Suntory Yamazaki 12 years old

Review to come soon!

Bowmore 12 years old

Bowmore 12 years old

A review by Tommy Byrne

Overall rating: 8,5/10 (Single Malt notation)

I think I can speak for everyone, except the weird kids, when I say that we all had a moment (or many) in our youthful days to explore our parents’ liquor cabinet. The first whisky sip I stole was an old abandoned bottle of Cutty Sark, it was nasty and I’m sure it still tastes the same. A few years later I had my second rendezvous with whisky. Playing a board game in my friend’s basement, we decided to open a bottle of Bowmore. I kept such a bad memory of it, that it took me about 12 years to try it again. What’s my verdict today? It’s great! Well, let’s just say I grew up and so did my taste buds.

Bowmore 12 has a lovely clean and clear amber colour. Peaty but not overwhelming like other Islay malts, it gives us the chance to notice the oak. Unlike many critics, I do not find it iodized, its nose is rather fruity and spicy reminding me of ripe bananas, coco, flamed peaches, cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa, vanilla, honey and pedro ximénez. Toasted oak is present in the palate; however I find it quite smooth and fresh. The light aroma of malted barley coats the mouth together with a distinctive copper feeling coming from the distillation process. The finish is medium-long and makes you think you’ve just had salted butter caramel candies.

What makes this whisky so different from the other Islay malts is undeniably the impression of a sherry cask finish. Another important aspect that single malts’ aficionado cherishes, is that Bowmore is one of the only 7 distilleries in Scotland still drying the malted barley with the traditional method, i.e. a man and a shovel. Nowadays, almost all distilleries use mechanical equipment. To my sense, the time consuming and more expensive method used by Bowmore is still valued today, if not, the new ultra-tech Japanese owners, the Suntory Group, would have changed it quite rapidly. Finally, for people wishing to experiment with Islay malts without starting with the more rugged ones, Bowmore 12 is the perfect pick.

Suntory Hibiki 17 years old

Suntory Hibiki 17 years old

A review by Tommy Byrne

Overall rating: 9,5/10 - Good and Unique (Blended whisky notation)

As many western whisky enthusiasts, I discovered the Suntory whisky brand a few years ago thanks to Bill Murray’s sells pitch in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translations: “For relaxing times, make it Suntory time”. Having first tried the Yamazaki 12 years old Single Malt, I had huge expectations from the brand who made me forget it was not actually drinking a true scotch whisky.

Swirling in my very favourite Glencairn glass, the old gold fluid already let you know you are dealing with an almost full body whisky. Starting with some dried bananas and apricots nosing notes, honeydew and pineapple soon appear after the first sip. While the toasted barley and dry fruits blends in with balance to an insinuation of toffee in the palate, I found it a little too sharp for a 17 years old whisky. However, the addition of a drop of water will definitely make up for it. Reaching the finishing line, we know we are dealing with a fine-aged product, it last remarkably in the mouth, reminding you that you are drinking a hundred dollar whisky.

I’ve never been a strong fan of scotch-type blended whiskies; they always seem to lack of a true essence and hide their original personality. Why blend this sweet nectar with an obscure array of distilled spirits, when the angels delightfully take their shares in the untainted form? Then again, let’s be clear, the 17 years old version of Suntory Hibiki is a great product made with a thorough process by Japanese master blenders who have perfectly reproduced the style and character of a Speyside whisky to my sense. Being an unconditional devotee to Islay Malts, I think that a stronger hint of peat would really transform this whisky into what some have already branded it: “The best whisky in the world”.