That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Arran Batch #4

Started in 2012, Master of Malt's That Boutique-y Whisky Company very quickly made a name for themselves with their small batch releases of single malt, blended Scotch, Scottish grain, American and Indian whiskies. Their non-age statement 50cl bottlings with esoteric, graphic-novel style labels and cask strength contents really offer something for everyone. Well worth putting them on your whisky radar if they're not already on it.

Behind window #11: That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Arran Batch #4, 52% alc., Sold Out

C: Extra virgin olive oil

N: Fresh and piney with grapefruit, artisanal sea salt, and unused pencil erasers 

P: Continues with the fresh theme (more grapefruit, some grassiness) but now adds a crisp maltiness to the mix, quite chocolatey as it transitions into the finish

F: Moderate length with continuing grassiness, dark chocolate bitterness, and a touch more sea salt

In conclusion: A very fun Arran that, while demonstrating some of Arran's core characteristics (citrus, sea salt, malt), is a bit of a break from the norm. Such an enjoyable combination of casks!

Sincere thanks to Master of Malt's Drinks by the Dram for the sample.

Monkey Shoulder

We're dealing with an interesting juxtaposition today. Yesterday's Irish blend from William Grant & Sons is followed by today's Scotch blend from William Grant & Sons. Monkey Shoulder is a blend (technically a vatted malt, I suppose) of the company's three Scottish distilleries: Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, and Kininvie. The name is derived from the malady that affected the chaps who turned the barley on the malt floor.

Behind window #10: Monkey Shoulder, 40% alc., £21/$32

C: Reflective gold

N: Leads with the malt, some oak, some vanilla

P: Light and bright with Asian pear, malted barley and vanilla custard

F: Short to moderate with more malted barley and lingering pear skin

In conclusion: It's neither complex nor particularly interesting but it is incredibly drinkable. Share a bottle with a buddy over some great conversation and don't think too deeply about what's in your glass. Hell, throw in a cigar for good measure.

Sincere thanks to Master of Malt's Drinks by the Dram for the sample.

Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Old Special Reserve

Under William Grant and Sons' ownership since 2010, Tullamore D.E.W. (named for sixty year employee and former manager Daniel E Williams) has six bottlings in its line. Today's advent calendar offering is the "Special Reserve," a 12 year old blend of triple distilled grain whiskey, malt whiskey, and pot still whiskey matured in bourbon and sherry casks for twelve to fifteen years. Originally released to the travel retail market it's now generally available.   

Behind window #9: Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Old Special Reserve, 40% alc.,£41/$62

C: Gold

N: Grain forward with window putty and Pineapple Kubes, some honey, some vanilla

P: Pronounced sweet fruit notes (pear and more pineapple) with a little vanilla and hints of ground nutmeg 

F: Short and sweet with a slight astringency and lingering grain 

In conclusion: It moves quickly across the palate and finish. The memory is of sweetness but there's little texture and few defining characteristics.

Sincere thanks to Master of Malt's Drinks by the Dram for the sample.

The Balvenie Single Barrel Sherry Cask 15 Year Old

Yesterday was a revelation from a distillery I've avoided as much as humanely possible. Today's dram comes from a distillery I recommend to everyone. At some point, every sherry loving whisky drinker in my life will have been advised to purchase The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old (great price, solid whisky, does exactly what it says on the tin). The "Single Barrel" line was launched in 2014 and puts the focus on a single type of cask rather than bottling a single barrel (though outturns remain small). Here comes the sherry cask at a tremendous bottling strength for an OB.

Behind window #8: The Balvenie Single Barrel Sherry Cask 15 Year Old, 47.8% alc., £62/$93

C: Amber

N: Black tea gives way to pronounced malt, dark raisins, and Kola Kubes

P: Soft entry, warm orange spice and black raspberry jam with bitter chocolate and toasted hazelnuts

F: Long with lingering jamminess and dark chocolate bitterness

In conclusion: What a classy Speyside dram. Beautiful balance of flavors, great texture, and a finish that's so yummy and long it has me reaching for another drink just to go around again and again.

Sincere thanks to Master of Malts' Drinks by the Dram for the sample.

Glen Scotia Double Cask

Today's advent calendar dram is from one of only two distilleries I've spent my entire whisky drinking career avoiding. Known as "Campbeltown's other distillery" Glen Scotia has never had the best reputation in whisky circles. It was a sad little neglected distillery producing whisky with a very strange off note.

Since early 2014, however, under the ownership of Exponent Private Equity Glen Scotia has been spoiled with investment: new wash backs, new spirit safe, new roofs, still upgrades, and a visitor center. In 2015, a new retail line was launched that includes today's dram. Double Cask is a vatting of bourbon casks that were finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry for three to four months and bottled at 46% alc. (huzzah!). Let's see if fortunes are changing at Campbeltown's other distillery.

Behind window #7: Glen Scotia Double Cask, 46% alc., £31/$46

C: Gold

N: Ginger sponge cake with golden syrup, Connecticut shade-grown cigar wrappers (with a good whiff of Guy Fawkes bonfires), maybe a little custard around the edges

P: Decent texture, pleasantly spicy (ginger and a little cinnamon) with more custard notes

F: Moderate length but most surprisingly after the nose and palate is that it's strangely devoid of spice, there are some darker fruit notes coming in though

In conclusion: While the nose is terrific and the palate is good the finish is a real letdown. However, in the world of Glen Scotia releases this is an A+. After sampling this NAS offering I'm very interested in exploring the new line (and I didn't think I'd write that as recently as pulling this sample from the advent calendar!). I'm really pleased that this was included in this year's calendar and I wonder how many other whisky lovers grumbled to themselves when they saw the name on the label. Well played so far, Exponent Private Equity.

Sincere thanks to Master of Malt's Drinks by the Dram for the sample.