Red Wine Cask – DramWorlds

September 17, 2021September 17, 2021

Longrow (Springbank) Red Pinot Noir, 11yo (2019)

*Rating*	24.4/40
*Origin*	Scotland, Campbeltown,
*Distillery*	Longrow (Springbank)
*Owner*	J&A Mitchell & Company
*Series*	Red
*Edition*	Pinot Noir
*Style*	Single Malt
*Peated*	Yes
*Cask*	Pinot Noir
*Bottled*	January 7th, 2019
*Bottles*	9,000
*Strength*	53.1% (106.2 Proof)

Another one in the long running series of red wine aged small batch releases of Springbank’s peated single malt, the Longrow. Always unique, often tasty and always highly anticipated, at least by yours truly, I’m glad to try another one of these peated pearls.

Nose: The nose is definitely “red”, whatever that descriptor means. Knowing there is wine involved makes those notes apparent but I’m curious if I would have detected them in a blind tasting. If I try to dismiss any preconceived notions from my mind, I end up with Haribo fruit gummy candies hanging out in a cigar lounge. Except nobody is actually smoking because they’re all busy eating cherry pies at the moment. There’s stuff I like and stuff I don’t like. This one’s a bit hard to nail down points-wise. (6.8/10)

Palate: Thick, goopy cherry-pie effluent and splinters of dark wood. And I wish all of it would come to life more. Not sure why this stuff is refusing to blow up. There’s a sizzling heat emerging after each sip that seems to burn off all of those rather nice flavors too quickly until the last of them evaporates the moment it goes down. It’s kind of a shame really. This palate is its own worst enemy. This is what it must feel like to have a child of great promise which proceeds to turn into a petty thief. (6.1/10)

Finish: A lonesome ghost of slightly bitter flavor and some residual warmth in the upper chest is all that’s left after everything else quickly evaporates. That and a mild sugary coating on the back of the tongue. Definitely a bit of a let down this one. I really expected more. (5.6/10)

Balance: I dunno… I usually really like the Longrow Red releases but this one is subpar on all fronts. Somehow, despite its relative strength, it seems to lack the substance to assert and maintain the nice flavors it hints at. You open a cage at the zoo but instead of a roaring lion you get a disinterested shabby looking racoon. A bit of a bummer. But luckily also a bit of an exception in the series. At least I hope it’s not a harbinger of future doom. (5.9/10)

April 2, 2021April 2, 2021

Tamnavulin Tempranillo Cask Edition Batch #576, 2018

*Rating*	23.4/40
*Origin*	Scotland, Speyside, Livet
*Distillery*	Tamnavulin
*Owner*	Alliance Global Group via Emperador via Whyte & Mackay
*Edition*	Tempranillo Cask Edition
*Batch*	576
*Style*	Single Malt
*Cask*	American Oak Maturation, Tempranillo Cask Finish
*Bottled*	2018
*Strength*	40% (80 Proof)
*Retailer*	Duty Free Exclusive
Whiskybase	Whiskybase

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)

February 27, 2020May 7, 2021

Savage & Cooke “The Burning Chair” E-Ville Wine & Spirits Exclusive, Barrel #35, 4yo, 2017

*Rating*	31.5/40
*Origin*	USA
*Distillery*	Savage & Cooke
*Series*	The Burning Chair
*Style*	Single Barrel Finished Bourbon
*Cask*	New Charred American Oak, 90% Grenache + 10% Cabernet Finish in Barrel #35
*Bottled*	2017
*Strength*	44% (88 Proof)
*Retailer*	E-Ville Wine & Spirits

This release of David Phinney’s “Burning Chair” Bourbon was finished in a single barrel seasoned with a mix of 90% Grenache and 10% Cabernet from David’s wine projects. It was exclusively bottled for E-Ville Spirits & Wine in Upper NY. The mash bill is 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley.

Nose: The wine doesn’t give itself away here at all. Instead it presents a deep, mellow Bourbon nose with a hint of Japanese cedar bath salts and a sweet… something… that slowly rises to the top. Some kind of berry flavored candy perhaps? Maybe that’s the wine making itself heard after all. The mildly intrusive sweetness knocks a half point off of what is otherwise a great nose just because it displaces some other stuff I really like. (7.5/10)

Palate: One day a nice Bourbon decided to take a long and relaxing bath in a welcoming tub filled to the top with friendly red wine. The whole bathtub has been placed in your mouth which, presumably, is why you’re perceiving the Bourbon as floating somewhere in the center while the periphery is all wine. The sweetness of either compliments that of the other quite well. This makes for a very smooth and relaxing experience. Like taking a nice bath. This is great stuff and I find that I don’t want to swallow it quickly. (9.0/10)

Finish: The back-end definitely feels a little underpowered after the great palate though it does just about manage to reach the mid-chest point. Mild flavors gently spread themselves around and faintly glow on every breath. I wish it was a little more potent back here but, still, it’s all very pleasant in the end. (8.0/10)

Balance: I prefer when the flaws of a whisky manifest themselves up front so that the last part of the experience is the best. Here unfortunately there’s a bit of a downhill slope in the experience with the relative weakness of the finish which leaves me wistfully contemplating the amazing palate. (7.0/10)

July 17, 2019January 23, 2020

Starward Nova, 2yo

*Rating*	32/40
*Origin*	Australia
*Distillery*	Starward
*Style*	Single Malt Whisky
*Cask*	Australian Red Wine Casks
*Strength*	41% (82 proof)
Price	$45-90

Nose: Dark fruit, cherries and strawberries leading earthier wine notes. (8/10)

Palate: The wine influence comes to the fore and mixes into a batch of cookie dough. (8/10)

Finish: A mixture of wine and orange with hints of baking spices. It leaves a kind of gummy bear coating. (8/10)

Balance: This is surprisingly good for such a youngster but it needs a lot of time in the glass to get a hold of all its parts and assemble them into something presentable. Water makes a shambles of it all. (8/10)

July 27, 2018January 22, 2020

Ardbeg Grooves Ardbeg Day 2018 Committee Release

Ardbeg Grooves Committee Release 2018 Close-up

*Rating*	36/40
*Origin*	Scotland, Islay, South Shore
*Distillery*	Ardbeg
*Owner*	LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE via Glenmorangie
*Series*	Ardbeg Day Committee Release
*Style*	Single Malt Whisky
*Peated*	Yes
*Cask*	Recharred Red Wine Casks
*Bottled*	November 23rd, 2017
*Strength*	51.5% (103.2 proof)
Price	$115-300

Nose: Dark smoke, earth and coarse bark mulch. (9/10)

Palate: Broad, root-y, a little like licking rough bark but without the stabbiness and cuttiness of it. (8/10)

Finish: Deep and broad, wild mushrooms. Porcini? (10/10)

Balance: Just… lovely. (9/10)