" which are difficult to track down.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Sugar cane, aloe, bamboo, and lemongrass. Then opens up with cherries and candy apples.

Body: Oh so sweet & smooth. It's got a hefty dose of bitter sweet orange rind. Orange zest if you watch a lot of Food Network. A hint of black liquorish, and then a tail of lemon. It's got a hint of smoke and definitely some oak.

Finish: If you could magically isolate the finish and separate it from the taste, this rum could easily pass as a sweet Speyside single malt. It's got the smoke! It's got the warmth and the heat. But there's a tropical undertone. Instead of briny cold North Atlantic Ocean air, it's Caribbean breeze with hints of pineapples and coconuts.

The Review

The fact that this is the first non-whiskey review we've ever done should speak for itself. Havana Club is a treat, made all the more special by its illegal, unobtainable mystery. There's no peat, and it's not smoky by Islay standards, but it's a beast nonetheless. The next time you're in the Caribbean, or in Europe, treat yourself. It's perfect to sip after dinner on a warm summer evening. The Seleccion Maestro at around $70 gets a big fat "A". Nice work if you can get it. /smokybeast

March 22, 2013

Port Ellen 23 Year - The Legend of the Jaguar Shark

The Legend of the Jaguar Shark

Steve Zissou & Co
(courtesy The Life Aquatic)

Put on your red caps and man your submarines, because we're going deep. This week's review is Indiana Jones' Lost Ark, Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth, and Steve Zissou's Jaguar Shark all rolled into one. Because when it comes to Islay scotch, when it comes to single malts in general, and when it comes to beasts of the smoky variety, Port Ellen is the holy grail.

It's got all the ingredients: The distillery has been closed for thirty years; Existing stock is selling for seven thousand dollars a bottle; Whisky hounds far and wide troll the earth looking to a rare sighting of this elusive and beautiful beast.

The Vault
(yes, that's a real Botticelli above)

Friends in Low Places

How were we able to score a taste? In the library of a turn-of-the-century mansion built by one of America's most notorious capitalists, there is a secret vault. Eight inches of solid steel guard this former titan's most precious treasures. The sole individual with the combination is a weathered, peg-legged pirate named Captain Coop. Good ol' Coop has taken down his fair share of smoky beasts in his day, and for a few gold doubloons and a promise of eternal secrecy, he turned the wheel and retrieved a dusty bottle from the vault for our collection. Thanks Coop! ;) Sorry we blew the secrecy part.

The jewel that Coop emerged with is a McGibbon's Provenance bottling 23 Year Port Ellen Sherry Cask, distilled in 1982 - just one year before the distillery closed - and bottled in 2005. It's an even rarer beast than your typical Port Ellen since they were not traditional aged in sherry barrels. McGibbon's is an independent bottler owned by Douglas Laing, an extremely well-respected distributor out of Glasgow. Basically, if you're a rich Scotsman, Douglas Laing hand picks your hooch from their private reserves and delivers cases of whisky that fit your tastes. (One day, one day...)

Nice Try, Dr. J, Let Me Show You How It's Done

Why is Port Ellen such a phenomenon? In its heyday it was the granddaddy of Islay distilleries. Lagavulin, Ardbeg, and Laphroaig were all officially founded in the early 1800's, although this was due to the legalization of the whisky-making industry. They were all surreptitiously distilling decades before then. Port Ellen had the prime location on Islay's biggest harbor and closest to it's largest town. It was the among the most prized of Islay's malts. To put this in perspective, it would be like living on a block next to Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and regularly schooling them at HORSE. Port Ellen was gutted and shut down in 1983 in a wave of corporate hysteria about overproduction and optimization, never to be reopened. Today it is used to produce malting for many other distilleries, but has no distillation capabilities of it's own.

Current Operations

Port Ellen Facility (courtesy IslayImages.com)

Today, the Port Ellen Distillery is still an active and critical part of many of our beloved Islay whiskies since they produce maltings for distilleries like Lagavulin, and Caol Ila. (There's a great video in that link that shows the entire malting process including the two ton peat fires!). This is mostly a logistics decision. Port Ellen is the closest location on Islay from where ships dock that bring barley from the mainland. Port Ellen distillery had the largest malting and fermenting capacity and this may have determined the decision to stop distilling whiskey there and simply use it to produce distillation-ready malts for the other Diageo distilleries. Sad, but it's probably one of the reasons that Lagavulin can continue to produce such quantities of fantastic quality whisky today.

Port Ellen Malting Facility w/ Cloud of Peat Smoke

It's a little known fact that a huge part of the actual peat-burning that goes on in Islay today is done at Port Ellen. So guarded is this secret that there are only tours of the facility allowed once per year at the local Islay Festival every spring. But it's well known to the locals since massive clouds of peat smoke come pouring out of this malt mecca every day. Imagine driving home from work through a fog of burning peat. Sounds like our personal paradise.

Hype?

Is it all just hype? Do people love Port Ellen just because it's a rare and ever-dwindling supply? It's kind of like asking if Hendrix would still be the greatest guitarist of all time if he hadn't died at 28. Would he? Yes, yes he would. Case closed.

More from Douglas Laing

If we've piqued your curiosity about Douglas Laing, there are a bunch of other bottles that might be of interest. They have a line of "vatted" scotch (in other words not quite a blend, but a mix of two or three single malts). They make a proprietary Islay blend of Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila, and Port Ellen called Big Peat (Oh yeah Big Peat will be getting a SmokyBeast review, as if you had to ask, stay tuned..). They also make a "double barrel" series where they combine one very smoky Islay malt with another - unexpected - single malt. So far they've combined Laphroiag with Macallan, Ardbeg with Glen Rothes, and Bowmore with Highland Park. A lot of these seem to float in and out of stock, but you can usually find them around.

Ok enough suspense, we're in the Jaguar Shark's cave at the bottom of the ocean. Let's crack the bottle and have a taste. How's it measure up?

Wifey's Tasting Notes

Appearance: Perfection. Not too light, and not too dark. Just right. And all natural, to boot. It's pretty much exactly what you'd hope for in a scotch. Even the bottle is a thing of beauty. Even if you didn't know what you had, you get the sense that there is something special here.

Nose: It might be because we first tasted this in a room in an over 100 year old library, but something about this takes me back there. It 's like you're sitting in front of a fire, reading a good book, and of course drinking a good scotch. The smoke is off the charts, which I think is the most special thing about it. But it's not for everyone.

Palate: I make no qualms about telling everyone that I like my scotches peaty. But this one takes the cake. This is smoky beyond compare. It's blended in a way that you can tell that these Port Ellen fellas knew what they were doing. Besides the smoke, I get a lot of rich caramel and black pepper, and maybe a hint of saltiness. It's really one of the more beautiful and awe inspiring scotches I've ever had the pleasure of tasting.

Finish: Smooth, spicy and rich, with a hint of tobacco. Unlike anything I've ever had. I am literally savoring the last drops of my dram, as I know this might be the last time we meet. Sad, but true. But worth the experience.

Hubby's Tasting Notes

For comparison I poured a dram of Lagavulin Distiller's Edition (my favorite scotch of the year) next to the Port Ellen in order to contrast the two.

Appearance: It's a rosy copper. A shade darker than the Lagavulin, and redder. It's also a bit cloudier. More translucent than clear.

Nose: Everything you'd hope for and dream of in an Islay is here: the campfire, the old leather, the honey, and the toffee. But there's something else too, an exotic richness. Like Indian curry. Yes, sometimes I go to "Curry Hill" (New Yorker colloquial for the strip of Indian / Pakistani shops on Lexington in the 30's) and buy pre-roasted spice mixes. They make a yellow curry. It's warm and rich and wonderful. Mix that with an old library and the rocks next to a campfire and there you go.

Palate: It opens up warm and almost evaporates on the palate. I can feel the flavors move down from the little ocean saltiness at the tip of the tongue, to the mid-palate sweetness, to the bottom-of-the-tongue warmth and richness. It's the balance that's striking. I've heard this before, but didn't really get it until I tasted it firsthand. It's not the peatiest or the smokiest. It's not the most sweet, fruity, sherry-packed. But the integration of the peat/smoke and the sweet fruit is impeccable. There is no burn, yet you can deeply taste the spirit. A quick A / B with the Lagavulin is very interesting. It matches the smoke of the Lag, but the upfront smoke disappears very quickly and the richness remains.

Finish: Lasting. The smoke remains for a full minute across your nose and the bridge of your mouth. All the spices mingle just perfectly on the aftertaste. This is where, dare I'll say, that it crushes the Lag. While I could sit for hours enjoying the smoky finish of the Lag, the way the flavor and smoke intermix here is, in a word, unique.

Honorary Doctorate

Our reviews are based on value. Since this bottle has been off the market for years, we can't give it a letter grade. Think of our typical reviews as a final exam at SmokyBeast University. The Port Ellen doesn't have to take the exam. It gets an honorary Ph. D. The only sad part is when the bottle is gone, because we know there are a finite number of these on our little planet and each time you finish a glass it literally could be your last. But you know what? Life is not about the future, it's about the moment. This was one to remember. /smokybeast

March 15, 2013

Review: Michter's Single Barrel US*1 Straight Rye - The Founding Fathers' Favorite Hooch

Triangle Hats & Muskets

Given its current resurgence in popularity, it seems kind of unlikely that rye would have such a contentious past. But throughout history, it has been in favor, then out of favor, then in favor again, kind of like Mickey Rourke. Or cargo pants (assuming you feel like they were ever actually in style). Back in the day – we're talking the 1700s – rye used to be the booze of choice in the U.S. Knowledge of fermentation and distillation was brought over by European settlers who tended towards rum and beer. When they glimpsed the abundance of rye in the fertile plains of the US, they quickly set their sites on whiskey. As a matter of fact, when George W. (that’s Washington) bought supplies for his troops at Valley Forge, it is rumored that he purchased ample supplies of rye to keep them warm through the long winter. And it's a well-known fact that when he retired from the presidency, he created his own distillery at his place in Mount Vernon, where rye is still made to this day. Martha Washington, that clever gal, was famous for her boozy punch. And why not?

But prohibition took everything good in life off the market, and at that point, people just turned to whatever they could get their hands on – bootleg alcohol, bad rum and yes, even Canadian whiskey. By the 1930s, people were too interested in their martinis and Tom Collins' to care about an antiquated drink like rye. But everything old is new again, and rye is again as hip as a pair of skinny jeans. We couldn't be happier. It's an excellent sipping beverage, as well as a terrific alternative to whiskey in cocktails like manhattans and old-fashioned's. And there are some fantastic beasts to explore in the rye family.

Red Tape

The government is pretty strict about what we consider rye. It has to be:

Made from a grain mixture that’s at least 51% rye
Aged in new charred-oak barrels
Distilled to no more than 160 proof, or 80% alcohol by volume (ABV)
Put in said barrels at not more than 125 proof (62.5% ABV)
If it’s aged for at least 2 years, it can also be further designated as ‘sraight rye whiskey’.

US*1 Single Barrel Rye

Which leads us to our review: Michter’s Straight Rye Whiskey. Michter's represents all things cool about the history of rye. It’s got the ‘straight rye’ designation. It was established in 1753, and was the first commercial whiskey distillery in America. Short of an outright claim, their website strongly implies that it was in fact Michter's that The Father of Our Country used to fortify his soldiers, hence the tagline ‘The Whiskey That Warmed The American Revolution’. Hey, what’s good enough for GW is good enough for us.

While Michter’s has been around for years, it wasn’t until the 1990s when the brand was brought into the spotlight by Dick Newman, of Wild Turkey fame, who recognized something great in Michter’s and aimed to take it to the next level. Lucky for them, their bets paid off and rye is now a staple of today's cocktail frenzy.

Michter's entire line is seriously enjoyable. The Small Batch Bourbon is awesome. They also make a Sour Mash Whiskey, and Unblended American Whiskey. You can't go wrong with any of these. Then they go up into the $100 range with 10-Year Rye and 10-Year Bourbon. We'll save our opinions on those for future reviews. Then we really start to see some boutique bottlings (which we haven't been lucky enough to sample) with 20 and 25 year runs heading up into the three or four hundred dollar range.

US*1 SINGLE BARREL RYE is the original product that Michter’s produced in 1753. There's a long history here with the original Bomberber's Distillery in Pennsylvania being renamed Michter's, closing through Prohibition, and today being distilled out of Bardstown. But the important part is that the original recipe, taste, and tradition have survived. It’s a classic, it’s moderately priced, and it’s easily found despite a sometimes Michter’s shortage (so far, it’s been nothing like the Pappy issue though).

Wifey's Tasting Notes

This is my favorite rye. Michter’s website advertises “hints of light spice, black pepper, marmalade and plum, spicy grain and light caramel.” But I will politely disagree. I get citrus, almonds and baked goods, and a rich, almost molasses nose with almost no burn, which just foreshadows the smoothness to come. The body admittedly gives me a little of the pre-defined marmalade and light caramel, but also a bit of an herbal note, which also really lends itself to being a great rye for mixing.

Hubby's Tasting Notes

I love rye. I love rye bread. I love rye beer (if you're ever in Austin, TX, try a fresh draft of Real Brewing Company's Full Moon Rye Pale Ale, it's amazing). Take one whiff of Michter's and you remember that there's nothing like a nice rye on the nose. I smell sweet corn, maple syrup, and an old study (well-worn wood and leather). Taken straight, I'll disagree with wifey and say that there's definitely a burn here, but it's a pleasant burn. You KNOW you're drinking whiskey and it feels so right. It's a very bright liquor - fiery, spicy, and sharp. The taste opens up with rich wheat, more sweetness - like a molasses, and lots of wood. In a finish here, you're not looking for the long lingering smokiness of a single malt. This is more of a cowboy finish, one part bulletproofing and two parts lonesome love song.

The Review

At around $40 at Astor, Michter's Single Barrel Rye is an awesome tool for your liquor cabinet. It's enjoyable to drink neat, and makes a wicked cocktail. You may have noticed that we usually recommend Michter's if you're making one or two cocktails for yourself and a loved one, and something a bit cheaper like Old Overholt if you're serving them up for a party. Given it's multi-faceted role on your bar, it's difficult to grade Michter's. It's an "A" cocktail rye. It's a "B" sipping whiskey in general, but considering the price, we're giving it an overall "A-". If you're going to buy one bottle of rye to have on hand for all occasions, you really can't do better. Get out your triangle hat and your musket, get patriotic, get Michter's, and enjoy.

March 9, 2013

Review: Port Charlotte Ten Year - A Whisky Drama in 5 Acts

Scotch Whisky: A Quintessential Human Drama

The story we'll tell today is not just about a whisky. It's about an experience, a drama if you will. The gentlemen at Bruichladdich certainly see it that way. The cast, the characters, and the setting are all carefully planned in order to make Port Charlotte a world class production. So before we get into our review let's try to understand what makes a good drama, and what makes a good whisky.

Theatre has long embraced a concept called The Dramatic Arc. The theory is that all dramatic structure happens in 5 Acts:

Aristotle

Exposition (main character and setting are introduced)
Rising Action (the elements of plot commence)
Climax (the turning point, the character undergoes an irreversible change)
Falling Action (conflict unravels, producing a new reality)
Denouement (resolution, catharsis, release of tension)

Philosophers from Aristotle to Gustav Freytag have spent time analyzing this arc and have concluded that the structure is inherent in nature and humanity. They point out that this 5-Act structure defines major human experiences like the phases of life, childbirth, psychosocial development, disease, and even Catholic mass. And of course all major works of drama, from Jaws to Shakespeare, can be reduced with uncanny accuracy into the same 5 Acts.

It's no surprise that whisky making follows the same uniquely human dramatic structure.

The Five Acts of Whisky Making

Malting: In our exposition act, we are introduced to the main character in whisky - barley, and the setting - water. The barley is soaked in warm water for several days and begins to germinate. When the germination has produced the optimal amount of starch, it's time to end this act. The barley is dried over peat fires, removing the moisture and stopping the germination. Flourishing with starch, the barley is now called Malt.

Microscope View of Yeast Fermentation

Mashing: The action begins to rise. The starchy malt is ground down in the mill and again soaked in water. The sugars in the malt separate from the fibrous material and form a thick liquid at the bottom of the mixture. All the ripe sugars are now ready for the big event.

Fermentation: In our big climax, the sugars in the barley are about to undergo an irreversible metamorphosis. Yeast is added, feeding off these sugars and producing alcohol. Yes, sadly, our hero Mr. Barley's fate is to be eaten by billions of unicellular yeast organisms and digested into ethanol.

Distillation: As the plot winds down, the 'wort' or alcohol-laden water enters the copper stills and is vaporized several times, removing the impurities and separating the prime alcohol (cask strength: 60-70%).

Maturation: Aka 'happily ever after', the distilled spirit sits in barrels by the seaside aging. The oak barrels remove the tension of the alcohol and replace it with the pleasant sweet charred notes of the wood. The result is the smooth and mellow dram that we will enjoy ten to thirty years later.

Bruichladdich - Philosophers & Craftsmen

The gents at Bruichladdich clearly take the dramatic art seriously. Drawing their own parallel to the ancient Greeks, they dub themselves "Progressive Hebridean Distillers". (Evidently what they lack in chemical additives and computerized modernization they make up for in vocabulary). Apparently the ancient Greeks considered the Hebrideans (Scottish Islanders) a mythical land of "Lords of the Isles – hybrid Viking - Gaelic warriors who ruled the west coast and islands of Scotland by sword and by longboat." Ok, big shoes to fill if that's where you're setting the bar. What this means to Bruichladdich is that everything is grown, plucked, picked, burned, boiled, mashed, milled, malted, aged, and bottled by hand from local ingredients in Scotland, preferably from Islay, and preferably organic.

Bruichladdich in April
(c/o Islay.org.uk)

When it comes to whisky making at Bruichladdich, each act is conceived, rehearsed, and portrayed in meticulous detail. Their protagonist is pure Scottish barley. Their goal is to use one hundred percent organic barley, which would make them unique among distilleries. The setting: pure spring water from Octomore farm on the hills behind their warehouse. The fairytale ending is a barrel aging process that takes place right in Islay, unlike many of the larger distilleries who age barrels en masse in other, undisclosed locations. Think of Bruichladdich as the Daniel Day-Lewis of whisky theater. They fight tirelessly against corporatization, mass-production, and globalization, immersing themselves deeply into the art of the craft, personalizing every detail of the role.

The Port Charlotte line is Bruichladdich's peated scotch whisky. It was started ten years ago, with the first bottling, PC 5 (for Port Charlotte 5 year) released in 2006. Each year they have released another generation (PC 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) all bottled at cask strength. This year, the tenth anniversary of their first run, they have released a standard proof bottling called Port Charlotte The Ten Year. Bruichladdich also makes an eponymous brand that is un-peated. It's described as "elegant, floral, complex, un-peated." More interesting to us beast-lovers, Bruichladdich makes Octomore - which has an age-old battle with Ardbeg for the world's peatiest malt. (Octomore's 5.1 bottling currently holds that title with an astonishing 169 phenol parts per million). So far we've been unable to obtain it. Maybe if the folks at Bruichladdich enjoy this review, they'll send us a bottle (wink wink).

Ok enough background, let's take a sip.

Hubby's Tasting Notes

Appearance: Deep copper-gold.

Nose: Very nutty, like opening a can of Planter's Cashews (my personal favorite), then a flash of hot spice, crushed red pepper, and a bit of black licorice. This whisky definitely needs five to ten minutes to open up. It started very sharp but then became smooth and balanced, with the alcohol present but not harsh.

Body: The taste starts with a strong and sweet citrus burst very much like Meyer lemon. The texture is mid-thick, between oily and dry with a pleasant meatiness. This whisky is a good illustration of the distinction between peat and smoke flavor. There is a healthy predominant peat flavor, but this is not a greatly smoky scotch. Sip a little of this next to an Ardbeg for example and you'll immediately notice the vegetal, medicinal quality of the peat in the Port Charlotte as opposed to Ardbeg's deep campfire smokiness.

Finish: Cherries and oak. The smoke and peat level off very nicely. There is a slight bitterness and antiseptic left on the tongue. The smoke remains after this is gone. It doesn't have the endless smoky remnants of an Ardbeg or Lagavulin, but it's a clean and enjoyable finish.

Wifey's Tasting Notes

Nose: Sweet, cotton candy.

Body: First sip, not a rave review. The sweet, smoky, and peat flavors don't seem quite integrated together, almost like a sweet sherried barrel was mixed with a peated barrel without time to properly blend and age together. Second sip: "Mmmmm." Getting warmer. Definitely unique, starting to enjoy this a lot more. Perhaps the first sip was too quick, it needed time to open up. A healthy dose of smoke, not crazy. More cotton candy sweetness.

Finish: Rich coffee mocha.

The Review

Do organic ingredients, hand-made craftsmanship, locality, and philosophy matter to you? They matter to us, and we love to encourage this type of approach. Of course it all boils down to taste and value. At under $60 from Astor, this is a great value, especially for this level of attention to detail. The taste is unique and remarkable. It's not perfect. We stand by our general feeling that thirteen to fourteen years is the critical time for a malt when something magical happens and the alcohol turns from fire into warmth. We will say this is probably the best ten year scotch we've ever tasted and that bodes tremendously well for this distillery. We hope that their craft approach continues and one day we see a PC14! For now this bottle gets a SmokyBeast "B+". We'll need to save the A marks for future bottles. We're very glad to have experienced it and learned a little about the philosophy behind it. No doubt it will be a natural conversation-starter when you break out this bottle and share the story with your friends, and the conversation is brought to new heights as you enjoy this whisky.

Cheers! /SmokyBeast

March 1, 2013

Review: Glendronach Revival 15 Year - Yes It's Real, and It's Spectacular

Drunk and Hot Girls

Glen House

Glendronach was founded in 1826 by James Allardes, aka Allardice. James was a simple man. He liked to hang out in his Georgian mansion in the Scottish Highlands, the aptly named "Glen House", which was haunted by a spicy female Spaniard who traveled to Scotland in a sherry cask. James' good friend was the 5th Duke of Gordon, who basically legalized whisky-making and created the entire scotch industry (thanks Duke!) by enacting the Excise Act of 1823 which permitted the licensing of distilleries by the Queen for an annual fee of ten pounds. James was one of the first individuals to procure such a license. Our story begins.

James produces his first commercially legitimate barrel of whisky, saddles up the horse-drawn carriage, and heads to Edinburgh to unload his proud hooch to the local pubs. Evidently more of a debonair gentleman than a hard-nosed retailer, James quickly finds that all the pubs have already purchased their whisky for the season. He doesn't sell a single bottle.

Returning to his hotel, with tired horses pulling a still-full barrel of beautiful sherry-aged malt, James is approached by two "ladies of the night" (wink wink, say no more). They ask if he wants to buy them a drink. Well replies James, I don't have to buy you a drink, I came to town riding on a barrel of Glendronach! He marches back into the hotel with a hooker on each arm and an army of servants rolling a full barrel of whisky up to his room. If he's not going to make a profit on his beloved barrel, at least he can get some action out of the trip!

As legend has it, the next morning there is a line of Scottish working girls outside the hotel waiting to get their hands on some of this lovely dram. Over the next several days, while James remains holed up in the hotel suite with his new acquaintances on a world class bender (are we starting to see Mr. Allardice as the Charley Sheen of the nineteenth century?), the entire prostitute population of Edinburgh shares his whisky with their Johns. Low and behold gentlemen start asking for Glendronach by name in the pubs. A world class brand is born.

Hey, if your marketing department is a volunteer legion of drunk Scottish hookers, you know you're onto something.

Make it Classy

We love dark. Dark means wood. Dark means flavor. Dark means age.

You see, whisky universally leaves the still very light in color. It gets it's beautiful pigment from a decade-long romance with oak. Out of the pots and into the barrels, the love affair begins. After ten to twenty years, the wood and the whisky have aged together. They share their deepest secrets. The wood becomes flavored with the hooch, and the hooch takes on the taste and the color of the wood. The whisky also leaves behind more and more of its harshness over time, resulting in a smooth and drinkable flavor even at higher alcohol content.

Raw and Charred Oak Barrels
(courtesy of Jack Daniels)

Charred oak is the predominant choice for whisky barrels. Charring the oak caramelizes the wood, bringing out sugars and phenol that are perfectly suited to lend sweet and smoky flavors to the whisky. Bourbon, by law, is aged exclusively in first-run charred oak barrels, but scotch has no such regulations and can push the envelope when it comes to barrel aging. The most common, almost ubiquitous, approach is to import pre-used "refill cask" bourbon barrels and begin the aging process in them. Already charred and weathered through the blazing summers and harsh winters on Kentucky, this wood is primed and perfect for retirement by the Scottish sea.

Sherry Barrels in Spanish Vineyard
(more Euro-looking, same general idea)

Taking barrel-aging to the next level, many distilleries use more exotic casks to bring additional flavors to the whisky. Desert wines are very popular, since the sweetness of the wine imparts a rich and smooth character to the scotch. Sherry and port casks are the most common. Scotland has been importing Ximenez, Fino, Amoroso, and Madeira casks for decades to take advantage of their special effect on whisky. We've reviewed several different desert wine cask aged scotches, most of which have been impressive. Port and sherry casks also lend a very dark and beautiful color. Glendronach has flipped the scheme and actually does their primary aging in sherry casks and then finishes the process in bourbon casks.

And here is the punchline: generally the darker the whisky, the more wonderful wood flavors, the more gentle years of mellow smoothness, and the more character from the scotch.

Pure evil: E150

Now here's the rub. Distilleries have caught on to this and there's a big controversy around using artificial coloring to alter the appearance of scotch. An apparently evil and sinister chemical called E-150 is a caramel additive that is used to color scotch whisky. Major producers have admitted to using E-150, though they claim to use it only to ensure consistency between different runs, not to substantially alter the fundamental color. We have our doubts, and have tasted some dark scotch that completely lacks the flavor profile that we'd expect.

Ok, thank you for your patience. And we know that we've been down this road before, rest assured this is going somewhere. Somewhere new and uncharted. Somewhere glorious. Because the first thing we noticed on the box before we opened our Glendronach Revival was a nonchalant phase towards the bottom of the tube. "Natural Colour".

You see what they did there? They set the bar. And they set it high. Because Glendronach is one of the darkest, most beautiful scotches we've ever seen. Those two words "Natural Colour" are mannered, cultured, distillery-speak for "Yeah we're dark, and we're natural, and all you fakers can go screw!" It's a seriously classy move. All scotch should follow suit, ditch the caramel, and come clean. Glendronach has given us untold joy in being able to again celebrate the appearance of a beautiful, natural aged beast in all its glory. Here it is in the glass. Soak it in. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld: yes, it's real, and it's spectacular.

Ok, enough mystery and intrigue, let's have a sip!

Hubby's Tasting Notes

Appearance: I think we've covered that.

Nose: It smells remarkably like Swedish Fish. There's an undercut of smoke and an overtone of freshly cut grass. But overwhelmingly Swedish Fish.

Body: Wow a straight punch of sherry right to the nose. The welcome undercurrent of smoke continues and gives a great base foundation to the taste. Then after the initial sherry blast, the flavor opens up with sugar cane, some rich spices (rosemary & sage?), and wood - deep almost bourbon-like rich whisky goodness. This is a very unique taste.

Finish: Wow again, still surprising on the finish. A fiery warmness through the chest, smoke lingering on the tongue, a fruity sweet aftertaste, and absolutely no burn. Totally divine finish. A little hint of the candy again at the end, Swedish Fish on the breath. At 46%, didn't even consider a splash of water or chaser.

Wifey's Tasting Notes
Appearance: It’s kind of hard to believe the color that’s achieved with this scotch is all-natural. It’s such a gorgeous, rich amber color that set’s your expectations very high even before the first sip.

Nose: I’m not sure where he got that Swedish fish thing. The sherry aspect is unmistakable. Almost like you just finished dinner and you’re about to sip a dessert wine. All I need now is a cigar, and I’d be golden.

Body: I get a little black pepper and spice in the first taste, with that hint of sweet in the background. It’s very smooth, not extravagant, no gimmicks, and just plain awesome. Exactly what you’d want in a scotch.

Finish: It takes me some time to get to the finish because I just keep going back for more. Once I slow down, I get the sweetness (maybe now I get the Swedish fish thing?), and the spice. Almost like something you might expect from a good rum. Still has a little bit of a burn, but that’s just there to remind you who’s boss.

The Review
Glendronach Revival is an experience. As the first scotch we've reviewed that does primary aging in sherry casks it's a completely different flavor profile from traditional oak-aged whiskies that either finish in sherry casks or mix in other barrels for flavor and color. It's got a wonderful sweetness that isn't cloying and doesn't diminish the flavor of the whisky. If we weren't such devoted fans of the smoke and peat, this could be a new favorite. It's definitely earned a spot in our collection and we're looking forward to reviewing more from this distillery. Luckily they make a huge line of variations, going from 12 to 33 years and various other finishes like Sauternes, Moscatel, and tawny port. Glendronach is so unique and off-the-beaten-path that it is a great dram to break out for friends to try something new, especially if they're not huge peat-heads. The Revival is available at KLWines for $75.99. It's a tremendous value at this price, outclassing many more expensive bottles. It earns a SmokyBeast "A-". It was close to a straight A, and was absolutely there on quality, but you know us - we love the smoke, baby!

Glendronach was a new discovery for us and we can't say enough good things about it. A straight up classy beauty, a debaucherous history almost as rich as the whisky itself, and such an enjoyable pleasure to share. Pick up a bottle and let us know what you think. /SmokyBeast

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