Whisky Tasting – Diageo’s Classic Malts, The Distillers Editions, Part One.
The Whisky Boys have to thank Pat Roberts for sending us some fabulous samples of Diageo’s Distillers Editions.
The Distillers Edition from Diageo’s Classic Malts is an annual release of limited quantities of each Classic Malt double-matured in a different type of cask wood, each chosen to complement the characteristics of one mature whisky, and no other.
Initially, six Distillers Edition malts were available. Now, that number has grown to nine. The second maturation takes place in specially prepared casks that have held fortified wine. Each batch takes many months to mature and results in a single bottling. Each limited edition bottle is marked with the date of distillation and bottling, and the batch number.
The 2012 releases will be available later this year, but the Whisky Boys have tasted six Editions and you can check each of them out on www.malts.com.
Jim has just popped round to Nicola’s where the tasting table was set out with all the bottles, just before we started our evening of delightful tastings and guess who came round, Lee Madigan a close friend of Nicola and a previous guest taster. The tasting will now be carried out by three of us.
Lets sit down and pour a dam or two.
Tonight’s first dram is:-
Dalwhinnie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Distillers Edition, Distilled in 1992 and Bottled in 2010, 43% Alc/vol 70cl
Jim’s Tasting
Nose…Sweet honey and sherry notes, not many heavy or strong aromas, gentle vanilla.
Taste…Fruit and some sherried raisins, a wee hint of very light peat.
Finish…Medium finish with light, fresh and clean delight lingers.
Score…3 Corks.
Nicola’s Tasting
Nose…Butter honey, sugary light syrup, soft caramel and candy floss.
Taste…Full coating of honey in the mouth, melon balls, fruit cocktail in sugar water.
Finish…Short and soft.
Score…3 Corks.
Overall score…3 Corks.
This is a very light and elegant dram no great complexity but ever so easy drinkable, a great aperitif.
Now we move onto number two of the evening:-
Clynelish Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Distillers Edition, distilled in 1993 and Bottled in 2010, 46% Alc/vol 70cl
Jim’s Tasting
Nose…Drying haystack, bees wax, some toasted fruit scones.
Taste…Pepper spice, mixed citrus, slight hint of drying peat smoke, creamy but a little oily.
Finish…Medium, it’s coastal position give it a gentle salty and spicy.
Score…3.5 Corks
Nicola’s Tasting
Nose…Summer fields, hot air, dry perfume, hazy afternoon grassy and dewy.
Taste…Salty popcorn, breakfast table toast crumbs, honey and jam.
Finish…Medium with a wee bit of pepper spice.
Score…3.5 Corks
This is a slightly more complex dram than the Dalwhinnie, and we all thought this would be a grand dram to accompany a picnic in the countryside.
Third on our list is:-
Oban Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Distillers Edition, Distilled in 1995 and Bottled in 2010, 43% Alc/vol 70cl
Jim’s Tasting
Nose…Chocolate fruit cake with marzipan icing, rich, ever so light smoke.
Taste…An orchard full of fruits, velvety smooth, earthy and a touch of salt.
Finish…Long with some dark sweet coffee, rounded and I like it with a gesture of water.
Score…3.5 Corks
Nicola’s Tasting
Nose… Rich red fruits, subtle spice, cherry cake.
Taste…No huge impact, waited for the hit….., soft soft sweet grapes, cake frosting, almonds and macadamia nuts.
Finish…Short but this is a very good dram.
Score… 3.5 Corks
That is our tasting notes for the first three, and all three are welcomed in our cabinet and on our table and in the Wee Hoose just outside Jim’s house for some Whisky and chat evenings.
To whet you appetite the final three Distillers Editions will be a Royal Lochnagar, Lagavulin and a Caol Ila.
So keep looking at our site and read our tasting notes for the final three, these will be coming soon.
These drams maybe available at your specialist Whisky shop and certainly on-line using the shop window below or at the Distilleries themselves.
How many malts are there in the Distiller Edition?