Overeem Port Cask Matured Review

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Vital Stats

Colour:

Quite a dark whisky though for one that has no age statement (NAS) potentially a little too dark.  Particularly due to the fact that according to the Old Hobart Distillery website they received their license in 2005, making this at best an 8yo whisky (Ed: happy to be contradicted/educated).

Nose:

The port cask comes through strong with this one, being quite rich and sweet.  Caramel and vanilla feature along with maybe some boiled lollies.  Not too much on the alcohol but still approach with respect and a splash of water.

Mouth:

Not exactly smooth, belying its possible youth, but certainly not rough either.  That deep sweetness of port coming through again on the mouth, some more caramels.

Finish:

A lingering finish that doesn’t exactly lay its stamp on anything in particular.  Still the sweetness comes through to the end as it started at the beginning.

Verdict:

I’ll acknowledge that the Overeem has won its share of awards, but for me it’is a case of you can’t like every whisky.  It’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, but I do feel it is before its time. According to the Old Hobart Distillery website these whiskies have been aged in quarter cask barrels which help a young whisky along compared to full sized barrels where a decent maturity isn’t expected until 10, 12, 16+ years.  Old Hobart Distillery isn’t alone in this with the likes of Laphroaig also doing a quarter cask expression. The whisky distillers in Australia are still quite young, in relative terms (despite a history that started in the early 1800′s which dies before it truly got legs) and you do need to forgive what could be described as boutique distilleries for trying to get a foothold as soon as they can.

Recommendation:

At a price point, there are certainly more mature whiskies to be had, however, if we don’t support the boutique distilleries then we may never see the true potential of what the great southern land has to offer. At least give a bottle of Overeem a run around the block, you may get more from it than I did.

The Dalmore 12yo Single Malt Review

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The Dalmore 12yo Single Malt WhiskyVital Stats

Colour:

Very dark, too dark for a 12yo methinks, particularly one that (according to The Dalmore website) has spent nine years in ex-bourbon which typically imparts a very light colour to whisky.  Although finished off in ex-sherry, the colour is a bit extreme and a quick search on the web confirms my suspicions – caramel is added to this whisky.  Now this isn’t necessarily a terrible thing, but an unfortunate touch all the same.

Nose:

Unsurprisingly caramels feature heavily here and overpower the faint vanilla that the ex-bourbon barrels would have imparted. The caramels also come across a touch burnt, very faint, with the pan left just that little too long on the stove. Brown sugars are also featuring

Mouth:

Fairly smooth in the mouth with only a small dash of water not taking anything away. For me the caramel wasn’t as strong as I was expecting, but that slightly burnt flavour is still evident. There is also a freshness there of a possible fruit, maybe a bit of apple.

Finish:

The caramels are back here again before softening out to the sugars and some sherry. Overall a moderate finish.

Verdict:

The Dalmore 12yo with its iconic Stag’s head emblem on the bottle is quite an easy whisky to drink but that continuing theme of caramels just doesn’t leave anything else to be explored. I like a whisky that encourages me to dive deep and really chase those senses, which The Dalmore 12yo doesn’t do for my palate.

Recommendation:

Try before you buy but do make sure you give it a whirl at some stage.

Single Malt Whisky Club, and why I like to be a member.

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I’m a member of the Single Malt Whisky Club of Australia, which is a mail order club. The way the Single Malt Whisky Club works is you sign up (free) and give your credit card details, then once a month an email is sent to all members detailing what whisky is about to be released and how much it will cost (typically around $80AUD).  Unless you send an email requesting *not* to be included in that month’s whisky, your card is charged and there is a surprise in the mail not too long after.

The reason why I like how this club works is that it is essentially forcing me to try a different whisky each month.  Normally when I am at the bottle shop I tend to stray to my old faithfuls like Lagavulin 16yo or Laphroaig Quarter Cask but through the club I don’t have any control over what I get for the monthly whisky, other than to request not to have a particular month.

In the more than two years I have been a member I have received some great whiskies – the three month exploration of BenRiach expressions was a treat, we’ve a number of IBs (Independent Bottlings) and even whisky from Australia and New Zealand (Kaiapoi from NZ was something very different and very enjoyable). A lot of the whisky I don’t see on typical Australian bottle-o shelves either, meaning I will get something I haven’t seen on a regular basis.

So this is a great way to explore whisky and further enhance the enjoyment through trying something new, expanding the palate and sometimes taking me out of my comfort zone. I believe this particular club would only be open to Australian residents, so non-Australians be sure to let me know of any similar working clubs you have and I will list them here.

Oh and not every whisky from the club has been a winner, just like not every whisky I have bought off the shelf myself has been a winner – so it is not a guarantee of getting what *I* will like, but I accept that as part of the challenge and the journey. My one regret, not taking more tasting notes earlier.

Disclosure: this is not an advertorial for the Single Malt Whisky Club of Australia, just a post by one very happy member.

Whisky Decanter

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Whisky DecanterDo you ever decant your whisky? I have a beautiful decanter that my wife got me for Christmas and into it I typically try to have on hand my “go to” whisky – Glen Moray 12yo.  I say go to as I feel price v’s performance this is a great little whisky to have on the shelf. Debate does go on about the oxidisation of whisky in bottles that are half empty thanks to the air v’s whisky volume, and I suspect that a decanter would potentially increase this due to the lack of a proper seal for the neck.  Definitely keen to hear other’s thoughts.