Difficult as can be to find a good picture at the best of times, this rare selection bottled by Duncan Taylor is largely undocumented across the internet. Luckily, I prevailed thanks to a German connoisseur site www.whizita.de.

Its light colour first had me worried, but this vintage 12 year old is an enjoyable dram. The nose is bursting with the sweetness of caramelized nuts and salt. Hints of spice such as cinnamon and clove close out the aroma.

This is quite an oily palate for such a pale scotch, but it carries a mild mannered cocoa flavour.  The medium-long finish has a distinct oak character with notes of sulphur. 

A specimen of notable contrast, one can certainly agree that this is a unique malt.  More practically though, file this one under "winter sipper" (but you'll have to find one first).

Nose: Raisin, mixed spices (cinnamon & nutmeg), orange zest, espresso, black pepper.

Palate: Smoky musk with a spicy zing, butterscotch, clean mouth feel.

Finish: Hints of chocolate and rum with lingering heat and sugar on finish.

Overall: The nicest off-the-shelf offering from Glenfiddich, aged in Carribbean rum casks providing a unique flavouring. The rum casking complements the smoke without overpowering it. A good choice for those days when you need drams that are a bit more unique yet still familiar.

Nose: Sweet malt, oatmeal, toffee and a hint of citrus and ginger.

Palate: Smooth and buttery mouth feel, without being oily, and a strong oatmeal presence sweetened by toffee and honey.

Finish: A gentle ginger flavoured heat ushers in a long, sweet, buttery finish with a wisp of smoke. 

Overall: This is the perfect breakfast or desert dram. Wonderfully smooth and layered; a splash of water reveals more vanilla in the finish while muting the heat. If I were a wealthy man, I'd buy this whisky by the case just so I could pour it on my oatmeal in the morning.
Strongly recommended.

Source: BBC News

Shackleton's whisky recovered from South Pole ice

Five crates of Scotch whisky and brandy belonging to the polar explorer Ernest Shackleton have been recovered after more than 100 years in the ice. They were buried beneath Shackleton's Antarctic hut, built in 1908 for a failed expedition to the South Pole. Some of the crates have cracked and ice has formed inside, which means experts will face a delicate task in trying to extract the contents. (more)

Get your drinks up!

-ScotchBlog

The Bruichladdich Islay 14 Year old is unique in both character, as well as the bottling of this specific run, as is apparent from the image to your left.

This limited run commemorative bottling was issued when an Islay fisherman discovered a bright yellow object floating beneath the surface on the ocean, 5 miles from Bruichladdich. At first thinking it was a drum, he was shocked to discover it was in fact a Ministry of Defence submarine ROV, and a long drawn out incident ensued when the MOD initially denied that it was even theirs.

To commemorate this somewhat farcical affair, said run features pictures of the ROV on the label, as well as a somewhat comedic message on the back:

"FOUND: One submarine, wallowing aimlessly in North Atlantic near Islay. Colour: Bright Yellow. Distinctive markings: Ministry of Defence. Contact: Fisherman Baker on Islay 917850. Reward Expected"

Colour: Warm caramel.

Nose: Hot, orange zest, honey and heather with caramel accents.

Palate: Buttery salt & seaweed mixed with cereals that give way to fresh passion fruit and tart apple.

Finish: Strong-bodied with a sweet but brief, uplifting hot spicy finish.

Overall: While the Bruichladdich 14-year old is really quite a savory scotch, there is little to no smokiness and the finish comes off a touch spicy for such a smooth, buttery palate. All around however, an excellent single malt from a distillery that enjoys producing commemorative runs.

In response to the number of questions that we at ScotchBlog.ca have been receiving of late regarding which single malts to give as gifts this season to the experienced Scotch drinker, we present our 2009 Gift Buyer's Guide. In addition to drawing on the collective experience of the ScotchBlog.ca authors, we have taken the time to include the recommendations of Ian Millar, Global Brand Ambassador & Master Distiller at Glenfiddch and James Robertson, International Sales Manager at Tullibardine.

 

So yet again, despite all attempts to stop it, Christmas looms large on the calendar. One thing that I've always found helpful to maintaining some semblance of sanity throughout the jarring string of parties, family gatherings, and once a year drink meetups is a regimen of well-timed doses of great whisky.

A sound method to ensure that you will be able to enjoy a brilliant single malt is to get someone else exactly that. If they are anyone worth giving such a gift, they will at least offer you some, and even if you don't like whisky, you will at least have the satisfaction of getting that person something they don't usually have.

So with that in mind it is time to get to the matter at hand: How do you buy a scotch for someone who likes whisky when you don't know anything about it yourself?

Ian Millar, Global Brand Ambassador & Master Distiller at Glenfiddich provides a great starting point: "look for single malts between 12 and 18 years old that come in at $50 to $80." This way there is some measure of quality as you aren't ending up with something made for the sake of being inexpensive.

But then what? In speaking with James Robertson, International Sales Manager at Tullibardine he added that it is worth while to "seek out something unique" in terms of flavours and the nose, as this is what really makes single malt whisky so enjoyable.

So with those pieces of sound advice from interviews past, I present you with a list to help you give single malt scotch as a gift this season, and to make it look like you knew exactly what you were doing the entire time. To keep it simple, we'll break things out into three price ranges, all in Canadian dollars. Lastly, everything here is currently in stock at the LCBO, after all what good is a list if you can't find anything on it.

Under $70

Scapa 14 Year Old Priced at $56.95 and providing remarkable notes of green apple, cereal, and clover honey, this single malt is sure to surprise and delight without breaking the bank. It is not every day one is able to buy a 14 year old single malt for less than $60.

Isle of Jura Superstition Coming in at $57.95 with expertly balanced elements of dark caramel, peat, and smoke and a refreshing finish of honey and citrus, this one is a must give and/or buy for any collection.

Glenfiddich 15 The $62.95 tag on this bottle renders it the best buy in the Glenfiddich series, but don't just take my word for it. Ian Millar refers to this one as his "daily bread", and with its dark cocoa, hints of orange zest, and smooth finish, it's incredibly hard to argue against such an assertion.

Tullibardine 1993 Vintage Edition A bargain at $67.95, the star of this price range delivers vanilla, cocoa, honey, and oatmeal in equal measure while finishing smooth and dry on the palate. It's low heat levels combine with its impressive flavour profile to make this one a perfect gift for both the novice and the experienced single malt fan.

$70 to $100

Balvenie Signature 12 Year Old Although more expensive than the standard 12 year old, the cost of $72.95 is certainly well worth it. A nutty caramel sweetness leads off before deploying more citrus notes and finishing with excellent smoothness. This is the consensus favourite Balvenie expression at ScotchBlog.ca.

Edradour 10 Year Old  Coming from the smallest distillery in Scotland, I am of the opinion that this one should be purchased any time you get the chance. Especially at $74.95. The Oloroso cask finishing and notes of roasted almonds and brown sugar often has me feeling like I'm drinking a butter tart. Given its frequent scarcity and current availability, give this one with a sense of achievement to any whisky afficiando.

Macallan 12 While $89.95 is certainly the low-end of the price scale for anything from Macallan, it is without hesitation that I declare this one to be my favourite expression of theirs (barring the 25 year old which you pay through the nose for). Rich and fruit filled at the opening, this single malt finishes long on the palate with faint notes of spice. A perfect Christmas season whisky.

Dalwhinnie 1991 Distillers Edition While some may be concerned by its $99.95 price tag, the added richness in flavour and more mellow heat profile make this a worthy upgrade from the standard Dalwhinnie 15 year old expression. It's a gift after all! Sweet sherry with a light oakiness give way to faint elements of peat and smoke, making this a fine treat after any heavy Christmas meal.

Over $100

Oban 14 Year Old This classic malt is well priced at $114.95. Well rounded with leather, salt air, and smoke on the nose, it quickly transitions into heather and peat on the palate before a lingering finish with hints of dried apricots. Perfect for those that enjoy bold flavours, there is no question as to why it has been a mainstay on my whisky shelf for several years now.

Lagavulin 16 Year Old Clocking in at $124.95, this is one of those single malts that is worth every penny, even if those pennies go to Diageo. Long a favourite of mine, and typically my go to single malt at a less than well stocked pub, it immediately opens up with a strong medicinal/iodine scent combined with strong notes of peat, smoke, and sea side air. It is no less forgiving on the palate as it commands attention at every sip. Perfect with a cigar, remarkable on its own, and at its best with a Macanudo cigar after a smoked Christmas ham.

Rosebank 19 Year Old Bottled by Douglas Laing & Co. and available for $195.95, I would strongly recommend checking the LCBO website and calling your nearest store to have it shipped over if they don't have it there. This one is truly a treat worth hunting as it is nothing short of a chameleon in the glass. Opening with notes of pear, black pepper, and cnadied cherrries, it moves into a sweet and sour apple mouthfeel before transitioning into dark chocolate. Coming out of the bottle at 50% ABV, be sure to have a little distilled water around to give it a splash to help it open up.

So that wraps it up for this lesson. I hope that with this roster of single malts you will be able to go forth and confidently buy a gift for that whisky lover you know without too much trepidation. After all, this is the season for mirth and merriment, and there are few spirits that provide both in such ample doses as great single malt Scotch whisky.

 

 

Further to a previous posting, Glenfiddich has announced the release date for their extremely rare 50 year old single malt.

A simultaneous event in New York, Miami and Los Angles on Dec. 7, 2009.

Only one bottle will be auctioned for consumer purchase and three bottles will be available for on-premise consumption at selected luxury hotels in Miami, New York and Los Angeles.

Proceeds will benefit Friends of Scotland.

Friends of Scotland is a non profit corporation dedicated to advancing contemporary Scottish interests and meeting contemporary Scottish needs in the United States
This is done via a variety of philanthropic pursuits, many of which are concerned with veterans' affairs, such as scholarships in the medical field to help returning veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq that have medical training but want to take it to the next level to try and help others.

Auction bids are open to anyone in the USA and will be managed by Christies at the launch events or over the phone for remote bidders. For bidding pre-arrangements or to solicit a space at the launch event contact 646 356 8350 (NOTE: Line will be open as of 11/17).

Event participation is limited to between 10 and 30 bidders per city and will be granted on the merits of the biding potential. The New York event will be honored with David Stewards participation.

More details can be found on the Glenfiddich 50 website.

Apologies to our readers in advance for the lackluster photo presented. 

You'll have have to excuse our enthusiasm for this whisky as we got carried away and forgot to take a picture.

None of the other pictures on the internet were any good and this is the best one we could find.

Nose: Prominent cotton candy or, candy floss, reminiscent of caramalized white sugar. Slightly briny with lemon zest and wild cherry late in the nose.

Palate: Rock candy, cream soda blended into a buttery mouth-feel with a persistent non-offensive heat. Light candied fruit underpinned by mineral notes and a bit of mustiness. 

Finish: Brief, sweet, understated, and you're left missing the candied finish.

Overall: This one delivers from start to finish. Seek it where you can and guard it jealously.

Source: Associated Press via MSNBC

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - A beverage company has asked a team to drill through Antarctica's ice for a lost cache of some vintage Scotch whiskey that has been on the rocks since a century ago.

The drillers will be trying to reach two crates of McKinlay and Co. whiskey that were shipped to the Antarctic by British polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton as part of his abandoned 1909 expedition. (more)