More drams, less drama

Bimber The Spirit of the Underground – Release No. 6

13th July 202413th July 2024Coldorak

Back in 2021, Bimber started its then-new collection, The Spirit of the Underground, celebrating many stations from the London Underground passenger railway system, the Tube. We could review the first batch of four stations in June 2021, thanks to a Tweet Tasting with Steve Rush and Matt McKay. Fast forward three years and they’ve already released their 6th batch of four expressions, that we’re trying today. The ballot for those bottles is long closed and these are all sold out, but you might be tempted to get one on the secondary market as I’m sure several of them will pop in one of the several whisky auctions you already probably know of. So maybe this review will help you choose which one to go to with my tasting notes. But remember this is my humble opinion so your taste might be different, your nose and palate may get different notes that what I recognised. So to help, I’ll also link at the end of the review a link to friends’ blogs, who also reviewed these four whiskies. But without further ado, let’s review those four Bimber The Spirit of the Underground, from their sixth release.

Old Pulteney 12, 15, Flotilla and more

6th July 20246th July 2024Coldorak

Pulteney distillery, known for its whisky labelled Old Pulteney, was once the northernmost whisky distillery on mainland Scotland. However, this title was later taken by Wolfburn and then 8 Doors distillery. The northernmost whisky distillery in Scotland overall is Highland Park. In 1825, James Henderson, who had been distilling illegally in Stemster, moved to Pulteneytown to establish a legitimate whisky distillery. The Henderson family owned it for almost a century until selling it to Jas. Watson of Dundee in 1920. In 1922, Wick town council banned alcohol sales under the influence of an American evangelist, and by 1924, Old Pulteney was sold to John Dewar & Sons, eventually becoming part of DCL. The distillery closed in 1930 due to a market downturn and reopened in 1951, four years after the ban was lifted, when local businessman Robert ‘Bertie’ Cumming bought it. He sold it, along with Balblair, to Hiram Walker in 1955. Following a series of mergers, it became part of Allied Distillers, who sold it to Inver House in 1995 when it was in desperate need of repairs. In 2001, Pacific Spirits acquired Inver House, which was later purchased by Thailand’s International Beverage Holding in 2006. Today, we will sample several Old Pulteney whiskies from the core range, including the 12- and 15-year-old expressions, the 2012 Flotilla, a 2006 Vintage released for Global Travel Retail, and an independent bottling: a 2008 single cask bottled by Daily Dram.

Salamandre Plum & Pear Brandies Swell de Spirits

24th May 202424th May 2024Coldorak

These fruit-based eaux-de-vie, whilst less prevalent than grape-based brandies, were once popular but have since fallen out of favour. It’s unfortunate as they offer unique and flavourful spirits. In France, fruit eaux-de-vie represented only 0.3% of the total alcohol value in large retailers and a mere 0.2% in the trade network (bars, hotels, and restaurants) in 2022, with these numbers declining compared to previous years. Three to four decades ago, a 70 cl bottle of fruit brandy was primarily consumed directly after meals, but today, it’s more commonly used in gastronomy, accounting for 70% of its consumption, while direct tasting comprises the remaining 30%. There has been a significant decline in fruit brandy consumption during the 1990s and the 2010s, a product once associated with our great-grandparents. The rise of whisky in the market has shifted preferences and emphasised a desire to explore alternative spirits. This change reflects a generational shift. Nevertheless, there are still distilleries producing these fruit brandies. We will be tasting a plum brandy and a pear brandy from the Salamandre distillery, both bottled by Swell de Spirits, from which we recently reviewed two whiskies.

Glen Garioch 2015 and Secret Islay 2017 Swell de Spirits

21st May 202422nd May 2024Coldorak

A few weeks ago, we received a few samples from the French independent bottler Swell de Spirits, including a few whiskies. Today we try two of them: a Glen Garioch 2015 and a Secret Islay from a south shore distillery known for its eccentric marketing team and its yearly non-age-statement releases…

Old Blends Going Back To Before 1939

6th May 20246th May 2024Coldorak

After an unplanned hiatus lasting a few weeks due to personal circumstances, it’s time to dive back into the world of whisky. Blends have always been an integral part of the Scotch whisky tradition, particularly in earlier decades when the concept of single malts may not have even crossed minds. Today, we’ll be reviewing several old Scotch whisky blends, ranging from the 1980s to one whose components were distilled before 1939.

Jura 10-year-old from 1980s to 2000s

28th March 202428th March 2024Coldorak

I always find it fascinating to observe the evolution of a distillery’s whisky over the years and decades, although I don’t often have the chance to do so. Thanks to whisky auctions, particularly miniature ones before Brexit, when access to a wide variety of whisky minis and full bottles was easier, I’ve been able to explore more. A few years ago, I purchased three minis of Jura 10-year-old, bottled from the 1980s to the 2000s. This will provide me with the opportunity to analyse how this particular expression of Jura’s core range has developed over these decades.

Port Ellen 33yo Boutique-y & 1983 Duncan Taylor

22nd March 202422nd March 2024Coldorak

In recent weeks, I found myself on the cusp of reaching my 2000th unique whisky tasting. As with any significant milestone, I craved a special celebratory dram. Fortunately, I had received a couple of Port Ellen samples from friends, making them the perfect candidates for my 1999th and 2000th whiskies.

But as Port Ellen distillery was to reopen its doors after a 40 years hiatus, my 2000th tasting was at risk of occurring amidst the bustling chaos of the Lyon Whisky Festival, where precise timing is nearly impossible due to a whisky festival’s frenetic pace. So, I decided to take an ultra-small sip of one of the Port Ellen whiskies right at the 2000th milestone. But fear not – I later savoured both whiskies properly on a serene Sunday morning. By that point, I had already surpassed 2050 drams tasted.

Picture this: the Palais de la Bourse in Lyon, bathed in morning light, almost empty except for myself and a dear friend, Aurélien, as the opening of the second day of the show was not yet to happen for the next 80 minutes. Together, we shared the experience of tasting these two remarkable whiskies: the 33-year-old Port Ellen Boutique-y and the 1983 Duncan Taylor. Our tasting notes were penned collaboratively, as we tried those whiskies together. Whisky is for sharing and drinking, after all.

Glengoyne 10, 12, 18, 21 and Cask Strength

19th March 202419th March 2024Coldorak

We have yet to feature a Glengoyne here, so let’s remedy that with an extensive selection. Since 1833, the distillery has been a fixture on its site, initially under the Edmonstone family and later under the MacLellands in the 1850s. Acquired by the Lang Bros in 1876, it underwent name changes from Burnfoot to Glen Guin, finally adopting the name Glengoyne in 1905. Integral to Lang Brothers’ blends like Supreme and Robertson & Baxter’s offerings (now Edrington), Lang Brothers was absorbed by the latter in 1965. Glengoyne’s single malt era began in the 1990s, boasting ‘the unpeated malt’ distinction. Notably, the distillery is located in the Highlands, while its warehouses lie in the Lowlands. In 2003, Edrington sold Glengoyne to Ian MacLeod for £7.2m, leading to a revitalisation of its single malt brand and the transformation of the distillery into a popular tourist destination. Let’s explore eight Glengoyne expressions, including two 10-year-olds, one 12-year-old, one 18-year-old, three distinct 21-year-olds, and a Cask Strength release.

Mortlach 15-Year-Old Gordon & Macphail (1970s & 2015)

12th March 202412th March 2024Coldorak

Reflecting on my initial discussion of Mortlach from three years prior (time flies!), I recall mentioning the need to delve into their 2.81 distillation process, potentially following an overview of distillation itself. It seems that slipped my mind! Nevertheless, I’ll share some insights into their distillation method shortly. Meanwhile, let’s juxtapose two iterations of Mortlach’s 15-year-old, bottled by Gordon & Macphail: a vintage edition from the 1970s and a more recent release from 2015.

Millburn 1978 Gordon & Macphail

9th March 20249th March 2024Coldorak

Millburn Distillery, Inverness’ eldest among three (with Glen Albyn and Glen Mhor), traces its origins to a farm distillery alongside a river powering mill wheels, likely predating legal recognition. Though achieving legal status between 1805 and 1807, it remained inactive. A revival in 1825, led by inexperienced owners, faltered amidst the 1823 Excise Act’s challenges, closing in the 1850s, reverting to a flour mill. Rekindled in the 1870s by David Rose, it flourished under his son George’s management until the Haigs acquired it in 1892. Passing through several hands, including Booth’s and DCL, it ceased operations in 1985 due to the whisky surplus. Attempts at revival were thwarted in 1990, with the site repurposed as ‘The Auld Distillery,’ yet the potential for a micro-distillery remains, a tribute to Inverness’ legacy. We try today a Millburn 1978 bottled by Gordon & Macphail.