Reviews

Three Year Old Deluxe Blended Malt Scotch Review


I picture a person who knows little about Scotch roaming the whisky aisle at their favorite shop.  This person scans the shelf and comes across a whisky called “Three Year Old Deluxe.”  I can’t imagine the expression on the person’s face when he/she looks down and discovers the $300 price tag.  “$300 for a 3-year-old whisky?!?”

Yep, $300 for a 3-year-old whisky.  That’s what Compass Box suggests the price be set at.  Nuts right?  Actually, the price is just where it needs to be.  Obviously, it’s no ordinary 3-year-old whisky.  Only 0.4% of this whisky is three years old.  The remaining 99.6% is made of whisky MUCH older than that.  Compass Box’s Three Year Old Deluxe is turning an old whisky regulation on its head – whisky makers can only disclose the youngest component whisky in their blend.  Compass Box’s head honcho, John Glaser, wants to tell you what’s in his whisky, and even campaigned to get this law changed.  

Glaser consulted his lawyers and received some advice.  In a statement, Glaser said “While we must not actively promote the ages of the components used in our blends, we can provide information when we are asked for it by interested consumers.”

So put simply, ask and you shall receive.  I did just that, but I’ve been asked not to publicly release the information.  According to an interview I had with Glaser recently, my posting the information could be perceived as promoting, which could prompt a complaint by an Scotch Whisky Association member.

Onto the whisky.  Three Year Old Deluxe is made of whiskies from “peaty malt whisky distilled on the Isle of Skye” (read: Talisker) and Clynelish, and bottled at 51.6% abv.  The aromatic nose features spiced tree fruit, clove, sherried malt and some vanilla bean, along with a hint of white pepper.  Taste-wise, the signature waxy fruitiness of Clynelish comes through in a big way.  First, there’s a richness and sweetness from the older components.  The minuscule amount of 3-year-old Clynelish adds a bit of vibrancy.  A bit of clove, vanilla creme brûlée, and spice lead to a whiff of smoke on the back end.  The medium-length finish is a touch spicy, sweet and smoky.

Fantastic stuff here.  The blending of Clynelish and Talisker make for a rich, sweet, fruity and somewhat smoky whisky.  If that flavor combination appeals to you, and you have a $300 to spend on a whisky, call your favorite store now to reserve a bottle.  There’s not a lot of this stuff to go around – only about 3,200 bottles are available worldwide.  Three Year Old Deluxe makes the shortlist as one of my favorite whiskies this year.  9.5/10

Thanks to Compass Box for the sample!  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Chivas Regal Ultis Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Review

Chivas Regal is one of the largest whisky brands in the world, so when they announce a new expression, people pay attention.  Joining their whisky lineup is the luxuriously packaged Ultis, the first permanent blended malt in the brand’s history.  

Current Master Blender Colin Scott says this of the new blend:

By working together, our blending team has masterfully brought five unique single malts from across the Speyside region to create an exceptional blend which is truly the essence of Chivas Regal Ultis.  Each individual malt and each individual blender has added an element of expertise to the whisky, which is unique to the blend, ensuring it is the ultimate embodiment of shared success.

The number five plays a significant role in this whisky.  Ultis pays homage to the brand’s five master blenders. Since 1895, only five men have held the critical role.  Five single malts compose this blend:  Tormore, Longmorn, Strathisla, Allt A’Bhainne and Braeva.  According to the company, only 1% of their inventory was selected for this blend.

The Roman numeral V plays a significant role in the packaging of Ultis, appearing everywhere from the front of the box to the bottom of the bottle.


Price wise, it’s positioned between their 18 year and 25 year old blends at a suggested retail price of $200.  Some will inevitably scoff at paying so much for a non-age statement whisky, but these are the times we live in.  It’s time to stop solely focusing on a number printed on a whisky label and start paying attention to the liquid inside.  In other words, reserve your opinion until you’ve actually tasted the whisky.

The nose features sherried malt, vanilla, earl grey tea and burnt orange peel, along with some oak spices.  The low bottling proof of 40% abv equates to a smooth entry, though the whisky feels more viscous and oily than expected.  A sweet malt note starts things off, followed by waves of toffee, creamy vanilla, dried fruits, and sherry.  Cloves and cinnamon ramp up and settle to a bright citrus note.  The finish features a touch of rich sherried malt and espresso, followed closely by dry oak tannins.


Colin Scott and his team have created a marvelous blended malt with Chivas Regal Ultis.  It’s rich, enticing, somewhat complex and extremely easy to drink.  Although minor, my only gripe is the low proof.  I wish it were bottled at 43% or 46% to add a bit more body and flavor.  Again, minor gripe.  I can only judge what’s in the bottle.

So the big question:  is Ultis worth $200?  That depends on how much money you spend on whisky, but the short answer is yes.  Not having tasted Chivas Regal 25 year, I can say Ultis is my favorite blend from the big Scotch whisky brand.  Fans of the Chivas Regal style should pick this one up with confidence.  Recommended. 9/10

Thanks to Chivas Regal for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Booker’s Bourbon Batch 2016-05 “Off Your Rocker” Review

Photo credit: Booker’s Bourbon


As autumn hits us, so does a new batch of Booker’s bourbon.  The fifth batch of 2016, “Off Your Rocker,” references both late Jim Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe’s favorite chair and his lively personality.  A statue of Booker sitting in a rocking chair can be found on the grounds of the Jim Beam distillery.  As for the man himself, he was known as a straight shooter and a funny guy.  I just started reading a new book about Booker’s life – “The Big Man of Jim Beam” by Jim Kokoris.  So far, it’s a great read about an interesting, larger-than-life man.  I’ll share some thoughts on the book soon.  In the meantime, let’s talk about the whiskey.

Booker’s bourbon is always bottled at barrel strength.  This batch comes in at a high 129.7 proof.  The youngest barrels in this batch are 6 years, 7 months, 23 days old, and all barrels come from four different rack houses.

One thing that’s common among all batches of Booker’s is a big vanilla note.  “Off Your Rocker” is no exception.  Buttered corn grits, vanilla and molasses play big on the nose.  That high proof is evident on entry at first, ever so slightly numbing the tongue.   Your sense of taste quickly recovers and experiences big vanilla, cornbread, and cinnamon & allspice notes alongside some oak, roasted peanuts and a touch of leather.  I’ve never detected leather as a tasting note in Booker’s until now.   (After several tastings it’s still there.) The finish is long and warm, as expected, and carries caramel corn and oak notes.

I’ve said before that I’ve never encountered a batch of Booker’s I didn’t like.  Sure, on the surface they all have that Booker’s flavor profile.  Dig a little deeper and you can find some nuances that differ from batch to batch.  Most batches I like, and some batches I really like.  Batch 2016-05 falls in the latter category.  The subtleties here make it slightly more intriguing than previous batches.  Pick up a bottle and let me know what you think.  Highly recommend.  9/10

Thanks to Booker’s Bourbon for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.