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Hi everyone!
Here is a little feedback from my last masterclass at the O’Flaherty’s irish pub in Namur on the theme “Whiskeys of the World” (organized by Whiskey-Select). Some options were available for some whiskeys so I will only talk about the ones I’ve tasted (logic eh!). Once again, I would like to thank them all for the explanations provided and the price they asked for!
25 € for 6 glasses including a 5 € voucher for a bottle purchase or a drink in the pub. If you’re in Belgium, do not hesitate to register for the next special tasting “Road of the peat” scheduled for the end of January (well, you have to love peat, necessarily… Otherwise take a good beer, like the McDouglas).
I’ve had the pleasure of participating to a masterclass entirely dedicated to the Teeling distillery. This is the opportunity for me to give you a little return about the whiskeys tasted at this event organized at the O’Flaherty’s (a pub that I highly recommend if you’re spending some time in Namur, Belgium). I already knew the Single Grain and Stout Cask discovered recently and for which tasting notes have already been published on this blog, so i’ll speak about the Brabazon, Small Batch Rum, Revival V (Cognac & Brandy Casks) and the 19-year-old rum bottling for The Nectar 😉
I had not tested this famous Glenfarclas 105 yet, it’s now done! “Better late than never!” would some say, “Another Speyside?” Others will say… It’s not my fault if Speyside produces so many good whiskeys and if I can not follow eh! But back to our sheep, hum, rather to my glass. This cask strenght whisky, with a high degree of alcohol (60%… Well no, not 105, sorry eh), is presented as bringing together the aromas of all the Glenfarclas in a single glass… I tell myself that this is a lot for only one glass but we’ll see that! 😀
Today, let me introduce to you the Glendronach 12yo, a classic that is one of those must-sees when you start discovering the fabulous world of whisky. Aged in barrels of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso, this one comes from Speyside (43.0%). So… a good old sherry cask like most of Glendronach’s whiskies (by the way, Glendronach means “valley of mulberries” in Gaelic. Ok, the poetry moment is past, admit that you were afraid to ear me declaiming verses :p) and it must be said that this type of barrel allows their whisky to be fully revealed.
The Teeling Stout Cask comes from the marriage between two Irish spirits, the whisky and the famous dark beer. This product was developed in collaboration with the Irish Galway Bay Brewery, one more time we can say that Teeling demonstrates its creativity. This innovative association offers a limited edition (12,000 bottles) announced as being rich in flavors and character. This whisky was aged more than 6 months in casks containing the beer “200 Fathoms Imperial Stout”, and this beer just spent time in… old Teeling bourbon casks! So these casks just come back home with some bonus. Let’s see this! 😀
The Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban is a whisky that has spent about ten years in Bourbon casks, before finishing its maturation in Porto Ruby barrels. The “quintas” are the famous Porto houses in Portugal. And to perfect your general knowledge, Ruby has for translation “Ruban” in Gaelic, this explains it. But, yes, I know, what interests everyone is what it’s worth … Let’s see that with the tasting notes 😉
As they say, “never three without four”, at least in a quadrilogy, here is the Highland Park Odin. Succeeding Thor, Loki and Freya, this 16 year old whisky was released in a 17,000 bottle edition. At 55.8%, it is the most “sturdy” in this collection. Aged in sherry casks and Hogsheads of second filling, all dressed in black, it announces a different profile than the others. Different AND better? We see that with the tasting notes 😉
If there is a real must-have bottle when you appreciate whisky, especially cask strenght, it’s the Aberlour A’Bunadh. Non cold filtered, aged in Oloroso sherry casks and bottled directly out of the barrel, it is a full of character Speyside that always pleases, whatever the batch. This batch #49 is nevertheless one of the best (at least of those that I’ve tasted). Here come the tasting notes 😀
Macduff is a Speyside distillery producing the Glen Deveron whisky, you’ll find Macduff named whisky only by independent bottlers, such as here with Malts of Scotland. This special bottling of Macduff Christmas 2017 is a 17yo whisky aged in sherry cask.