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New on Local Shelves

Half a dozen new bottlings have shown up recently - interesting editions yet not outrageously priced. These are:

The Laphroaig Cask Strength 10yo The Laphroaig Quarter Cask NAS The Cragganmore Distiller's Edition Portwood Finished The Dalwhinnie Distiller's Edition Oloroso Sherrywood Finished The Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition Amontillado Sherrywood Finished The Talisker 175th Anniversary Eddition

The Laphroaig CS is hardly more expensive than the standard 10yo. The Talisker is the most expensive of this bunch at around 90 USD.

Does anyone have opinions about these?

The only ones I've tasted (so far) are the Laphroaigs. Both were good, interesting whiskies; the Quarter Cask seemed to have some lemon-citrus notes I had never before noticed in a Laphroaig, and was bottled at an interesting unusual strength of 48% AB; but I prefered the slightly less expensive CS. It was exactly as I remember Laphroaig as being when I first tasted it. It had the peaty "Love it or Hate it" quality that the 10yo was famous for and which seems to have moderated in recent years - whether it has really changed or my palate has just grown more jaded I don't know.

I googled this group about the DE's which have been available overseas for years and the consensus seemed to be if you love the regular edition you won't like the DE, but if the regular edition (Glenkinchie, Dalwhinnie...) doesn't impress you the Distiller's Edition will be much more interesting. But most of the discussion was actually about the Lagavulin DE which isn't available (or likely to be available) here.

Any opinions about the three DE's above, or the Talisker 175th?

Bart

Reply to
Bart
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I've had both of the laphroigs and I much prefer the Quarter Cask the idea behind it is at least 15 years old .. one of the japanese distilleries was experimenting wtih adding wooden balls or grates to their casks to enhance the contact with the wood as far back as '89 .. it may even be older but '89 for sure..

But anyway .. it makes for a very interesting whisky.. it seems from my admittedly limited experience that it 1/4 Cask retains a lot of the raw power of the younger whisky that is smoothed out nicely by the accelerated "aging" from the extra wood contact. I would not be surprised to see some others experimenting allong these lines.

As to the DE the only one I've tried is the Dal and I didn't like it .. but I don't like any of the notably sherried whiskies .. Just a hint is fine but the extra finishes leave me cold.. The glen fidich Solera is about as far to the sherry side as I go..

I haven't seen the Talisker 175th yet but will buy it when I do.. I've liked every expression of theirs except the DE .. (See above)

Reply to
ajames54

Interesting that these are the Classics. Feels a little like good marketing as well as good production, although except for the Laphroaig Cask Strength, I haven't tasted any of them. The Laphroaig CS, I had was at a friends house just as we were about to go out to dinner and after a couple of other drinks so I didn't really have time to do it justice in terms of a taste test.

I did see in addition to the above Talisker that there is a Talisker 25 year old as well as a 17 (I think) on the shelves of a local liquor store. I was very surprise to see them. I'll be picking up the 17 YO soon, I'm sure.

DaveS

Reply to
DaveS

Most of my local malt aquaintances have championed the Quarter Cask over the Cask Strenght Laphroaig, (not that I've done much of a survey) but I liked the CS alot. It was like meeting an old friend. I try not to be swayed by price or other people's opinions and simply like what tastes good to me, but I admit it's hard not to be influenced by age, price, rarity, or popular opinion. Anyone who has attended a blind tasting will testify that there are always some surprizes.

Yes, there's a 25yo and one or two 20yo's that have been released in recent years. I haven't heard of a 17yo, but if it turns out to be the 18yo, that was a very good bottle, and at a very reasonable price as well.

Bart

Reply to
Bart

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