Author: Coldorak

Domaine des Hautes Glaces DHG Obscurus Single Rye

DHG Obscurus Single Rye

Coldorak

As a whisky enthusiast, I’m drawn to the unique flavours and characteristics that come from different regions and production methods. Depending on the place, the whiskies are known to have some specific characteristics, even though the casks used and the blending of those casks might hide some of those characteristics. A few distilleries want to go further, and pay more attention to the raw materials and how they are produced and harvested. Domaine des Hautes Glaces was one of, if not the first, believing in terroir in whisky, without shouting about it to who wants to listen… or doesn’t. For DHG, agro-ecology is at the heart of the production of their organic whisky. Let’s talk a bit about that then we’ll review the DHG Obscurus, a six-year-old organic single rye whisky.

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Darroze Bas-Armagnac 30-year-old

Darroze Bas-Armagnac 30-year-old

Coldorak

Wait, what? Armagnac? You’re doing brandy now? Ain’t this a whisky blog? You might ask me those questions and you would be right to do so. I have been wanting to cover a few malternatives on More Drams Less Drama for a few months now, but I hadn’t take the plunge yet. So why now? Well, as I have been saying since the start of the month and of my advent calendar, this year I am having a whisky and malternative advent calendar. And finally, the fifth dram of the calendar is not a whisky, but an Armagnac. So no whisky today, but the review of the Darroze Bas-Armagnac Les Grands Assemblages 30-year-old. Do keep in mind that I’m more of a whisky drinker, and though you’ll see a few cognacs in the coming weeks and months, as well as a few armagnacs and maybe (certainly) other spirits, these are the views and feelings of a whisky drinker, with a seriously lacking experience in other spirits.

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Jura 1990 Thompson Brothers

Jura 1990 Thompson Brothers

Coldorak

We’ve had a few Juras on More Drams and until now, it was kind of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Well, to be honest, it was The Good, The A-bit-less-Good, and still The Ugly. But I’ve read that old early-90s Jura were quite often quite good, and several friends really adore them, so let’s keep an open mind and review this Jura 1990 Thompson Brothers that was behind the fourth window of my whisky and malternative advent calendar.

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Amrut 8-year-old Greedy Angels

Amrut 8-Year-Old Greedy Angels (2017)

Coldorak

Our third dram from this year’s whisky and malternative advent calendar is coming from a range we’ve tried a few newer releases last year. Yes, we’re trying them in the wrong order, but since so far they’ve all been very good, I guess that’s more than okay that we get to try some more, right? So this time, we’ll be trying an Amrut 8-year-old Greedy Angels released in 2017.

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Chichibu 2011 The Peated (2015)

Chichibu 2011 The Peated (2015)

Coldorak

If you remember, last year’s advent calendar opening dram was the 2018 edition of Chichibu The Peated. This year we find another Chichibu The Peated, but an earlier edition, and this time behind the second window. We already reviewed a couple of Chichibus here so I won’t get into the distillery history again, but jump directly to the Chichibu 2011 The Peated (2015) review.

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Secret Highland Malt 1983 Sansibar

Secret Highland Malt 1983 Sansibar (2020)

Coldorak

It’s that time of the year: we’re in December, and it’s time for a whisky advent calendar again, yay! But this time, it won’t be only whisky, as several other kinds of surprises are waiting for me. What surprises? No idea! This year again, the calendar has been made by a friend who doesn’t kid around with spirits. Remember last year? That was him. So when he offered to do that again, with a malternative twist, I jumped on it. And so, after opening the – virtual – first window and solving the riddle with friends from a common Discord group, I discovered that the first dram was a Secret Highland Malt 1983 from German indy bottler Sansibar.

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Glenury Royal 1978 Signatory Vintage

Glenury Royal 1978 Signatory Vintage

Coldorak

People learnt a long time ago that drinking an alcoholic beverage was making them feel relaxed, good (unless they’re drinking too much!) and increased their mood. It’s no surprise then that when there’s a call for celebration, people use alcohol to celebrate. I know I do. And I’m not the only one, as alcohol has been used for celebrations and ceremonies for ages, as far back at least than ancient Babylon, around 5000 B.C. Clay tablets found in the ruins of ancient Babylon told about its inhabitants used to brew and drink beer as part of their religious ceremonies. Egyptians did too, and they’d make it by placing crumbled barley bread into jars filled of water, to allow the natural yeast to start fermentation. Fast forward a few thousand years, and we’re using all kinds of alcohols for celebrations. And when I learnt I had passed my Wine and Spirits Trust Education level 2 in spirits with distinction, the result I was looking for, I naturally turned to whisky to celebrate what I had really worked hard to achieve. Yes, tasting and learning about spirits and cocktails can be hard work. And to celebrate, I turned myself towards a whisky from a lost distillery I had never tried anything from before: a Glenury Royal 1978 bottled by Signatory Vintage.

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Bowmore 25-year-old 2021

Bowmore 25-year-old (2021)

Coldorak

We’ve tried a couple of Bowmore already on More Drams, and they were stunning, but they were both from independent bottlers, and at cask strength. One was a single cask that came from La Maison Du Whisky in its Artist series, and the other was a small batch from the SMWS. But obviously, the central Islay based distillery has an official range. And, poor me, the only sample I have from the high-end part of the range, thanks to my friend Aurélien, and Bowmore‘s French ambassador Antoine. So thanks to them, let’s review this Bowmore 25-year-old.

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Dallas Dhu 1975 Rare Malts

Dallas Dhu 1975 Rare Malts

Coldorak

At the end of the 1980s, United Distillers (now Diageo) owned more than 50 whisky distilleries, a good number of them unfortunately silent since the 1983–1985 period. Some of their distilleries saw almost no official bottlings, and Dallas Dhu were featured almost exclusively in a few Rare Malts Selection bottlings. Let’s talk about the Rare Malts Selection, before reviewing a Dallas Dhu 1975 Rare Malts.

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Killyloch 1972 Signatory Vintage

Killyloch 1972 Signatory Vintage

Coldorak

Whenever I go to a whisky bar, especially one with a very large menu of old releases, I need quite some time to identify what will be my next dram. I might jump on the occasion to try an old vintage of a favorite distillery. Or, like today, try something from a distillery I have never tried anything from. Especially since I’ve never heard of said distillery. But the good thing with this kind of whisky bar, is that not only they have a great list of whiskies, they also have very knowledgeable staff, who will be able to help you out. They’ll make recommendations, or tell you about the distillery’s profile, or give you some tasting notes and descriptions for this unknown whisky you’re looking out. And that’s how after the Glenfarclas 1971 I reviewed a few days ago, my second dram at the Golden Promise was this Killyloch 1972 bottled by Signatory Vintage.

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