Penny for Your Thoughts - Bunnahabhain 12, Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, Ledaig 10, Russell's Reser
I've finally polished off the last of my 50 ml samples from Mission and am happy to have found some underappreciated whiskies (or at least, underappreciated by me before this experiment).
Bunnahabhain 12 (46.3% ABV) - A few years back, Bunnahabhain made the decision to up the ABV, ditch chill filtering, and stop adding color to their single malts. It paid off in spades. This distillery stands out from its Islay brethren in making an unpeated style of scotch (the only other distillery of the Islay Eight to do so in its base expression is Bruichladdich). The nose has a lovely rich, malty sweetness with a lot of floral character. The nuttiness makes me think there's a fair amount of sherry-cask aging, which would also explain the dark color. It's not complex, but it is mouthwatering. The palate confirms that it's sherry-aged -- raisins and fudge all day. It's sweet, but in an austere rather than decadent way, which distinguishes it from a Speyside dram. On the finish I get raisins, dates, and a tiny bit of brininess, with a long-lasting chest warming afterglow. B+
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban (46%) - This is the last of my three Glenmorangie samples, and I've enjoyed them all. Quinta Ruban is aged in port pipes, i.e., the long barrels used to age port. Port being my favorite fortified wine, I was fairly confident I would enjoy this scotch. Its aromas are heavenly and present a nice array of dessert scents, including (as expected) port, glazed donut, marzipan, and peach cobbler. The palate is a bit of a letdown because it's too easy drinking. It feels a smidgen too gentle and thin, and it's hard to believe it's 46%. This is a real dessert scotch, with light vanilla, cream, and a fresh fruit taste as opposed to the stewed or dried fruit flavors characteristic of sherry aging. The finish is sweet honey, syrup, and a hint of baking spices. This scotch is similar to, perhaps a slightly better version of, Balvenie DoubleWood (which, although sherry-aged, has a lot of similar fresh fruit flavor). B
Ledaig 10 (46.3%) - When I had this, I suddenly thought, "What is up with this weird ABV that somehow Bunnahabhain and Ledaig both decided would be their bottling strength?" Google quickly informed me that the two have shared ownership, which now makes sense. Ledaig is a peated scotch from the Isle of Mull, a bit south of Islay, and in everything but geographical origin basically is an Islay scotch. It has a nice, peaty entry, with a warm, buttered toast, crispy-crust smoke, but also a healthy dose of new-log-on-the-campfire aroma. Other than that, I get a citrus lemon or lime combination very similar to Kilchoman Machir Bay and Ardbeg 10, with just a hint of minerality. The palate is sweeter than those two, but the flavors don't pop quite as much. Its light, pleasant sweetness kind of makes me imagine what a peated Glenmorangie would be like. The finish is mellow peat, woodiness and grassiness, salt and brine, and then a bit of tang or acidity at the very end. This scotch reads to me like a more mature version of Machir Bay, but I'm missing some of that youthful energy. They are quite close, though, and honestly I would mistake one for the other easily in a blind tasting. B+
Russell's Reserve 10 (45%) - I've coined a new term for these guys -- jabs ("just another bourbon"). In a way, it's a compliment. To me, a jab is a solid entry-level bourbon, bottled somewhere in the 43-48% range, that hits the classic notes well, doesn't stray too far afield, and has no offputting or negative features. This Wild Turkey product's best feature is a nose I could smell all day, filled with fragrances of cherry, vanilla cream, and sweet toast. The taste is toffee and raisins forming a classic, middle-of-the-road profile that doesn't veer into more heavily oaked or more overly sweet flavors. The finish has a bit of oak tannin astringency, lasts enough beats to make out a melody of caramel and spice, and then moves on. A jab is the foundation of any boxer's repertoire, and of any bourbon fan's liquor cabinet. I would slot this a hair above Woodford Reserve and Bulleit, and in about the same place as Evan Williams Single Barrel, but all of these are solid jabs in the same $30-35 price range that I'd recommend trying for yourself. The single barrel, higher ABV version of Russell's Reserve has a lot more character and is better for a more seasoned drinker. B