Tamnavulin Tempranillo Cask Edition Batch #576, 2018

Rating23.4/40
OriginScotland, Speyside, Livet
DistilleryTamnavulin
OwnerAlliance Global Group via Emperador via Whyte & Mackay
EditionTempranillo Cask Edition
Batch576
StyleSingle Malt
CaskAmerican Oak Maturation, Tempranillo Cask Finish
Bottled2018
Strength40% (80 Proof)
RetailerDuty Free Exclusive
WhiskybaseWhiskybase

A duty-free exclusive from one of the lesser-known Speyside distilleries that was finished in Tempranillo whine casks.

Nose: Aged cola gummies served on top of old berry stained shoe leather, which somehow distracted me long enough for someone to lock me into a tight, freshly polished, darkly stained cherry wood cabinet. Later a school of sparkly lemons arrives and amuses itself by flitting hither and to right above the surface of the whisky. This is all rather more entertaining than I had expected. (7.5/10)

Palate: A soft and, honestly, rather dull hit on the palate. It’s like the whisky is struggling to break through its own viscosity. Most of the bits from the nose are there but subdued and muffled, as if you had dived into a vat of mineral oil. Holding on to the whisky it just never manages to do anything at the top of the palate. It does, however, ooze out from underneath itself after a short while and shows some signs of making an effort. However, all it manages to pull off is a dark and listless buzzing across the tongue. Let’s make that a… B minus for effort. (4.5/10)

Finish: More interesting stuff here, thank god. Not that hard to pull off after that flat tire of a palate. The buzz from the palate amps up a bit in the throat and manages to puff itself up on each breath. Not much of a glow but that’s not surprising at this low strength. The finish hangs into the chest a listlessly like an old slack hammock that’s lost all tension, but, still, there’s some joy here. (6.5/10)

Balance: This is like that one track on an album that you don’t mind but never choose to play. I don’t exactly like it. But I also don’t dislike it. If it was a little more even it’d make for a fine pay-no-attention social drinker. But the sad droopy dip in the middle is just… disappointing. It makes me forget the fun stuff on the nose and prevents me from enjoying the palate or the finish. Oh well, can’t all be champions. An extra dose of disappointment is due to me being a fan of Spanish Tempranillo wines and the influence of those casks has, sadly, completely failed to save this one. (4.8/10)

KaVaLan Solist Port Cask Duty Free 2018

Rating35/40
OriginTaiwan
DistilleryKavalan
StyleSingle Barrel Single Malt Whisky
CaskPort Cask 0110112016A
BottledSeptember 20th, 2018
Bottles149
Strength57.8% (115.6 proof)
RetailerTravel Retail Exclusive
Price$160

Nose: Rusty cherries and baker’s plums. Smells like a bright red plate that had fresh squeezed lemon squirted on it. Later strawberries rise from wine-soaked brown paper bags. Someone is taking off leather gloves a few houses down the block using them to stack a bunch of iron ingots. (8/10)

Palate: Sizzling strawberries and peaches stitched together with Meyer lemon threads. Later vaguely berry flavored dry book pages made from leather. (9/10)

Finish: Moist, rich, warm strawberry pie lubricated by browned butter slips easily and somewhat lasciviously over the back of the tongue and down into the throat all the while releasing tiny little puffs of cinnamon. (9/10)

Balance: Very berry butter puree. (9/10)