After a pleasantly surprising encounter with a dram of Highland Park Dark Origins, I suppose I've softened my stance on these alternative expression malts taking over the scotch aisle. However, I'm still not crazy about the lack of age-statements and bizarre monikers that accompany them.
Some of the names are helpfully descriptive of its production (e.g. Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Balvenie Portwood), or at least pronounceable (Talisker Storm, Bowmore Legend). Of course, more often than not you'll find an unmistakably Gaelic sobriquet (e.g. Aberlour A'Bunadh, Bunnahabhain Toiteach), or otherwise vaguely exotic sounding expression (e.g. Glenfiddich Solera, Glenlivet Nadurra). Three repeat offenders of this naming trend stand out, listed here in order of increasing degrees of WTF:
- Highland Park: Dark Origins, Odin, Leif Eriksson, Einar, Harald, Sigurd
- Glenmorangie: Companta, Ealanta, Lasanta, Nectar d'Or, Quinta Ruban, Signet, Tusail, Astar, Sonnalta PX, Finealta, Artein, Dornoch, Duthac
- Ardbeg: Auriverdes, Blasda, Corryvreckan, Perpetuum, Supernova, Uigeadall
I recently attended an open bar event at C Street in Carytown, a place I have mentioned in my posts before. Never a huge selection of single malts, but they rotate their choices and usually have something interesting. On this particular evening, their malt I had not yet tried was Glenlivet Nadurra 16.
I was expecting to taste a tweak on the familiar Glenlivet 12. The 12 year old core expression has always seems rough around the edges for me, not necessarily a bad thing. Somewhat of a summery palate profile, green apple tartness, an oily texture, and a bitter finish. Not shy on citrus or spice, it's not one of the smoother Speysides out there, but it does give it some kick and character.
'Nadurra' is the Scottish Gaelic word for 'natural'. Apropos, given the malt making its way over the bar to me is neither chill-filtered nor diluted at all from its impressive 53% cask strength ABV. Aged at least 16 years "exclusively in first fill American oak casks", previously seasoned with bourbon but free of any influence from previous malt whisky occupants.
The core expressions of Glenlivet's Nadurra series are actually two non-age statement (NAS) malts, one aged solely in first fill oloroso sherry casks, and the NAS version of what I was drinking that evening, the bourbon cask malt. Both get solid online reviews across the board, and both hover around a whopping 60% cask strength ABV. I guess C Street had sprung for the upgrade by offering the 16 year old expression, lower in ABV due to 'the angel's share', but well worth the splurge.
As I was handed my drink, my colleague nursing a cognac remarked she had never tried scotch. I wasn't so sure I had ever had cognac, so we exchanged a brief whiff of the other's libation. My drink won. Peach cobbler straight out of the oven with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream. Oak aroma like fresh cut firewood. A tease of smoke. Perfect for that particular rainy, late October evening.
First impression on the palate was warm apple butter on toast. The fruity character opened up by the second sip, ripe peaches and a mild blackberry tartness. By the end, that tartness hit me more as a citrus note. Not the abrasive pineapple of Glenlivet 12, but rather orange marmalade. Creamy as homemade alfredo, dense as a textbook, smooth as a pickpocket. Mmm...
The finish was long, with a bit of dark chocolate bitterness and a lingering spicy note. More drying than warming if I had to nitpick (understandable from the high ABV). Overall, a fantastic Speyside malt, especially for the money. I should clarify, this was an open bar event, so my dram only cost me a tip. I'm headed back to C Street next week for a different hobnobbing event, cash bar this time, so we'll see if that tempers my impression (*update - still a knockout, and not as pricy as I expected given the age statement).
Overall Grade: 90/100, A-
p.s. I am soooo bummed to have missed out on the inaugural RVA Whiskey Fest two weeks ago. Damn! Well, just have to go next year...
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