One way in which Glenrothes distinguishes itself from other Speyside brands is by bottling its whiskies in vintages rather than using age statements.  Hence in your local whisky shop you might find The Glenrothes 1998, 1988, 1994, etc. as well as the vatted malt “Select Reserve.”  We’ve tasted the Select Reserve as well as a few of the vintages in the past, so were excited by the recent arrival of the 1995 vintage in North America.  Released last year in Europe, us new-worlders had to weight for this vintage, which Glenrothes describes on their packaging as follows:

Appearance: Medium golden, clear and bright
Nose: Floral, citrus and butterscotch notes with a hint of spice, white pepper and cedar-wood syrup
Palate: Rich, sweet, soft flavor, leading to rich spiciness
Finish: Sugared citrus peel soft fruits, medium dry with abundant spices

Here’s what we thought: Matured in 30% first-fill american sherry casks, the 1995 is a surprisingly light amber in color. However, the butterscotch and vanilla from the sherry appear instantly on the nose, complimented by cereals, orange peel, cinnamon and nutmeg.  On the palate the orange peel and vanilla become more prominent, with sugary dark fruits coming through.  The mouth-feel is syrupy, with a sweet and lingering finish through which oranges and vanilla continue to appear.

Overall, this is a very pleasant dram. Priced only a few dollars more than the quickly-disappearing 1994 vintage, retailing for $82, this whisky is suitably priced for a 16 year old, and makes a great dram especially for those who enjoy sweet and citrusy whiskies with a solid dose of of butterscotch and dark fruits underneath adding complexity and depth.

Drinkwel has had quite some success since our initial test in 2010, and they have recently released their Life of the Party Kit containing within a small tin 2 Drinkwel packets, electrolyte mix, a booklet of cocktail recipes, 1 pack of mints, and a set of health drinking tips including expansions upon “Eat before you drink,” “Drink water before, during, and after” and “Don’t mix.”  All statements we couldn’t agree with more.  While the cocktail recipe book wasn’t to my taste (no Old-Fashioned?), you can take our word that the party kit is a great talking point when you arrive at the party: everyone wants to try the “drinking multi-vitamin.”  Overall, definitely worth checking out; you don’t often find a conversation starter that doubles as a healthy supplement for a night of imbibing…

Nurtured for sixteen long years, this is the whisky of choice for the people of Jura. It’s a subtle malt – unassuming, understated yet intriguing. Qualities often attributed to the Diurachs themselves. Understandably, the islanders are drawn to it above all others. To honour this unique bond, the symbol of the Diurachs adorns each and every pack.

Flavours of dark chocolate combined with oranges and spices leave a sweet toffee and honey finish.

Our tasting notes varied slightly.  We were hit by celery and watermelon on the nose, with a citrus and cherry pucker following through from nose to finish.  Also present is the Cinnabon experience — sweetened raisins, cinnamon, and hints of spice.  On the palate, a slight icing sugar dryness appears, followed by notes of leather and shoe polish with a touch of tobacco.  The celery from the nose re-appears on the finish, joined by other green veggies including brussel sprouts and iceberg lettuce.

Overall, a very pleasant experience, and a superb whisky for exploring the textural nooks and crannies of a subtle whisky.

The 1797 Founder’s Reserve (often just called Founder’s Reserve) is the mainstay of the distillery’s offerings, and comes bottled at a nice 48% ABV.  The company’s official tasting notes are as follows:

Nose - Sweet vanilla and butterscotch show the influence of North American Oak with fruitier green apple and grapefruit coming through at the rear.
Palate - At first the palate is sweet with hints of buttercream and vanilla. As this begins to ebb, the fruitiness of the green apple skin and citrus cleanliness leaves the palate refreshed.

Our take was slightly different.  With an amber colour and nice legs in the glass, the Founder’s Reserve’s nose starts with vanilla and almond highlighted by a slight oaky smokiness.  Following this first impression is a doughy or yeasty undertone not unlike starchy potato, complemented nicely by roasted apples.  On the palate, the vanilla tones are rounded out by light cinnamon and chili, with ginger hiding in the background.  The finish, given it’s 48% punch, has a lingering bite, with bitter unripe pear and dark chocolate notes pervading.

Overall, this is a pleasant whisky, and is a good higher-alcohol dram to venture into.  The nose is full of complexity and delight, with the palate coming in nice and spicy.  The finish, however, is a bit dry and can’t quite deliver on the promise shown by the nose.

For serious connoisseurs, you now have the opportunity to put your name on 200 litres of future Shelter Point whisky.  $5000 gets you the following:

• The rights to 200 liters of “new make” Shelter Point Single Malt Spirit
• Exclusive Shelter Point Cask Owners Club Membership w Storage for 5 years
• Bonding and insurance for a term of 5 years
• One 100 ml cask sample, annually
• Quality monitoring
• Transport between the Distillery warehouse and the bottling warehouse
• Auditing costs
• All supporting management and administration
• Bottling, bottles, corks and capsules

While the cost seems daunting, consider that 200 litres will make over 250 750ml bottles.  For $20/bottle, that’s quite reasonable.  Mind you, after the government takes their share the price will roughly double, but the experience of being able to visit the distillery to visit your cask, gain a deeper insight into the whisky-making experience, and taste the evolving product is an offer that’s hard to resist.

Firstly, here’s a sample:

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And finally, the link to the full series:
Esquire’s Scotch Pronunciation Guide

The nose of Glenfarclas 15 is filled with citrus highlights, akin to orange flavoured chocolate, with hints of exotic spices, herbs and the smell in a forest on a hot afternoon. Just smelling this dram gives hints that the malt within will be full-flavoured.  The flavours are spirity and palate cleansing, but with a hint of sweet undertones that are really quite rich. The interplay of strength and spirit could be compared to a butterscotch and mint candy cane. The finish is strong and well balanced, and drinks perfectly to my palate at 46%, without water added. Glenfarclas 15 has a real personality. Whereas the 17 is more of a graceful ballet dancer, the 15 packs the punch and dance of a middleweight.

Scotch

BC has a government controlled liquor board, and there are corresponding retail outlets well scattered among the streets of Vancouver. The best selection of whiskies is at the Cambie St. signature store, although even the smaller stores can be good, and you’re guaranteed to be getting the lowest available  price. Their website offers detailed stock locations to make finding a rare bottle easy. For even more rare bottlings, there are some boutique stores scattered around the city, as well as just outside in the neighbouring suburbs.

On Robson Street, amongst the endless retail outlets, lies Liberty Wine Merchants, a primarily wine-focused boutique with a fine selection of wines from BC and the rest of the world. The also carry a modest selection of Cuban Cigars and the back wall is covered in Whisky bottles and other fine spirits: a one-stop shop with some real character. A more thoroughly modern take on the Whisky shop is Legacy, located amongst the buildings of the old Olympic Village, with bright lights, vaulted ceilings, and above all a staggering selection. Check out the lounge at the back of the building for tastings as well as the best bottles. If you are really looking for a unique selection from a liquor store with knowledgeable staff and a real local soul, check out the 16th St. Liquor store in West Vancouver. It’s a short drive out there, and you will definitely find some bottles there that you just can’t get anywhere else, like a great selection of Murray McDavid bottles and a vertical of Glenfarclas Family Casks.

If you are heading to a bar and looking to sample a good dram or two, head into Gastown and hit up Shebeen, behind the Irish Heather Pub. The Pourhouse and Keefer Bar nearby have some character as well but much less selection.

Cigars

The cigar market in Vancouver is built primarily around Cuban cigars, undoubtedly due not just to the great products but also the proximity to the US and the American consumer looking to grab a rare smoke. The shops are private, and usually tended by some great people – you will probably strike up a conversation in the store that will stimulate your conversation later while you smoke the treasures you purchased.

The first place you should go, in conjunction with a trip to the tourist friendly Granville Island, is City Cigar. With the cliche feel of an old cigar emporium, you will catch a draft of tobacco while you walk up the street towards this characterful store. The selection of Cubans is a highlight, in particular a decent selection of aged Cubans. I was able to pick up some now-defunct Sancho Panza Sanchos. There is plenty of humidors, lighters and other paraphernalia to go around as well. If you’re right in downtown, swing by Two Thousand Cigars, a hole-in-the-wall shop with a walk in humidor and plenty of celebrity stories from the proprietor who has years of experience selling to the employees of “Hollywood North.” Because of his clientele there are plenty of Behike and Montecristo Opens to be had.

Unfortunately smoking laws prohibit the presence of smoking lounges in Vancouver, but in the warm months there are certainly plenty of great places in the city worthy of lighting up one of Castro’s finest.

While possessing the trademark orange zest and gingerbread aroma that is a highlight of all Dalmore whiskies, the 18 year posseses an interesting overtone of malted milk chocolate and pine trees. While the extra wood aging hasn’t lent a dustry dry tannin character to the flavour of the whisky, it has softened it to a point where it feels like it lacks some intesity. Overall before I added a drop of water it felt very disjointed. The water calmed things down and allowed some of the eucalyptus and fruity subtleties to come through more. Now to be fair, I tasted this beside the Dalmore Mackenzie, which gives a tasting experience much like getting punched in the face with a sherry pillow. The Dalmore 18 is a more interesting scotch than their 12 year, but it lacks the 12′s pure sherry soul. The prefect drink, then, for sherried scotch nerds.

Grain 18: This light amber whisky starts off with honeyed marzipan and mince meats on the nose.  On the palate a meringue bite lingers a bit too long before yeasty and buttery notes lead to a smokey finish.  This is arguably not a whisky to be consumed on its own, hence its role as a blending component.  Longmorn 18: Slightly darker in color than the grain whisky, the Longmorn has sweet cherries and blueberry on the nose, with a slight salty nuttiness combining to create the aroma of trail mix.  Cinnamon and honey appear on the palate.  On the medium-length finish, balsa wood shavings notes appear, fading to slightly salty iodine.  Strathisla 18:  Making up the lion’s share of Chivas 18, this gold-colored whisky has salt and a slight smokiness on the nose, followed by prune juice and mustiness reminiscent of a dusty old library.  The finish is short, with smoky notes like burnt toast.  Islay 18: Starting with notes of BBQ shrimp and iodine, this amber whisky then gives way to salty brine and bark mulch.  There also hits savory undertones, reminding one taster of the oiled saddle leather from a tack room.  Finish is long and smokey, like a campfire the next day or expended fireworks.  Now, let’s turn to Chivas 18, which is a blend of the four previous whiskies: Light amber in color, this blend smooths many of the highs and lows of the four blending components, making for an enjoyable dram.  New notes which could be picked up on the nose are over-ripe dark fruits, butterscotch and honeysuckle.  Also, a hint of ripe bananas.  We would argue that Chivas 18 is more complex, yet more balanced than its four components.  In fact, the Strathisla 18 is the only component that stood out to us as a feasible daily drinker.  Chivas 18, however, manages to rise above the sum of its parts to create a truly enjoyable whisky.