Rosebank Revisited
Attentive readers of this informative blog will recall that one of our family favorites from last spring’s cruise, where we indulged in fine whiskies every evening at Maltings, the ship’s whisky bar, was Rosebank, a lowland malt whose distillery closed in the early 90s. On the boat we found a Rare Malts bottling of Rosebank 19, not knowing much of anything about this scotch. Jackson describes it as flowery, but I think its distinguishing characteristics are a dry finish, with a spicy aftertaste. Lowland malts have a milder, more subtle flavor, not that big bold taste of say Macallan or Highland Park; but of all the lowlands I have tasted (there are apparently only a couple lowland distilleries still open), Rosebank is the most flavorful.
John found me a 1991, 13 year old, cask strength private bottling, by Gordon & MacPhail. Very nice; and just like the 19 we found at Maltings, very distinctive. It has its own unique kind of taste, just the way Talisker has an unmistakable taste. At cask strength it needs to be watered, and it becomes a touch cloudy with the addition of the water, suggesting that it’s not been chill filtered, not finished off so that it can be poured on ice in the American market. Old fashioned malt whisky. Too bad this malt will gradually disappear, unless someone bothers to reopen the distillery. Jackson calls its demise a ‘grievous loss’.
We had both boys home for the weekend, which meant that we spent more than a little time with our whisky. We picked up a bottle of Highland Park 18 for the remarkable price of $53. That has to be the very best buy one can find on the entire planet. HP, one of our long-time favorites, has been declared the finest spirit in the world. And the 18 is just about perfect. Maybe the 25 has a longer finish, and a bit more flavor. But the 18 is so good, so smooth, how could anyone possibly complain? And for $53 a bottle? Why didn’t we buy more? (Yes G, I’m holding one for you. I had to hide it in my basement so I didn’t accidentally drink it all up one night.)
We also sampled a brand new taste, Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye, 13 years old. My man Ben says that straight rye whisky is ready to blow up, the next big thing, and this Winkle is an indication why. Sweeter than malt whisky, perhaps not as much variety of taste, but smooth and definitely flavorful. The only drawback is that a single glass is enough; the whisky doesn’t leave you wanting a refill as soon as your glass is empty. Now perhaps some folks would find that to be a virtue; after all, it encourages moderation in whisky consumption. But around here, we prefer whiskies that call for another pour, regardless of how many you’ve already had. And think about it, doesn’t it require a greater act of will to turn down another glass of Highland Park? And doesn’t that really make you a better person for having resisted that extra glass? I think it’s important to keep in mind that whisky shouldn’t just taste good; it should build character as well.
G-Man reports that he has acquired a high end Caol Ila, cask strength, 12 year old, private bottling. So how is it?
John found me a 1991, 13 year old, cask strength private bottling, by Gordon & MacPhail. Very nice; and just like the 19 we found at Maltings, very distinctive. It has its own unique kind of taste, just the way Talisker has an unmistakable taste. At cask strength it needs to be watered, and it becomes a touch cloudy with the addition of the water, suggesting that it’s not been chill filtered, not finished off so that it can be poured on ice in the American market. Old fashioned malt whisky. Too bad this malt will gradually disappear, unless someone bothers to reopen the distillery. Jackson calls its demise a ‘grievous loss’.
We had both boys home for the weekend, which meant that we spent more than a little time with our whisky. We picked up a bottle of Highland Park 18 for the remarkable price of $53. That has to be the very best buy one can find on the entire planet. HP, one of our long-time favorites, has been declared the finest spirit in the world. And the 18 is just about perfect. Maybe the 25 has a longer finish, and a bit more flavor. But the 18 is so good, so smooth, how could anyone possibly complain? And for $53 a bottle? Why didn’t we buy more? (Yes G, I’m holding one for you. I had to hide it in my basement so I didn’t accidentally drink it all up one night.)
We also sampled a brand new taste, Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye, 13 years old. My man Ben says that straight rye whisky is ready to blow up, the next big thing, and this Winkle is an indication why. Sweeter than malt whisky, perhaps not as much variety of taste, but smooth and definitely flavorful. The only drawback is that a single glass is enough; the whisky doesn’t leave you wanting a refill as soon as your glass is empty. Now perhaps some folks would find that to be a virtue; after all, it encourages moderation in whisky consumption. But around here, we prefer whiskies that call for another pour, regardless of how many you’ve already had. And think about it, doesn’t it require a greater act of will to turn down another glass of Highland Park? And doesn’t that really make you a better person for having resisted that extra glass? I think it’s important to keep in mind that whisky shouldn’t just taste good; it should build character as well.
G-Man reports that he has acquired a high end Caol Ila, cask strength, 12 year old, private bottling. So how is it?
posted by pops | 8:48 PM
1 Comments:
What do ya'll think of malted milk balls?
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