Invergordon 1988 ‘Caribbean Creme’ (Wemyss Malts)

Christopher Hayn — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 16:00:05 +0000

Onto the next one… the second review for today will cover the Invergordon 1988 ‘Caribbean Creme’. So here we have another grain whisky distilled in 1988 by Invergordon and bottled in 2014 by Wemyss Malts, just like the Invergordon 1988 ‘Lemon Cheesecake’ I reviewed earlier today. Having said this, both of them are single casks releases, so there should be some differences between the two.

Name:	Invergordon 1988 ‘Lemon Cheesecake’
Bottler:	Wemyss Malts
Vintage:	1988
Bottled:	2014
Age:	26 Years Old
Category:	Single Grain Whisky
Distillery:	Invergordon
Cask Type:	Barrel
Number of bottles:	171
Strength:	46.0% Vol.
Colored:	No
Chill Filtered:	No

Nose

Whipped cream with peaches and pineapples, strewn with shredded coconut and laced with fresh mint leaves. Also hints of lemons are to be found. Some vanilla marshmallows and fresh pencil shavings in the back.

Taste

Creamy and surprisingly strong with quite a bit of alcohol burn. However very sweet with caramel popcorn and a big portion of vanilla creme. Candied Ginger. Hints of tropical fruits. A bit bitter around the edges with lemon zest and grapefruits.

Finish

Long and warming. Again candied ginger. A whiff of black pepper.

Overall

The light and fresh aroma reminds me of summer, whereas the more powerful and punchy taste gives me the feeling of winter… What a wonderful combination! Although I think a few more years in the cask would have not hurt. Be that as it may, yet another absolute convincing single grain release from Wemyss.

Score: 86 / 100

Aberfeldy 1999 ‘Snuffed Candle’ (Wemyss Malts)

Christopher Hayn — Thu, 07 May 2015 06:00:27 +0000

Today I will focus on Aberfeldy, a distillery of which you do not find too many expressions from, be it official or independent bottlings. Their actual core range only consists of two expressions, a 12 Years Old and a 21 Years Old, but there is a also a 18 Years Old for duty free. The reason for this is pretty simple: the majority of their production goes into Dewar’s White Label blend, hence Aberfeldy is marketed as “the spiritual home of Dewar’s whisky”.

At one point or another I will review their official bottlings as well, but now I have two independent Aberfeldy’s for you, both bottled by Wemyss Malts. The first one on my list for today is the Aberfeldy 1999 ‘Snuffed Candle’, followed by the Aberfeldy 1999 ‘Toffee Tuile’ later today.

Facts

Aberfeldy 1999 ‘Snuffed Candle’ (Wemyss Malts)

Name:	Aberfeldy 1999 ‘Snuffed Candle’
Bottler:	Wemyss Malts
Vintage:	1999
Bottled:	2014
Age:	15 Years Old
Category:	Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery:	Aberfeldy
Cask Type:	Hogshead
Number of bottles:	379
Strength:	46.0% Vol.
Colored:	No
Chill Filtered:	No

Nose

Soft, very soft. A big basket full of dark cherries, decorated with a few tobacco leaves. And sure enough, there is a certain waxiness to it, which reminds me of a vanilla scented candle. Joined by toffee fudge, sugared dried apricots, orange liqueur and dried cinnamon sticks. And, with some good will, blown-out candle smell in the distant background.

Taste

Waxy and thick, but fruity. White pepper and sugar coated ginger. Followed by candied orange slices and white chocolate with caramel sauce.

Finish

Long with warm caramel sauce. Peppery and gingery. Hints of strawberries and cherries. Again blown-out candle smoke, not so subtle this time.

Overall

Not overly challenging, but the enjoyable waxiness is a real asset here. Simple but pleasant.

Score: 85 / 100

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Invergordon 1988 ‘Caribbean Creme’ (Wemyss Malts)

Aberfeldy 1999 ‘Snuffed Candle’ (Wemyss Malts)