Penny for Your Thoughts - Black Rock, Part Two
These are the four other drams we tried at Black Rock — best whiskey vacation ever!
Compass Box Hedonism (43% ABV) - Hedonism is an unusual product — it is a blend of grain whiskies and grain whiskies only. Say what? Grain whiskies get a bad rap in the scotch whisky world, but that's why an accomplished blender like Compass Box set themselves the challenge of debunking that perception. This is a bravura performance from John Glaser, Compass Box's mastermind. I just criticized Compass Box yesterday for having some mediocre blends, but this is not one of them. Hedonism is a bit one-note, but the note is spectacular and clear, and Glaser deserves credit for purifying it to this point. Hedonism tastes exactly like vanilla, more than any other whisky I've ever tried. It is like a vanilla-heavy bourbon, if you then stripped out the toffee or caramel notes. It is like hearing a perfect, pure note from a well-tuned piano or violin. It's beautiful to behold. The finish reveals some aged oak lurking in the profile, but that vanilla is the absolute star here, and it's virtually a one-man show. It's a credit to Compass Box that the one note not only keeps my attention, but captivates it. This is a $100 bottle, so not cheap, but you've got to get one. A-
GlenDronach 12 (43%) - GlenDronach 12 may be my favorite entry-level sherried scotch. GlenDronach is not as well-known or widely distributed in the U.S. as Macallan, which I think is a shame. The distillery almost exclusively makes sherried scotches, and are masters of the art, although they do branch out for a few unusual expressions, like the peated one that I reviewed and loved in New Orleans. GlenDronach 12 is the distillery's introductory expression. Its aromas include ample amounts of vanilla and dates, so it has a Mediterranean dessert feel. On the palate, I get those classic sherried flavors of dates, figs, olives, and a bit of sulfurous smoke, but it's a hair too thin to be ideal. Warm, toasty oak and tobacco are the defining features of the lengthy finish. I'd stack this up against Macallan 12 any day. At $60 or so, it's also fairly priced. B+
Connemara (40%) - Connemara is the only peated Irish whiskey. That's right, there is only one peated whiskey in Ireland, at least as of the last time I checked. Thankfully, Connemara stacks up well against its cousins in Islay and does its home country credit. Connemara's peat flavors are reminiscent of a blend of Port Charlotte and Laphroaig: slightly fishy, seaweed-like, vegetal peat, with a good dose of minerality to boot. Those flavors dominate the nose and palate, although there's also some mild malt sweetness at its core. The finish is unique — my best analogy would be to play dough or rubber, which sounds strange, but is actually not unpleasant. This is an unabashed, unapologetic peated whiskey, and I very much enjoyed it. B+
Auchroisk 10 Flora & Fauna (43%) - The Flora & Fauna collection is Diageo’s attempt to introduce the community to its less renowned distilleries, most of which are primarily fodder for blending. Auchroisk appears on its own in the wild occasionally as part of Diageo’s annual limited releases, usually as a 20-year-plus aged single malt, and independent bottlers like Signatory often also release casks of Auchroisk. The distillery’s primary official bottling is this 10-year old expression, which is not exactly a common sight at any whiskey bar. My overall impression of this scotch is that it has the core flavors one would expect of a lightly sherried Highland whiskey: vanilla, honey and apple, some cherry, baking spices, oak, and cereal. It’s better than Glenmorangie because it has a well-balanced finish with no bitterness. Often, I find that the distilleries that aren’t known as single malts are used in blends for a reason, but I’m surprised Diageo doesn’t do more with this one. B