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1st February 2018 |
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Once again
guest writer, Murray Cohen, a Member of
the International Order of the
Companions of the Quaich in Canada and
Scotch Malt Whisky Forum Member attended
the annual Vintages/LCBO sponsored "An
Evening of Scottish Virtuosity" event in
Toronto, Canada which was presented this
year by Chivas Brothers Brand
Ambassadors Ian Logan and Frank Biskupek.
I made my yearly pilgrimage to one of
the premier single malt Scotch events in
Canada on January 23, 2018 at the
National Club in Toronto, Ontario
celebrating Rabbie Burns with The
Glenlivet, Aberlour, Scapa and Longmorn.
The event was sponsored by Vintages
LCBO. Ian Logan and Frank Biskupek from
Chivas Brothers were the brand presenters
and led the structured tasting of eight
single malts drawn from the
aforementioned distilleries. The buffet
reception prior to the tasting was first
class all the way.
The 8 whiskies tasted on the
night
at an "Evening
of Scottish Virtuosity 2018"
were:
- Aberlour 18 Year Old
- Longmorn 16 Year Old
- Longmorn 23 Year Old
- Scapa Skirren
- The Glenlivet Archive 21 Year Old
- The Glenlivet
Master Distiller's Reserve Small Batch
- The Glenlivet Single Cask Davoch
- The Glenlivet Single Cask Hogshead
The Chivas Brothers owned Glenlivet
distillery has a distilling history
dating back to 1824, almost two
centuries in the making, as you can see
the evening
featured some exciting drams from The
Glenlivet including small-batch and
single-cask selections, there were also
rare old single malts from Longmorn
distillery. You will find my description of
the eight single malts sampled on the
evening below, along with my own
detailed taste notes and score for each
of the eight drams.
Most of the whiskies are available to
buy from specialist online whisky shops
such as
The Whisky Exchange and
Master of Malt
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Aberlour 18 Year Old Review
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 Bottled at 42.7% ABV, this whisky is
double cask matured in sherry butts and
American oak barrels for the full
maturation period and then combined.
Murray Cohen's Tasting Notes:
Colour:
Reddish Amber.
Nose:
Turkish delight melds with berries,
sultanas and sponge candy to foster a
delectable sweetness. There is a late
oaky splash with a box of whole pears.
The sherry elements are upfront and
unmistakable.
Taste:
Full-bodied and creamy. Strawberry foam
oozes forth with an irresistible
sweetness and eventually incorporates
into a spice sandwich of sorts.
Finish:
Long with spice and leathery tones
shifting from the earlier sugary notes.
Comment:
The nose on this one is enticing and
really shines through.
SMW Score
88.5/100
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Longmorn 16 Year Old Review
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Bottled at 48% ABV, this single malt is
matured in three types of oak: American
oak, ex-sherry casks and traditional oak
providing an example of triple barrel
aging. The water is drawn from an
underground lake under the distillery.
 Murray Cohen's Tasting Notes:
Colour:
Bright Gold.
Nose:
An assorted fruit basket featuring
apricots, melons and pumpkins is
caressed by vanilla wafers. Cinnamon
sticks and a blast of butterscotch
entice with peaches and cream corn,
mixed nuts and walnut torte pastry.
Taste:
Full-bodied. Spice blast, espresso crema
and mocha essences arise with candied
orange peel and peanut butter. As an
aside, one of the presenters at the
event characterised the palate here as
having a "hot mouth".
Finish:
Long with little tidal pools of Swiss
milk chocolate, mild spice and malty
notes.
Comment:
An intriguing whisky with a variety of
aromas and flavors delightfully
balanced.
SMW Score
90.5/100
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Longmorn 23 Year Old Review
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Bottled at 48% ABV, the 23 year old was
released in 2017 and is their oldest
release of Longmorn in the core range.
 Murray Cohen's Tasting Notes:
Colour:
Dark Gold.
Nose:
Thick black cherry with Swiss milk
chocolate tendrils; the omnipresent
sweetness of perfume, meadow flowers and
acacia honey flow gracefully from an
olfactory volcano.
Taste:
Full-bodied, creamy and buttery. The
sweetness evolves into bold layers of
spice and cocoa; the perseverating
sweetness not far away.
Finish:
Long, the chocolate layers deconstruct
into delicious batches of mocha and
fudge with the faintest mint
refreshment.
Comment:
A well-developed whisky which keeps its
eye on the ball for balance and
integrity.
SMW Score
94.5/100
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Scapa Skiren Review
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 Bottled at 40% ABV, this one was made
100% in first fill American oak casks.
Murray Cohen's Tasting Notes:
Colour:
Medium Gold.
Nose:
Crab apples and strawberry rhubarb pie
come to the fore. A melange of Caribbean
Island exotic juices with coconut and
pineapple notes offer themselves along
with a hint of peppermint.
Taste:
Medium to full-bodied. Avocado and
chocolate tempt the palate along with
building coffee notes.
Finish:
Lingering with figs and chocolate froth
combining for a pleasant aftertaste.
Comment:
This one delivers on many levels and is
an enjoyable dram at quite a reasonable
price point.
SMW Score
86.5/100
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The Glenlivet Archive 21 Year Old Review
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 Bottled at 43% ABV, matured in a mixture
of hand-selected American oak casks and
European oak butts before being vatted
together.
Murray Cohen's Tasting Notes:
Colour:
Mahogany-Amber.
Nose:
Dark fruit, pungent meadow flowers,
thick honey, berries and more than a few
slices of fruit cake.
Taste:
Full-bodied and syrupy. Fruity sweet
with spice and oaky contributions that
impress along with whispers of chocolate
malt.
Finish:
Long, astringent, attractive grape notes
and leathery notes.
Comment:
A classic Glenlivet that has the right
measure.
SMW Score
92.5/100
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The Glenlivet Master Distiller's Reserve Small Batch Review
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 Bottled at 40% ABV, Triple cask matured
in traditional first-fill American and
ex-sherry oak. This is only available
duty free
Murray Cohen's Tasting Notes:
Colour:
Amber.
Nose:
Very fruity jam, prune nectar, mandarin
oranges, Robertson’s orange marmalade,
and a surge of licorice, anise and the
crusty top of crème brulee. The focus
then shifts to sultanas, figs, dark
fruit compote and caramelized bananas.
Taste:
Super creamy. A rush of assorted ice
cream flavors: pralines, butter pecan,
cookies and cream. A lasting flash of
buttered popcorn that entertains without
the need for an accompanying movie.
Finish:
Long, butter cream and dark chocolate
essences.
Comment:
A first rate dessert dram to be
recognized as great. The nose is
glorious.
SMW Score
90/100
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The Glenlivet Single Cask Davoch Review
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 Bottled at 61.6% ABV, the name Davoch
originates from smuggler’s route out of
the Glenlivet valley (Davoch croft).
Murray Cohen's Tasting Notes:
Colour:
Medium Gold.
Nose:
An initial banana explosion, melon sweet
with fine coconut and citrus melodies.
Taste:
Full-bodied. The citrus notes intensify
with a background profile shifting from
a pleasant tannin aura to toasted oak
like turning a page.
Finish:
Spice and oak protuberances with
underlying little bundles of sweetness.
Comment:
A cask strength bite of the dragon. A
few drops of water mellows-out the
whisky and tames the dragon.
SMW Score
89.5/100
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The Glenlivet Single Cask Hogshead Review
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Bottled at 59.4% ABV.
Murray Cohen's Tasting Notes:
Colour:
Light Gold.
Nose:
Fancy perfume is exuded along with a
growing monolith encompassing sweetness,
i.e., lilacs, nougat, Turkish delight,
hot chocolate and crème brulee.
Taste:
Full-bodied and creamy. The sweetness
evolves with heightened pistachio nuts
and slabs of honey.
Finish:
Long, the thick sweetness intersects
with spice and fruit compote with apples
and fried plantains.
Comment:
A wonderful melange of aromas and
flavors from start to finish.
SMW Score
93.5/100
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