The Girvan Patent Still Proof Strength

Nice to see a grain whisky show up in the Whisky Advent Calendar (and at cask strength, to boot!). The Girvan distillery, situated on Scotland's southwest coast is owned by William and Grant Sons. Since 2007, it has also housed a single malt distillery, Ailsa Bay. Patent stills differ from pot stills in a number of ways. I'm not going to go into it here but you can read much more here. On to the tasting.

Behind window #18: Girvan Patent Still Proof Strength, 57.1% alc., £62/$92

C: White tea

N: Leads with the anticipated vanilla notes but there's shortbread and oak immediately following

P: Pleasantly sweet and textured with vanilla ice-cream and Custard Creams, little bit of white pepper coming in behind the sweet

F: Decent length with lingering sweetness, crystalized ginger, and vanilla custard

In conclusion: A solid introduction to grain whisky and well worth sharing with friends looking for a break from the whisky norm.

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

Mackmyra Brukswhisky

Founded in 1999, Mackmyra, Sweden's first whisky distillery, quickly built a good reputation. First released in 2010, Brukswhisky is mostly first fill bourbon barrel matured stock but there's also some sherry and Swedish oak matured stock in there, too. There's word that some smoky malt (smoked using bog moss and juniper wood) is in the mash bill. Interesting...

Behind window #17: Mackmyra Brukswhisky, 41.4% alc., £33/$50

C: White gold

N: Makes me think of young grain whisky aged in small casks (green, grassy, and lots of oak) with some vanilla and marzipan notes around the edges

P: Light and bright with underripe honeydew melon, more grassy notes, more vanilla, and underlying chamomile tea florals

F: Short with lingering pear notes and vanilla

In conclusion: While a perfectly pleasant light and fruity whisky (if you dig the Lowland style this is in your wheelhouse) it noses and tastes like a very young whisky and, sadly, lacks the smoke I've heard about that would help add a layer of complexity. Like any young distillery it will be worth watching Mackmyra as it grows and builds up its stocks.

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

The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old

Well, would you Adam and Eve it? Just a week after saying very nice things about The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old in the opening of my Balvenie 15 Year Old review and who should appear in today's whisky advent calendar window? Note that the UK version of DoubleWood 12 Year Old is bottled at 40% alc. while the US version is bottled at 43% alc. (don't ask me why). Buckle up, here comes one of my favorites.

Behind window #16: The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old, 40% alc., £28/$43

C: Light Copper

N: While the bourbon influence frames the whisky, the sherry is never too far away, ripe cantaloupe melon, honey, and a distinct smokiness

P: Rich and spicy, very round on the palate, toasted oak, lots more honey, vanilla, and dried apricots

F: Moderate with luscious fruits (more ripe cantaloupe and apricots), delicate nuttiness, and Garam Masala at the very end

In conclusion: A terrific entry whisky that gives massive bang for the buck. A potentially decadent dessert whisky paired with orange spice chocolate, coffee, and cigars. Not bad for a 40/43% alc. whisky around £30/$45!

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

Smuttynose Robust Porter

We've reached the 1/4 of the way mark on my "Twelve Beers of Christmas" journey with something dark from Smuttynose. Founded in 1994 after Peter Egelston acquired the assets of the former Frank Jones Brewing Company at a bankruptcy auction, Smuttynose has a solid presence on the east coast and can often be found on draft. Note that distribution doesn't go farther west than Wisconsin, though.

Behind door #3: Smuttynose Robust Porter, 6.2% alc., 12 oz. bottle

C: Black with a caramel colored head

N: Dark roast malt and notable hop oil aromas with a lovely burnt wood note

P: Thinner on entry than expected but with plenty of roasted malt and espresso bean bitterness

F: Pleasantly bitter with lingering roasted malt notes

In conclusion: A perfectly drinkable porter with classic grain notes and some nicely balanced bitterness 

Fettercairn Fior

An eastern Highland distillery poked its head out of the whisky advent calendar this morning. Fettercairn is located approximately half way between Aberdeen and Dundee on the edge of the Cairngorms. I'm not sure it's a distillery that's on the radar of your average whisky drinker but they've rebranded themselves in the last couple of years and are making an assault on the vaunted "luxury market." 

Behind window #15: Fettercairn Fior, 42% alc., £32/$48

C: Copper

N: A quiet one but if you poke your nose about a bit there's beeswax, warm potting soil, freshly oiled leather, and just a hint of dried orange peels 

P: Could be juicier at a higher strength, as it is there are suggestions of red fruits (a bit of strawberry, perhaps) with honey and some cereal notes

F: Short with hints of caramel, honey, and mini strawberry tarts

In conclusion: I've had some good Fettercairns in my time but this isn't one of them, I'm sorry to report. It's just so flat and uninteresting. I'd hate for someone to taste this and then write off the entire distillery (although it would be tempting to do so). If this is Fettercairn's attempt to enter the luxury market they've got a long slog in front of them.

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