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Karina and Siusaidh's favourite Malt Whiskies

 

Talisker Distiller's Edition
Lagavulin 16 yr old
Royal Lochnagar Selected Reserve
Bunnahabhain Ceobanach
Dalwhinnie Original 15 yr old
Blair Athol 12 yr old
Jura Superstition
Tomintoul Tlath
Glenfarclas '105' cask strength
Oban 14 yr old
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Knockando 12 yr old
Springbank 10 yr old
Glenfiddich 12 yr old
Mortlach 16 yr old
Glenmorangie 18 yr old

 

Siusaidh's Favourite Whisky:

Talisker (Highly recommended) and in particular, the 15-year-old Distiller's Edition, which is (Very highly recommended).

The 18-year-old is very nice (Highly Recommended). Also the 25-year-old 45.8% (Highly recommended)

Dalwhinnie (Recommended) (but not all versions, I like the most standard version which is delightful and smooth).

Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition - really gorgeous Very highly recommended

Tomintoul 19-year-old 54.6% Very highly recommended

Knockando (Recommended). Especially the 21-year-old Very Highly recommended

Glendronach Parliament 21-year-old Very Highly recommended

Mature Teaninichs at 54% and above really blow me away Very Highly recommended

Blair Athol (Recommended).

Oban (Recommended).

Royal Lochnagar Selected Reserve is one of my favourites but you're paying very high prices - (Highly recommended).

The Macallan - Sherry Oak 12 year old - 40% (Recommended). Really pleasant and smooth whisky with warm and rich sherry flavour. Very easily drinkable and enjoyable.

Likewise the Tomatin 18 year old, which is a smooth whisky with a pleasant afterglow.

Whisky tastes are very personal: it's simply what you like. For a cask strength, Glenfarclas 105 is gorgeous in my opinion.

I am not very into the peaty, smoky Islay-type whiskies, but Bunnahabhain Ceobanach - (Recommended) - is lovely for when I do feel like a peaty dram.

 

Karina's Favourite Whisky:

Karina is far fonder of peaty drams and as well as the Bubbahabhain which we both like she is very fond of Lagavullin 16-year-old - (Very Highly recommended) -

and Ardbeg Uigeadail (Recommended) and Corryvreckan Recommended - and Laphroaig Lore Recommended.

Tobermory - Heavily Peated 20 year old - 60% (Recommended).

Karina is also very fond of the Glendronach Traditionally Peated 48% (Recommended)

She also likes smooth whiskies when she is in the mood for them, and particularly likes Tomintoul Tlath (Recommended) and Fettercairn 21-year-old Cask Strength (Highly recommended).

Among other drinkable malt whiskies we have enjoyed is the Yamazaki Single Malt (Recommended).

Probably the best Cask Strength we have enjoyed several times is the 22-year-old Caperdonich at 59.2% but to our great regret this is no longer available on the open market.

 

Susannah and Karina's Whisky Advent Calendar:

We made an Advent Calendar where we tried a different sample each day in December up to Christmas Eve. This was our list:

 

Dec 24: Royal Lochnagar - Selected Reserve - 43% : Susannah 8.3/10 reliable, sound, pleasant drink; Karina 8.3/10 very drinkable, middle of the road, can't really go wrong Recommended

Dec 23: Lagavulin - 2006 Distillers Edition - 43% : Susannah 6.9/10 prefer to 16 yr old, but still too peaty for me; Karina 8.4/10 prefer 16 yr old, which is smokier and a favourite

Dec 22: Glen Turret - 35 year old - 47.7% : Susannah 8.2/10 good flavour, but balance did not quite work for me; Karina 8.5/10 well-balanced, subtle, delightful Recommended

Dec 21: Teaninich - 40 year old - 54% : Susannah 8.6/10 gorgeously full of character, leathery, deep; Karina: 8.5/10 fantastic whisky, great flavour and depth, and shows its maturity Very highly recommended

Bonus dram: Tomintoul - 19 year old - 54.6% : Susannah 8.7/10 a wonderful whisky, smooth, delightful, warming; Karina 8.4/10 very good whisky, smooth and drinkable Very highly recommended

Dec 20: The Macallan - 25 year old - 52% : Susannah 8.7/10 totally loved , so well-balanced and delicious and drinkable; Karina 8.4/10 really well-balanced, its kick almost dominates its flavour Very highly recommended

Bonus dram: Talisker - 25 year old - 45.8% : Susannah 8.5/10 depth, gentle smokiness, quality Talisker; Karina 8.3/10 delightful Talisker character and flavour Highly recommended

Dec 19: Bunnahabhain - 35 year old - 40.2% : Susannah 6.9/10 a fine Islay but too peaty for me; Karina 8.2/10 a good malt, good flavour, but prefer the Tobermory Heavily Peated

Dec 18: Tomintoul - 36 year old - 40% : Susannah 8.5/10 lovely, deep flavour and warmth; Karina 8.3/10 extremely enjoyable whisky, a rich outcome of its time in the cask Highly recommended

Dec 17: Mortlach - 26 year old - 57% : Susannah 8.4/10 lovely flavour, very good afterglow, strong; Karina 8.5/10 really nice whisky with subtle flavour and great aftertaste Very highly recommended

Bonus dram: Mortlach - 23 year old - 62% : Susannah 8.3/10 deep, rich, quite sweet and drinkable; 8.4/10 very good cask strength whisky, especially when slightly diluted

Dec 16: Springbank - 25 year old - 53.2% : Susannah 8.2/10 a pleasant, mildly peaty, well-flavoured whisky; Karina 8.3/10 a really good whisky with mild smokiness

Dec 15: Glenfarclas - 25 year old - 43% : Susannah 8.3/10 very drinkable but hoped a little more sweetness and depth; Karina 8.2/10 well-balanced and enjoyable

Dec 14: Caperdonich - 22 year old - 59.2% : Susannah 8.6/10 instant delight, gorgeous flavoured cask strength; Karina 8.4/10 that packs a punch and is really enjoyable. Sadly this whisky is no longer available Very highly recommended

Dec 13: Isle of Jura 'Highland Laird' - 27 year old - 52.4% : Verdict - Susannah 4.8/10 overpowering perfumed taste; Karina 7.75/10 strangest whisky I've tasted, not unpleasant

Dec 12: Highland Park - 26 year old - 46% : Verdict - Susannah 8.4/10 full of character and a big afterglow; Karina 8.2/10 subtlety, character and powerful finish

Dec 11: Knockando - 21 year old - 43% : Verdict - Susannah 8.4/10 Beautiful smooth whisky with almost creamy aftertaste; Karina 8.4/10 well-aged, smooth and creamy Highly recommended

Dec 10: Glendronach - 21 year old - 48% : Verdict - Susannah 8.3/10 Smooth and drinkable whisky with depth; Karina 8.4/10 lovely, smoothness and character Recommended

Dec 9: Tullibardine - 24 year old - 53.3% : Verdict - Susannah 8.3/10 straightforward, very drinkable, quality; Karina 8.0/10 very enjoyable, smooth whisky

Dec 8: Tobermory - Heavily Peated 20 year old - 60% : Verdict - Susannah 6.7/10 character but too peaty for me; Karina 8.3/10 very enjoyable whisky, with a few drops dilution Recommended

Dec 7: Talisker - 18 year old - 45.8% : Verdict - Susannah 8.4/10 that is a really lovely whisky; Karina 8.1/10 a very nice whisky, only bettered by Fettercairn so far

Dec 6: Glenfiddich - 19 year old - 40% : Verdict - Susannah 7.3/10 It has Glenfiddich's drinkable smoothness, with just a bit too much sharpness after for me; Karina 8.0 prefer to 12 yr old

Dec 5: MacMyra - Swedish Single Malt - 46.1% : Verdict - Susannah 6.7/10 drinkable but wants a little character; Karina 7.75/10 pleasant though not outstanding

Dec 4: Fettercairn - 21 year old - 59.9% : Verdict - Susannah 7.6/10 a pleasant, quite sweet tasting cask strength; Karina 8.4/10 best whisky so far Recommended

Dec 3: Tomatin - 20 year old - 46% : Verdict - Susannah 7.3/10 quite pleasing except a little of the aftertaste; Karina 8.0/10 Plenty of character and enjoyable

Dec 2: Dalmore - King Alexander III - 40% : Verdict - Susannah 6.3/10 liked less than yesterday's, a little rough taste; Karina 7.75/10 Smooth and quite enjoyable

Dec 1: Craigellachie - 17 year old - 46% : Verdict - Susannah 7.0/10 has character and warmth, slight sharpness in taste; Karina 7.75/10 definitely like this malt

 

- Wedding Whisky -

Karina and I married in Glencoe by Highland Handfast, and for our wedding whisky, which we shared in a Quaich with our guests, we opened a bottle of 50-year-old 1936 Mortlach.

It was a really interesting whisky, full of flavour and age, with a woodsmoke element unlike any other whisky we've tasted:

it was like woodsmoke from a deciduous wood fire in a bothy, rather than the usual peaty smoke taste of many whiskies.

The whole whisky was mellowed by age and a unique experience.

 

Another Year's Advent Calendar:

 

Dec 24: Talisker 25 year old - 45.8% : Verdict - Susannah 8.2/10; Karina 8.3/10 Revisited an old friend, this time Karina rated it higher Highly Recommended

Dec 23: Teaninich - 35 year old - 57.5% : Verdict - Susannah 8.6/10; Karina 8.7/10 A superb dram which blew us away! Very Highly recommended

Dec 22: Tomintoul 21 year old - 40%: Verdict - Susannah 7.7; Karina 7.9/10 A pleasant dram but perhaps we hoped for something more, preferred the 19 year old

Dec 17: Jura 21 year old 'Tide' - 46.7% : Verdict - Susannah 7.9/10; Karina 8.2/10 Karina loved it. She had missed 'Superstition' but this more than made up for it Recommended

Dec 16: Bruichladdich - 26 year old - 54.9% : Verdict - Susannah 8.0/10; Karina 8.5/10 A wonderful whisky right around the top of our Islay whiskies Highly recommended

Dec 15: Mortlach 20 year old - 47.8%: Verdict - Susannah 7.8/10; Karina 7.9/10 A pleasant dram but perhaps we hoped for something more

Dec 10: Bunnahabhain - 18 year old - 46.3% : Verdict - Susannah 7.8/10; Karina 8.2/10 Really enjoyable dram showing class Recommended

Dec 9: Glenfiddich - 18 year old - 40% : Verdict - Susannah 7.3/10; Karina 7.4/10 Certainly drinkable, but did not feel that different from standard Glenfiddich

Dec 8: Highland Park - 18 year old 'Viking Pride' - 43% : Verdict - Susannah 7.2/10; Karina 7.9/10 K. enjoyed this dram, not a favourite peaty dram for S

Dec 3: Ledaig - 18 year old - 46.3% : Verdict - Susannah 7.3/10; Karina 7.5/10 Pleasantly drinkable, though too peaty for Susannah

Dec 2: Tomatin - 18 year old - 46% : Verdict - Susannah 8.1/10; Karina 8.5/10 We both very much enjoyed this smooth whisky with pleasant afterglow Highly recommended

Dec 1: Glenfarclas - 15 year old - 46% : Verdict - Susannah 7.8/10; Karina 7.5/10 pleasant to drink if not a stand-out dram

 

Siusaidh's Whisky of the Month:

 

 

Last recommendations have included the Blair Athol 12-year-old which really impressed both Karina and myself: a beautifully smooth whisky, and so easily drinkable.

Then came a Sherry Oak 12 year old edition of The Macallan - 40%. It is another really pleasant and smooth whisky with warm flavour and satisfying rich sherry hints. It is very easily drinkable, and on a par with Oban or Blair Athol.

You may suppose we only like smooth, easy-drink malt whiskies. That is not the case at all. But these past two recommendations do fall in that category.

 

 
  About Siusaidh Clark and Karina Freyjudottir: Siusaidh's love of good whisky started in the Highland bothies on stormy winter nights. She is a nurse and loves cookery, learning her skills in a hotel in Argyll. Karina's love of whisky grew in Icelandic winters, helping to keep out the cold during her Philosophy MA studies. Karina especially likes the smokier peatier malts. Together they enjoy exploring good whisky, good food, and new recipes. Oh, and music and dancing. If you would like to recommend a whisky - perhaps your favourite one, or a new one you have really enjoyed recently, you can contact us on: lochnagar (at) gmail (dot) com. Emails with attachments are not opened, but otherwise we'd love to hear from you!