Tasting Malts in NZ

Tasting Malts in NZ

The following Tasting notes on recent Malt tasting with a panel of friends have been provided by Murray Paterson in NZ. Murray is viticulture advisor in Marlborough. According to Muzz, “he is beginning to understand growing Pinot Noir; loves reds (even tho’ Pinots are c-throughs), Riesling, Malts and Cognacs (can’t drink water, you know what fish do in water!).”

The points are the panel-average and Murray’s personal preference is in the brackets.

Ardbeg 10 Year Old 90 points (92)

Light to medium colour; Islay iodine nose, mellow spirit but noticeable “heat”; palate follows nose, with strong Islay peat and good malt, nice balance and medium length. Lighter style

Ardbeg 17 Year Old 96 points (99),

Light to medium colour; very integrated, rich nose, floral and mandarin hints, nicely integrated, mellow spirit; rich mellow palate, Islay iodine integrated with excellent balance of a complex of other flavours, rich almost chewy malting; long, long finish, very persistent. A superb malt. Weighty, integrated and long. Even panel members who were taken aback by the size of the whisky readily awarded top points.

Bruichladdich 10 Year Old 93 points (85)

Medium colour; light Islay characters dominated by “ethanol” lifted with citrus-note spirit; defined but gentle sea-weedy peat, medium weight malting, with pleasant soft finish. This was the preferred Islay by the panel and I would describe it as an excellent “entry-level” Islay. For me, it lacked punch in all departments, hence the low star rating, it is still a good whisky in its place.

Finlaggan 8 Year Old 92 points (88)

Attractive pale colour, rye straw; refined, well balanced nose, Islay peat and malt with gentle spirit; palate also softer, sweet, salty malting and gentle spirit; short but sweet finish. Another Islay I’d not seen before. A “Bottler’s Malt” with no indication of source on the label. Not Ardbeg nor Laphroig style.

Glenlivet 15 Year Old 91 points (98).

Rye-straw colour; malt dominates the nose, rich dried-fruits, raisins and dried apricots; palate follows with rich fruity flavours that permeate the whole mouth. Gentle, very refined spirit with hardly any peat flavours showing; excellent long finish, maltiness lingers and repeats. As with the Laphroig this whisky identified itself from the first sniff. A lovely, weighty and integrated drink showing malt instead of peat (as in the Ardbeg.

Highland Park Year Old 90 points, (95). (an old bottling from a home cellar).

Medium colour; Strong, clear malty nose, good strength peat and well balanced spirit; Maltiness dominates the palate, very good weight, persistent and well integrated with peat flavour. Long aftertaste. Heavier style.

Laphroig 10 Year Old 90 points, (98).

Medium to dark colour. Huge, penetrating iodine nose with robust malting and distinctive sea-weed character; very peaty and iodine palate, well structured and rich malting with an exceptionally long finish. This was so clearly Laphroig and by this time it was apparent that my preference for pungent whisky was at odds with the panel. I think this whisky is not for beginners or for those who drink English whisky (blends).

MacKillop’s 10 Choice Year Old 92 points, (93). (Another Bottler’s Malt, from Rosebank).

Very pale straw colour; light sweet malt and soft spirit on the nose; palate follows showing excellent balance between peat, malt and spirit, mellow, and rich; mellow but rich finish which surprised by its length. An excellent night-cap whisky. It is some time since I’ve tried a Lowland and this has revived my interest.

Murray McDavid, Caol Isla 10 Year Old 94 points, (96).

Darker, med to dark colour; lovely Islay iodine peat reek and rich malty nose; palate deep and rich with the spirit well integrated in the mix, with water the mid palate showed attractive appley lift with orangey citrus and pear characters. Medium to long finish. A lovely malt, length of finish cost it some points from me, but less demanding than the Ardbeg or Laphroig which gained points from the panel.

Tantallan, 10 Year Old 90 points (89). A Bottler’s malt, Highland, but not sourced on the label.

Pale colour; big fruity flavour on nose, well integrated spirit and malt; good palate, quite full bodied and showing nice balance of died fruits; soft but very short finish.

Springbank Year Old 94 (96).

Light coloured; malt dominates the nose and is lifted by the spirit, well integrated; palate complex of citrus (orangey/mandarin) and stonefruits (pears with apple-hint) and a defined but mellow spirit lift; finish is long and satisfying.

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