single malts

Aberlour Ardbeg Arran Auchentoshan Balblair The Balvenie Benriach Benromach Bladnoch Bowmore Bruichladdich Bunnahabhain Bushmills Caol Ila Cardhu Connemara Cragganmore The Dalmore Dalwhinnie Edradour Finlaggan Glen Garioch Glen Mhor Glen Moray Glenfarclas Glenfiddich Glengoyne Glenkinchie The Glenlivet Glenmorangie Glenora Highland Park Inchgower Isle Of Jura Kilchoman Knockando Lagavulin Laphroaig Lismore Longmorn The Macallan Mannochmore McClellands Oban Old Pulteney Royal Lochnagar Scapa Springbank Strathisla Suntory Suntory: Yamazaki Talisker Tamdhu anCnoc

malt blends

Ardbeg Bruichladdich Compass Box The Famous Grouse Ian Macleod Johnnie Walker Monkey Shoulder

bourbon/tennessee whiskey

Blanton's Buffalo Trace Bulleit Ezra Brooks Henry McKenna Jack Daniel's Jim Beam Knob Creek Maker's Mark Old Rip Van Winkle Rebel Yell Woodford Reserve

blended whiskey

Bailie Nicol Jarvie Ballantine's Black Bottle Bushmills Chivas Crown Royal Dewars Forty Creek Green Spot Haig J & B Jameson Johnnie Walker Midleton Red Breast Teacher's Tullamore Dew Wiser's

monkey shoulder nas

Distillery: Monkey Shoulder
Style: Vatted Malt
Release: Unspecified
Age: Unspecified
Alcohol: 40% abv.
Region: Scotland, Speyside
Bottled For: Distillery

Vatted malt of Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie. Big marketing initiative, billed as a "triple malt", and "not the original, more original than that". One of the few ways to taste identifiable Kininvie though, as it's not bottled as a single malt.

Review this whisky

review by red hare

Color: Amber gold
Nose: Oak and sherry. Pear beer and plum brandy. Oranges and cinnamon. Buttery toffee and chocolaty notes.
Body: Medium body. A little watery around the edges.
Palate: Very tangy, but at the edges only. Coconut and heather honey. Faint hint of raspberry. Citrusy. Plum, orange and pear, but it takes some tasting to find them.
Finish: Long finish. Lemons and oranges. Becomes iodine and medicinal at the end, very antiseptic.

The joy's mostly in the nose with this one. I can discern some plum and honey that is likely to be the Kininvie. Balvenie and Glenfiddich quite obvious in the nose. I originally scored this whisky quite low, around 65. However, as the bottle wore on, I found hidden depths - the vatting gives some complexity to the fruit flavours, reinforcing them. There's definitely more subtle undertones lurking underneath that reward some introspection.