Secret Speyside 2008, 15 years old, Faultline/K&L SP, 55%
Faultline is K&L’s Private label, this is a 15 year old Speyside scotch. As per website mentions that it’s either Glenrothes or Macallan (or not, or mix of the two, who knows). The cask is almost guaranteed to be ex-bourbon with the colors of fresh straw. The nose is very typical of speyside style orchard fruits. The palate is *gentle* despite the proof. Dried biscuits, toasted grains, perhaps some walnut skins, burnt honey. Aftertaste is mellow malt, touch of near-bitter barrel char, baking spices that lingers for quite a while. Overall: Surprisingly enjoyable, good blend of malt and cask that’s not overwhelming, yet brings a good amount of character into the glass. It is not mind-blowing; yet very enjoyable at the end of the day. Value: At 50!? For 15 year old malt. YES!
This: https://shop.klwines … ucts/details/1840739
Score: B+
Cameronbridge 12, SigVin/K&L SP, Single Grain Scotch 62.9%
SigVin stands for Signatory Vintage of course. Aged for 12 years in 1st fill bourbon barrel. This is *potent* from the bottle. The nose is a mix of cask spices and rubbing alcohol, reminding me somewhat of a light cologne or a fancy aftershave. After some time in the glass, some ripe bananas and tropical fruit notes show up… but it doesn’t become any less potent. The palate starts sweet, then quickly swings into fairly intense, and somewhat funky with young distillate, toasted oak notes, then change again into intense chili peppers and baking spices backed by strong alcohol. The finish is medium-short and mostly a combination of sweetness and those chili peppers fading away. Some water relieves the intensity but amplify that somewhat yeasty funk, water is recommended; but with caution. Overall: An oxymoronic cask that by all accounts should never have been tasting as good as it is. It’s got its shortcomings for sure but it’s a fun one. Value: At $40 this was still a gamble… but even then it’s hard to lament such a low price.
This: https://shop.klwines … ucts/details/1789691
Score: B-
Courage & Conviction 6, Fino Sherry, K&L SP, 60.5%
An american malt here, pick by Brendan P, a cask #1718, aged it’s entire life in a fino sherry cask. If you’re not familiar, fino sherry is a very dry sherry rather than typical sweetness as one would expect from other sherry examples. A side note, I’m a little sad they either stopped including neck ribbons or my particular bottle didn’t get one. Let’s dig in! The nose got strong alcohol, herbal, and dry toasted wood dominates, backed by some sort of dried fruit leather. The plate is quite dry and oddly gentle coming in from a reasonably rough nose. We’ve got almond nuttiness, herbs, some chili spices, burnt vanilla that’s not too sweet. The aftertaste lingers around with drying herb notes and more chili almonds, to be more specific drying, toasted, almond skins. Overall: Fans of very good sherry bombs that’s not too sweet should apply. This gives some of the best (heavily-sherried) scotch a run for it’s money. Dry, punchy, malty, herbaceous, nutty, it’s got it all. Very good one for sure. Do note, that it does need a moment o open up in the glass and to be fair that nose… is a touch disjointed from the rest. Value: Ooooh boy… I picked it up on clearance for 25% off original though I’ve been watching it like a hawk for a while to go on sale and snagged it as soon as it did. Somewhat of a break-even to its competition at original MSRP of $100 if there are plenty of bottles in the backlog, definite buy on discount.
This: https://shop.klwines … ucts/details/1719095
Score: B+
A side-by-side:
Balvenie 15, Original Bottling, Single Cask #1570, 47.8%
Did I mention I like my Balvenie? This is a single cask from the distillery 28/01/98 - 08/11/13 dated and aged in bourbon cask. Okay, look, it’s an older Balvenie when the quality was simply stellar. Toasted vanilla honey on the nose, very slightly metallic with dried red apple skins. The palate is somewhat gentle offering more of that toasted almond skins, maltiness, cereal notes, orange rind, some vanilla and velvety texture. Surprisingly not too sweet or fruity for a Speyside malt this one is more of a toasted roasted grains profile. A long aftertaste turns into prominent cask spices and finishes with a touch of chili cinnamon. Overall: Extremely enjoyable if a touch spicy for a casual drinker bottling. I wouldn’t describe this as a ’smooth’ drink, but more of a spicy snack. Though, add a little touch of water and it smoothes it out into a stunningly approachable pour for anyone. Value: N/A due to being a legacy bottle.
Score: B+
vs
The Huntley (Balvenie) 25, K&L SP, Faultline, 51.2%
An oddball side-by-side considering 10 years of aging difference here. This is an independently bottled 25 year old single cask from 1998 aged in a sherry hogshead. I’ll note that this isn’t super dark, almost matching ex-bourbon cask above, so very likely a refill or 2nd fill cask here. The nose got dried oranges dominating orchard apple-pears and alcohol giving it all a warm hug. The palate starts out sherry-sweet but very quickly veers into prominent dry baking spices and chili peppers somewhat spoiling the enjoyment by overwhelming the palate. There’s some sort of jam and herbaceousness to this experience that lingers for a while in the aftertaste too. Water thankfully takes some of the edge off and bring in rather notable orange oil notes and allows for toasted wood to let its presence be known after hiding well considering the age. Overall: This is a multilayered, highly complex, spicy, and interesting bottle. I feel it does benefit from a few drops of water to tone down the intensity that fights with complexity. Value: Priced at $250 I’ve not bought it myself, because I’m poor… but it’s certainly is no slouch on the ‘reasonable’ value side, especially considering how much comparable Balvenie OBs go for.
This: https://shop.klwines … ucts/details/1840740
Score: A-
So, the sherried Balvenie OB won… But, also, come on! It’s a sherried Balvenie 25! Jokes aside, it may not have been a truly fair side by side due to cask types and age, but I’ll call myself the winner cause I got to try both. Ultimately, one is somewhat casually enjoyable pour for a lighter weather and the other one is more complex and contemplative for deep thoughts in front of a fireplace.
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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown