Coldorak

Secret Speyside 1994 Les Grands Alambics

12th August 202312th August 2023Coldorak

We’ve previously reviewed just a single whisky from the French off-licence and independent bottler, Les Grands Alambics – a delightful Croftengea. It seems fitting to rectify that by exploring more of their offerings. Operating from Chambéry in Savoie, France (situated to the east of Lyon and south of Geneva), their independent bottlings fall into two prominent lines: one inspired by jazz, and another themed around birds. In today’s review, we delve into a 1994 Secret Speyside that Les Grands Alambics bottled as part of their bird series back in 2020.

Springbank Eat, Sleep, Dram, Repeat

4th August 202313th October 2023Coldorak

Earlier in July, I ‘attended’ with a group of friends the ‘Eat, Sleep, Dram, Repeat’ tour introduced end of last year at Springbank distillery. For almost three days and three nights, you’re well taken care of by the Springbank staff, for visits, tastings, meals and accommodation. And boy, the name of the tour is right. Especially on the dram and repeat parts!

Canadian Club 40-year-old and Chronicles 42-year-old review

Canadian Club 40 & 42-year-old

25th July 202313th October 2023Coldorak

In the past, we’ve examined a couple of old Canadian Club whiskies. Yet, their age was determined by the distillation year rather than their actual (unknown) aging period. However, in recent times, Canadian Club has been introducing an array of progressively older releases each year. It all began with a 40-year-old age statement in 2017, and from that point on, each annual release would add another year to its age. Today, we’ll be reviewing two expressions, remarkable by their age statement: the Canadian Club 40-year-old and 42-year-old whiskies.

SMWS May 2023 Virtual Festival

21st June 202320th June 2023Coldorak

The month of May brings with it a vibrant whisky festival season, and the SMWS (Scotch Malt Whisky Society) takes advantage of this occasion by releasing special small batches specifically crafted for these festivals. These unique releases feature larger quantities compared to their usual single casks. To ensure that a multitude of whisky enthusiasts can savour these expressions, the SMWS organises a virtual whisky tasting event. They offer a festival pack containing five samples, which participants can enjoy alongside SMWS ambassadors during an online session. Now, let’s explore the selection of five drams that the SMWS has chosen for their May 2023 Virtual Festival.

Kirin Fuji Gotemba Single Blended Japanese Whisky

Fuji Single Blended Japanese Whisky

7th June 20237th June 2023Coldorak

Kirin Fuji Single Blended is a Japanese whisky made by the Kirin Fuji Gotemba distillery. Positioned at an elevation of 620 metres, this distillery is nestled in the town of Gotemba, at the base of Mount Fuji. Kirin Fuji is made utilising 100% single malt and single grain sourced exclusively from the distillery (so this is a genuine Japanese whisky). The single malts, distilled using pot stills, and the single grains, distilled using Doubler, Batch Kettle, and Column stills, are subsequently aged in American oak casks. Single blends, a rare category encompassing blends that exclusively feature malt and grain derived from a singular distillery, are a unique find in the world of whiskies. Consequently, it is worth exploring this Fuji Single Blended Japanese Whisky.

A Loch Lomond Verticale

5th June 20235th June 2023Coldorak

We previously provided a technical introduction to Loch Lomond distillery while reviewing a superb Croftengea whisky from Les Grands Alambics, a French bottler and shop. As mentioned earlier, Loch Lomond is a remarkably versatile distillery employing various types of stills, including pot stills, straight-neck “Lomond” stills, and both short and tall column stills. This diverse array of stills enables them to produce a wide range of malt and grain whisky profiles, providing Master Blender Michael Henry with an extensive palette to work with. While our exploration of Loch Lomond single malts may be limited to affordable options, we shall proceed with a vertical tasting of Henry’s creations nonetheless.

A Week At Dingle Distillery

2nd June 20234th August 2023Coldorak

As you may be aware, I have been ‘working’ alongside Dingle for a span of two years during their participation in Whisky Live Paris. By ‘working’, I mean engaging in tasks such as pouring whiskey, introducing various whiskies and the distillery to French-speaking visitors. However, my passion for whiskey goes beyond the surface, and I always strive to expand my knowledge. This led me to complete the first two levels of the WSET in Spirits. Yet, my thirst for knowledge persisted. Consequently, I arranged to spend an entire week at Dingle Distillery, immersing myself in nearly all aspects of distillery operations and warehouse duties. This behind-the-scenes adventure allowed me to witness and partake in activities that are not typically encountered during a standard distillery tour. Allow me to be your guide as I share this extraordinary experience with you.

Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Straight Rye Whiskey

Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Rye

30th May 202331st May 2023Coldorak

In the past, Maryland played a significant role in rye whiskey production in the United States. Before the era of Prohibition, the state was home to 44 distilleries, with 13 of them situated in Baltimore. Unfortunately, many of these distilleries were unable to recover from the impact of Prohibition. However, in 1936, Maryland was still able to produce 14.1 million gallons of rye whiskey. Some of the distilleries that managed to reopen during World War II shifted their focus to ethanol production. After the war, only a few distilleries resumed the production of rye whiskey. Fast forward to 2015, and Sagamore Spirit company initiated the construction of a 22,000-square-foot distillery in Baltimore’s Port Covington neighbourhood. This marked one of the first distillery establishments in Maryland since the era of Prohibition. Sagamore Spirit only produces rye whisky, and we’re reviewing today the Sagamore Spirit Double Oak Straight Rye Whiskey.

Yoichi 10yo (2022) vs 12yo (2015)

11th April 202311th April 2023Coldorak

In 2015, Nikka declared that due to the depletion of their aged stocks, the renowned Nikka’s peated single malt aged versions, namely the Yoichi 10, 12, 15, and 20-year-old, would no longer be available. They were then substituted with a non-age statement version referred to as simply ‘Yoichi single malt’ (we reviewed it here). However, Nikka made an announcement last year that the Yoichi 10-year-old would be making a comeback. It was scheduled to be released at the distillery in July 2022, and globally in Japan in November. As a result, we can now try out the new Yoichi 10-year-old 2022 and compare it with the 12-year-old, which was last bottled in 2015. Unfortunately, I do not possess the old 10 to make a more in-depth comparison.

Glenglassaugh Revival, Evolution & Torfa

23rd March 202323rd March 2023Coldorak

We already tried on these pages a Glenglassaugh, but one that was independently bottled, during one of the several Whisky Cellar Tweet Tastings I was able to attend. It’s time to see and learn a bit more about this distillery, by trying their core range. Well, the recent liquid part of the core range, as you’ll learn why below. So let’s have a quick look of the distillery’s history, then we’ll try the Glenglassaugh Revival, Evolution and Torfa expressions.

More drams, less drama

Author: Coldorak