Tag: Sherry Cask

Black Gate: BG072 – Cask Strength

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Black Gate BG072 - Cask Strength

Continue reading “Black Gate: BG072 – Cask Strength” →

Nose: Bushfire smoke. Wet earth. Fresh roadworks. Palate: Raw peaty spirit - but not green at all. Dirty, earthy, smoke - pure unadulterated bushfire. A little salty. A little sweet. Faint traces of winter fruits. Mouthfeel: Thick and warming. No burn at all - even at this cask strength. Finish: Long. So very very long. Smoke hanging around until next century. Bottled exclusively for the RTD Spirits Covid-19 Black Gate whisky tasting that took place (virtually) on the 20th June 2020. This special-release whisky was bottled at a cask strength of 69.3% ABV with no colouring and no chill filtration…

Would I Drink It Again?

Total Score

Absolutely - one of my regrets in life is that I only bought 2 bottles of this whisky!

Black Gate: BG047 – Cask Strength

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Black Gate BG047 - Cask Strength

Continue reading “Black Gate: BG047 – Cask Strength” →

Nose: Quite sweet - lots of candied strawberries and Iced Vovos. Palate: Not as sweet as the nose would suggest; with some spices coming in. Berry pannacotta with cream and sour cherries. Mouthfeel: Super thick, and quite oily. A little bit of alcohol burn. Finish: The sweetness from the nose is back again. Dried berries and sweet desert spices. This one has a medium-long finish. Bottled exclusively for the Whisky Freedom / NTD Spirits Covid-19 Black Gate whisky tasting that took place (virtually) on the 20th June 2020. This special-release whisky was bottled at a cask strength of 67% ABV…

Would I Drink It Again?

Total Score

Without a doubt. A superb whisky.

Country to Coast (BFG)

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Country to Coast

Continue reading “Country to Coast (BFG)” →

Nose: Straight off the bat you get slammed with a big punch of campfire smoke and dessert spices. Once that settles, it's like a Christmas cake doused in vanilla custard - lots of dark fruits including plenty of raisins, a hint of candied citrus, and a serving of sweet vanilla. Palate: If ever there was a whisky that tasted exactly how it nosed, this is it - just throw in some red berries, and maybe a slivered almond or two, and the palate is the nose. Mouthfeel: Thick, oily, and not a hint of alcohol despite it's ABV. Like liquid…

Would I Drink It Again?

Total Score

Absolutely - it's an amazing whisky. I bought a second bottle to do just that!

Yellow Spot

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Yellow Spot 12 Year Old

Continue reading “Yellow Spot” →

Nose: Lots of pineapple lumps and banana lollies, along with a deliciously pervasive sense of golden syrup on buttered and toasted crumpets.  Canned stone fruits such as peaches and apricots also feature heavily.  Also some notes of both custard and pecan pies showing up after the whiskey is left to breathe for a moment.  Definitely sweet on the nose, but not sickeningly so. Palate: Sponge cake is the first thing that comes to mind, with those crumpets dripping with golden syrup from the nose coming through as well.  Also some fruit jellies, and a late burst of oak spices coming…

Would I Drink It Again?

Total Score

More than likely. It's not brilliant, but very good - and intriguingly different enough to warrant further examination.

Green Spot

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Green Spot

Continue reading “Green Spot” →

Nose:  Grassy with notes of a caramel milkshake.  The nose is extremely light, even for a triple distilled whiskey. Palate:  Warm buttered Madeira cake with citrus icing.  Juicy green grapes.  Fresh apples and pears. Mouthfeel:  Smooth and creamy.  No burn.  Reasonable weight. Finish:  Practically non-existent.  Some slight fruit notes, but the whiskey is pretty much done once consumed. [divider] The Green Spot is a No Age Statement single pot-still Irish whiskey that has been matured in a mixture of first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels, refill ex-Bourbon barrels, and ex-Sherry casks.  All of the whiskey has been aged for between 7 and 10…

Would I Drink It Again?

Total Score

Probably. This wasn't a fantastic whiskey, but was decent enough.

Bruichladdich: Islay Barley 2004 – Feis Ile 2010 Bottling

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2004 for Feis Ile 2010

Continue reading “Bruichladdich: Islay Barley 2004 – Feis Ile 2010 Bottling” →

Nose:  Burnt sugar, raisins, dried red berries, vanilla, and burnt fruit cake. Palate:  Both sweet and sour.  Pretty much the same as the nose - definitely heavy on the berries and vanilla.  Also quite a solid malty creaminess enveloping the other flavours. Mouthfeel:  Mid-heavy weight, dry, creamy, with an alcoholic tingle right on the tip of the tongue. Finish:  Pretty long.  Some heat from the higher than average alcohol.  Not as sweet as the palate - some dried cake at the back of the throat.  The finish doesn't last a long time, but the impression the whisky leaves behind lasts…

Would I Drink It Again?

Total Score

Absolutely. This is a stunning whisky made even more desirable by its rarity.

Glenmorangie: A Midwinter Night’s Dram

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Glenmorangie A Midwinter Nights Dram

Continue reading “Glenmorangie: A Midwinter Night’s Dram” →

Nose: Sultanas, red apples, brown sugar, marmalade, and sponge cake. Palate: Much the same as the nose, but with some added almonds and citrus peel - and perhaps just a slight touch of cinnamon and vanilla. Mouthfeel: On the heavier side of mid-weight.  Silky smooth, and slightly oily, with not a hint of alcohol Finish: Mid-length, a reasonable amount of heat, with traces of red apples and a touch of marmalade. [divider] Bottled at 43%, the Midwinter Night's Dram was a limited release by Glenmorangie in 2015.  It is a no-age statement whisky that was aged in ex-Bourbon casks before…

Would I Drink It Again?

Total Score

Definitely. I imported several bottles after first trying it, and will import more again if I can.

Bushmills: 16 Year Old

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Bushmills 16 Year

Continue reading “Bushmills: 16 Year Old” →

Nose:  Honey, buttered fruit toast, sultanas, and canned pears. Typically crisp and light on the nose for an Irish whiskey. Palate:  Rich, fruity, sweet, and spicy.  Plenty of boysenberry on the palate, along with sweet malt and honey notes; there's also some canned fruit salad, some mixed-berry jam, and some Christmas-spiced gingerbread.  There's also a hint of something dry and slightly bitter - cacao maybe.  Strangely acidic on the first pop of the cork, but that completely disappears with a bit of a breather. Mouthfeel:  There's a decent weight to this whiskey - especially for one that is triple distilled. …

Would I Drink It Again?

Total

Definitely - this whiskey is delicious.

Glenfiddich: XX

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Glenfiddich XX

Continue reading “Glenfiddich: XX” →

Nose:  Christmas cake with maraschino cherries and plenty of brandy soaked sultanas.  Quite sweet - heading towards the golden syrup end of the sugary spectrum.  Also some vanilla, and hints of some sweet spices. Palate:  Sweeter and less fruity than the nose - also a lot less heavy than the nose would suggest.  A few sultanas are still to be found, although they seem to have dumped the brandy.  A little nutty as well, and just a trace of vanilla. Mouthfeel:  Surprisingly light in the weight department.  Despite the higher alcohol, there is only a very very slight tingle on…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

Nose
Palate
Mouthfeel
Finish
Balance

Warenghem: Amorik Classic

Posted on by The Whisky Ninja
Warenghem Amorik Classic

Continue reading “Warenghem: Amorik Classic” →

Nose:  Light & sweet.  Lemons and limes.  Quite malty. Palate:  Lots of malt, lots of oak spices, traces of vanilla and honeyed breakfast cereal.  Also a slight lemon hint. Mouthfeel:  Thin, warm, quite sharp.  There's a decent amount of alcohol on the tongue for a whisky of its strength. Finish:  Short-medium length.  Heavy on the malt with traces of vanilla and honey. [divider]   This is a decent-enough whisky with fairly basic notes on the palate - it doesn't really distinguish itself in any way, but likewise is not obnoxious at all.  A completely drinkable whisky, but not one that…

The Ninja's numbers - A completely subjective score.

Nose
Palate
Mouthfeel
Finish