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So I went. Oh my, the marketing. I was gifted a ticket that was received by someone obviously more important to the industry than I am.
It did not start well. When I arrived I was invited to a single dram of Dewars 12. One per person they said. believe me, one was enough. I was able to compile some tasting notes on a fresh palate. For the next 55 minutes I sat and read and occasionally someone came by with hors d'oeuvres.
When we finally got summoned into the theatre we were all asked to find a spot on the stage, which was decked out with fake barrels and other scotch stuff. Before we entered we were asked to put our glasses back on the bar. I had ditched mine a while ago so I was the first in line and I managed to snag a seat on a couch on the stage, where others had to stand for the 1/2 hour presentation.
3 people of unclear origin pretended to be various Scottish stereotypical characters, and at intervals we were invited to taste each of the 12 YO (and 13 for Craigellachie) malts. 1/4 ounce pours if not less. Very hard to nose with such a small volume. All but one served in glengairns. We literally had a minute, no more to nose and taste before each was taken away.
In order:
The Deveron 12 YO, 40% ($65 at LCBO) - entirely forgettable. Served with a nice piece of smoked salmon.
Royal Brackla 12, 40% - almost tasteless ($100 at the LCBO!!!!!) - but served in a Quaich.
Aultmore 12YO , 46% - not bad, ($80 at LCBO) - I wouldn't buy it but might not say no at a party if offered.
Craigellachie 13 - 46% - (also $80) - nose was non-existent, rich taste but no flavour.
Aberfeldy 12 , 40% ($60 at LCBO), their "honey malt", again, I wouldn't buy it but I could drink it if nothing better were around.
After this we were invited upstairs to a very cramped foyer where they served these 5 to those who wanted more at one table, and if you could get to the other table, they had 4 older versions that I was able to try:
Aberfeldy 21 YO, 40%. it was smooth, pleasant and "ok", but for $195? GIVE ME a (almost swore)-ing break!
Royal Brackla 21, 40% - entirely forgettable, priced at $350 at the LCBO. Can you believe it?
THE Deveron 18, 40%, my only impression was "yuck" for $140 a bottle.
Craigellachie 17, for $154 dollars, bottled at 46%. Decent, but not for that price.
Of the 10 samples I was given I finished only theAberfeldy 12, because it was only a 1/4 oz and we were asked to hang on to the glasses and I didn't know where I could dump it.
While people were invited to sample repeatedly and eat finger foods, I have an early day tomorrow and got too little sleep last night so I headed out. Each "survivor" was gifted a lootbag with promotional material, a bottle of Aultmore 12, and a 100 cc sample of water from the Aberfeldy distillery's source. The sample has a best before date of either March 7 or July 3 of this year.
One of the staff behind me commented during the "performance" that this was a "tough audience" to engage (though it warmed up a little later), and thought, "and why not?" The person I got this ticket from (No names but thanks @JasonHambrey) is not a novice and I suspect many others in the audience were not either, and could see through the gimmickry (fake smoke generators? give me a break! Some people were completely enveloped and choking), and these people led with their entry level stuff. And there was no "special" dram to seal the deal. All these, even the older ones, are available at the LCBO and given their anaemic strengths, lacklustre quality and outrageous prices, I believe they will remain there for a long time.
To sum it up, The second half of the title is correct. These are Malts of Scotland. But they neither "the last", nor are they by any stretch of the imagination "great".
PS: "Anyone want a free bottle of Aultmore 12?"
8 years ago 11Who liked this?
Its sad to hear that they didn't put on a better show for the participants. I agree with everything you've said about the malts on that list that I have tried. The only difference being the Craigellachie 17. I found that one to be fantastic, and would be willing to buy it for around the $150 price tag at the LCBO. The rest I would agree are rather forgettable.
I will happily take the Aultmore off your hands if you have no intention of drinking it :)
8 years ago 0
@mscottydunc
The show was good. For a newbie (or my kids) it would have been fun. But given the delay in starting and my level of experience (and academic interest in malts) I owuld have prefered less smoke and more substance. problem is, there is limited substance...
8 years ago 1Who liked this?
@Nozinan Makes sense. Seems like everything now revolves around the marketing aspect, and not the actual product in the bottles. Such a shame. If only there were more producers like Compass Box.....
8 years ago 0
@Nozinan , great write-up! My favorite moment is when "3 people of unclear origin pretended to be various Scottish stereotypical characters." Ha!
8 years ago 1Who liked this?
Just wondering if anyone was planning to go to the Toronto presentation of the "Last Great Malts of Scotland" at the Jane Mallet Theatre in Toronto on the 15th.
Not much about this particular tasting on the internet but I'm wondering will there be something special or is this simply a tasting of the 5 Bacardi single malts? This has me worried.
Royal Brackla has three expressions at LCBO, a 12 ($99.95), 16 ($149.95), and a 21 YO ($349.95). All bottled at an :"impressive" 40% Aberfeldy's 12, 16 and 21 YO are considerably cheaper, but all bottled at 40% Craigellachie has a 13, 17 and 23 YO in between and bottled at 46% The Deveron (not to be confused with Glen Deveron, though I understand all of them are made at MacDuff distillery) comes in a 12 and 18YO and bottled at 40% Aultmore 12 and 18 are bottled at 46% and are priced accordingly.
I think I've tried Craigellachie once (was it at your place @TAlexander?), but I don't think I've touched any of the others.
If anything, it will be a learning experience...