Indeed, I have learnt so much in the past year from him starting out, and have bought some delicious malts and found my feet in the whisky world due to him; that I feel a bit melancholic as I've finally caught up perusing virtually all his vlogs!
When I had reached the end I went back and watched them all again. It's better the second time. I'm only part way through the third time so I won't pass judgment on whether they continue to improve. Whisky and Ralfy are a great combination.
Ralfy! I just did a similar blend with my Laphroaig Quarter Cask and the Laphroaig 18 yr. I was just not enjoying the Laphroaig 18 as much as the QC. So I blended about 2 parts QC and 1 part 18yr old and think the resulting blend is phenomenal! Very much everything I love from the QC, but seemingly all grown up in a good way. I now like the blended single malt even more than the QC by itself. You should give it a shot.
To isolate the cask influence on a whisky, I stumbled onto this experiment: Every six months for the past several years, Douglas Laing has been releasing single-cask releases of Caol Ila. (I've noticed they've done the same with Auchentoschen and probably other whiskies.) It turns out that each of these casks held distillate that was made in the same month and year. The casks were undoubtedly bought by Douglas Laing at the same time, so they also shared the same location and environment for the length of their aging. The only differences between each release is the cask itself and that any release would be six-months older than the previous. Thus, side-by-side tastings would effectively demonstrate the influence of the cask on the distillate. I haven't seen this experiment performed on your Mad Whisky Scientist Channel. :-)
Not as absolute an experiment as your are suggesting but I did give a preserntation to a group of guys "The Malt Menches" concisting of the Caol Ila 12, Caol 18 and Caol 25, side by side comparison. The 12 was peat dominant with fresh fruity lemon juice and barley seawater and seaweed in the background. The 18 was fruity lemon up front with sweet peat in the background and with hardly any seaweedy notes left at all, The 25 was stewed apricots, dry wood spice and furniture polish with old dried cooked lemons with only a hint of peat. ConclusionsL Most preferred the 18 YO with a minority the 12 YO. No one preferred the 25 YO.
This is exactly the problem I face during blending trials. My final blend is almost always elevated considerably by the addition of 2 or 3% younger whisky. Exactly as you mentioned it always seems to add another layer of floral, fruity and slightly feminine notes that just elevate the final blend so much that I can't put an age statement on the bottle. I would hate to leave this component out for the simple reason of being able to put a much older age on the bottle. Adding a squirt of youthfulness is almost always an improvement in my whiskies. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge, experience and honesty.
Peaty Malt wow..that sounds great sharing the same platform with such knowledgable people..whats your distillery's name ??and which country ,state and city??
ralfystuff same here sir..WERE ALL THE LADDIES TEN SOLD FROM 2012 TO 2017 ON TWE and other websites of SAME BATCH????(AS THEY R CALLING THE NEWER 1 SECOND EDITION)IN OTHER WORDS IS THE LADDIE TEN I PURCHASED LAST YEAR THE SAME BATCH AS YOU REVIEWED IN 2012???
Thanks for the review Ralfy. As far as I can check, the Laddie 22 is no longer available. Actually my favourite Bruichladdich is the Laddie 16, (not to be confused with the Bruichladdich Buffalo Trace 16 Year Old Bourbon Cask matured which you have also reviewed). The Ladddie 16 is also matured in exclusively Ex-Bourbon casks but of a number of different types, similer to the 22 which you reviewed here. The Laddie 16, despite being unpeated is deliciously coastal. Seaweed sour, seasalt water with American oak sap and honey, maple syrup, barley creamy and black tea....This is still available (just) but stocks are going fast!
I have a limited experience in whisky as have only been buying seriously some of the main whiskies out there over the past year; but currently, I have to say (even though I've had a Springbank night perusing these vids, and have enjoyed them immensely) that Bruichladdich is currently my favourite distillery; as everything I've tasted from them so far is frankly of stunning quality.
Great review Ralfy!. I got both bottles, I'll try the experiment later...I always liked the Laddie Ten better than the 22 or the Curvee line.The Bruichladdich character is lost in older and finished bottlings. Cheers from Bucharest
The quality of the casks, that maybe why I much prefer Evan Williams bottled in bond to Jim Beam. Also explains why shifted my preference from Jack Daniel's to George Dickel.
*Coask* _noun_ - a fusion of oak and cask that influences a spirit over its maturation. Increases with time in said coask. Coined by the infamous Ralfy in his #627 Ralfy Review.
Funny, they claim that the maritime note is the result of breathing of the cask. Letting salty sea air in. But the 22 yr is far less (not coastal at all) I always had my doubts with this story. And the proof is right there! It counts for all the coastal distillers
Isn´t this exactly the problem of a NAS-Bottle? Maybe they are mostly old whiskys mixed with younger? But the law says they cant write both years of age on the Bottle. I´m a great fan of your reviews by the way!
Both bottles are from the same distillery, therefore the Ralfyladdie blend would still be a single malt. If offered commercially, Ralfyladdie would be bottled and marketed as a 10yo. Blending proportions don't come into the equation.
I put a dash of Monkey Shoulder in my glass of Riazul Anejo this past weekend and it was incredible. I likely would have never experienced that if it weren't for your blasphemous blending habits, Ralfy.
You gave the Bruichladdich 10yo-91, the Bruichladdich 22yo-87 and the Bruichladdich Experiment 10yo-89. So, if I read between the lines-get the 10yo unless I can get the 22 at bargain.
Ralfy, I've always wondered how your marks scale. Is a blend mark equal to a malt mark? Do you rate relative to price or irrespective of? I understand the main 'meat' of the review is spread across the 15+ minute descriptions of nose and taste, but as far as decision making on bottle purchases go the marks weigh quite heavily.
Hey ralfy, I'm new to drinking whisky so far I've only tried Jack Daniels, Tullamore Dew and JW Red, but I want to buy some more expensive whiskies. I think I'm going to go for Glenfiddich 15 year old, should I go for it? Do you have other recommendations?
Big Smoke hi..he might not get time to reply but i have about 4 years experience in serious single malt dronking...if you have never tasted a single malt,you should start from 10or 12years and then go upwards..and start from lighter style.. ..buy glenkinchie 10 or auchentoshan valinch(lowland region).then go to glenfidich 12,balvenie 12doublewood (speyside region)then glenmorangie (highland region) then highland park 12 (island region) then caol ila12,then lagavulin 16 and then laphroaig 10 cask strength( smoky and phenolic from islay region)........after these fpllow ralfyscores and buy older ones
Jim Beam isn't alone, you fail to mention that many Scotch producers don't care about fine details. Heaven Hill and George Dickle are massive distilleries. Evan Williams Black Label has the second-highest sales of any bourbon. I don't know why you think either distillery has different casks.
Hi Ralfy, it's nice to see you blend, experiment, but you can do that kind of blending because you are rich (in whisky terms). I think you are risking wasting some of the 22 years old if you do not know exactly what you are doing. There are professional blenders who spend alot of energy trying to do good blends. As you know what you get is a bruichladich 10 and lose a 22, so if the 22 is really better (and at least you paid alot more for it so it is by definition more valuable to you) then you are losing whisky value by blending "to try". Of course if you don't like the 22 and hope to improve it then that's ok. Well I think you are an expert so it's good for you to try new things, but for us who do not have so many opportunities to drink a 22 year old I think it's better to enjoy them as much as possible without risking some amount of them. Anyway it's a great review.
Well I may try it actually, on your prodding. :) Thanks alot for the advice. What kind of blends would you recommend for a start? What have been some of your best results -with whiskies or 1 whisky + 1 other spirit?
Ralfy, Heaven Hill is the second biggest bourbon producer, not far behind leader Jim Beam, so they are just as much of a "volume producer" as Jim Beam, and both distilleries have their cheap-selling big volume brands as well as their pricier, super premium brands that I'm sure at either distillery come out of the best casks. In other words, I think the distinction you are drawing is flawed, and is probably driven by your often-articulated anti-corporate politics. Heaven Hill is privately owned and family managed, so big volume or not, they get your seal of approval, while Jim Beam (and Jack Daniel's) you have some kind of vendetta against as corporations that has nothing to do with intrinsic quality, which, as in the case of Heaven Hill, varies widely across their product ranges (and you even admitted once in passing that Jack Daniel's Single Barrel is good, but you said you wouldn't review it because "it's Jack Daniel's"). No wonder whisky tasting is ideally supposed to be done "blind."
He also said that Dickel has coveted casks, Dickel is owned by Diageo. Diageo is the largest spirits corporation in the world. I will defend Ralfy on this point. Old No.7 I used to adore but it went from 90 to 86 to 80 proof. It is not what it used to be. The Jack Daniel's single barrel is one fine dram and is worthy of a Ralfy review.
Diageo is known to treat the George Dickel distillery with "benign neglect," neither interfering with it nor investing any money in it, so the distillery is about as old-fashioned and hands-on as it is possible for a non-craft distillery to be nowadays. Traditionalists, and anti-Jack Daniel's folk, like that. I doubt that George Dickel casks are any better than Jack Daniel's casks. Brown-Forman -- the company that owns Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, and Woodford Reserve (which Ralfy has also denigrated) -- makes its own casks at its own cooperage which I understand is highly regarded in the Scotch whisky industry. I believe Glenmorangie gets their used bourbon casks from Brown-Forman. I doubt Glenmorangie's Bill Lumsden would tolerate second-rate casks.
. . . I have never said I would not review Single Barrel because it is "Jack Daniels" . . . got to say malt-mate, fake quote ! and as an "anti-corporate" reviewer, I appear to feature (and give good malt-marks) to Corporate products so fake-discrimination. Now pour a dram and chill-out.
I have to say I have the most respect for Heaven Hill. They have consistent products, wide variety for great cost/value. I like Old Forrester but Jack Daniels is a mega brand that most people buy for what they think it represents. There are great versions of single barrel. I loved thier rye, even though many people didn't. Jim Beam has good brands but what they did with Bookers and Knob Creek, along with almost discontinuing OGD114, lets just say they'll see less money from me this year. Anyways, I think Heaven Hills shows a different approach to what customers want.
I have watched so many Ralfy videos that I think I have earned a degree in something. Thank you professor Ralfy!
Indeed, I have learnt so much in the past year from him starting out, and have bought some delicious malts and found my feet in the whisky world due to him; that I feel a bit melancholic as I've finally caught up perusing virtually all his vlogs!
_Ralfy University_ Offering degrees in many fields! Get your *Malt Masters*, *Bourbon Bachelors* or *Absinthe Associates* !!
When I had reached the end I went back and watched them all again. It's better the second time. I'm only part way through the third time so I won't pass judgment on whether they continue to improve. Whisky and Ralfy are a great combination.
Ralfy! I just did a similar blend with my Laphroaig Quarter Cask and the Laphroaig 18 yr. I was just not enjoying the Laphroaig 18 as much as the QC. So I blended about 2 parts QC and 1 part 18yr old and think the resulting blend is phenomenal! Very much everything I love from the QC, but seemingly all grown up in a good way. I now like the blended single malt even more than the QC by itself. You should give it a shot.
Thank's for this great review, Ralfy!
Ralphy! You malt meddling manx! Thanks for the 22 review! Huge fan of Bruichladdich of the recent owners.
To isolate the cask influence on a whisky, I stumbled onto this experiment: Every six months for the past several years, Douglas Laing has been releasing single-cask releases of Caol Ila. (I've noticed they've done the same with Auchentoschen and probably other whiskies.) It turns out that each of these casks held distillate that was made in the same month and year. The casks were undoubtedly bought by Douglas Laing at the same time, so they also shared the same location and environment for the length of their aging. The only differences between each release is the cask itself and that any release would be six-months older than the previous. Thus, side-by-side tastings would effectively demonstrate the influence of the cask on the distillate. I haven't seen this experiment performed on your Mad Whisky Scientist Channel. :-)
. . . very interesting observation !
Not as absolute an experiment as your are suggesting but I did give a preserntation to a group of guys "The Malt Menches" concisting of the Caol Ila 12, Caol 18 and Caol 25, side by side comparison.
The 12 was peat dominant with fresh fruity lemon juice and barley seawater and seaweed in the background.
The 18 was fruity lemon up front with sweet peat in the background and with hardly any seaweedy notes left at all,
The 25 was stewed apricots, dry wood spice and furniture polish with old dried cooked lemons with only a hint of peat.
ConclusionsL Most preferred the 18 YO with a minority the 12 YO. No one preferred the 25 YO.
This is exactly the problem I face during blending trials. My final blend is almost always elevated considerably by the addition of 2 or 3% younger whisky. Exactly as you mentioned it always seems to add another layer of floral, fruity and slightly feminine notes that just elevate the final blend so much that I can't put an age statement on the bottle. I would hate to leave this component out for the simple reason of being able to put a much older age on the bottle. Adding a squirt of youthfulness is almost always an improvement in my whiskies. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge, experience and honesty.
Peaty Malt
hi..are you
a professional blender?
Sehraj Singh Virk Small malt whisky distillery owner.
Peaty Malt
wow..that sounds great sharing the same platform with such knowledgable people..whats your distillery's name
??and which country ,state and city??
. . . happy to share the malt-moments !
ralfystuff
same here sir..WERE ALL THE LADDIES TEN SOLD FROM 2012 TO 2017 ON TWE and other websites of SAME BATCH????(AS THEY R CALLING THE NEWER 1 SECOND EDITION)IN OTHER WORDS IS THE LADDIE TEN I PURCHASED LAST YEAR THE SAME BATCH AS YOU REVIEWED IN 2012???
Ralfy!!! Did you just flip us the finger at 11:42 ??? Hahahah
Thanks for the review Ralfy. As far as I can check, the Laddie 22 is no longer available. Actually my favourite Bruichladdich is the Laddie 16, (not to be confused with the Bruichladdich Buffalo Trace 16 Year Old Bourbon Cask matured which you have also reviewed). The Ladddie 16 is also matured in exclusively Ex-Bourbon casks but of a number of different types, similer to the 22 which you reviewed here. The Laddie 16, despite being unpeated is deliciously coastal. Seaweed sour, seasalt water with American oak sap and honey, maple syrup, barley creamy and black tea....This is still available (just) but stocks are going fast!
I have a limited experience in whisky as have only been buying seriously some of the main whiskies out there over the past year; but currently, I have to say (even though I've had a Springbank night perusing these vids, and have enjoyed them immensely) that Bruichladdich is currently my favourite distillery; as everything I've tasted from them so far is frankly of stunning quality.
Great review Ralfy!. I got both bottles, I'll try the experiment later...I always liked the Laddie Ten better than the 22 or the Curvee line.The Bruichladdich character is lost in older and finished bottlings. Cheers from Bucharest
Another great review Ralfy. Better get going or I will be late for work!
The quality of the casks, that maybe why I much prefer Evan Williams bottled in bond to Jim Beam. Also explains why shifted my preference from Jack Daniel's to George Dickel.
Haha fantastic ending of the review Ralfy!
In Ontario, The use of Canadian Oak as become common. It just American Oak but imparts similar notes as French.
eric gilbert is it quercus alba, or a different species?
Yes it is Quercus alba
The trees mature at a significantly slower rate with a longer winter-rest imparting different characteristics.
You're a wise man Ralfy. Simon Coughlin's gonna love you for this review :o)
*Coask* _noun_ - a fusion of oak and cask that influences a spirit over its maturation. Increases with time in said coask. Coined by the infamous Ralfy in his #627 Ralfy Review.
Great noun!
22:38 - and yet would be labeled as a 10 year old. Ahh, the value of age statements demonstrated so succinctly.
Spectacular review Ralf!
Ralfy on a Bruchladdich tear. Gr8 stuff frm th ol' "Rocks" 2 the Laddies. quite nice
Funny, they claim that the maritime note is the result of breathing of the cask. Letting salty sea air in. But the 22 yr is far less (not coastal at all)
I always had my doubts with this story.
And the proof is right there!
It counts for all the coastal distillers
Isn´t this exactly the problem of a NAS-Bottle? Maybe they are mostly old whiskys mixed with younger? But the law says they cant write both years of age on the Bottle.
I´m a great fan of your reviews by the way!
Nice malt mention there, mate.
Awesome stuff, Ralfy!
Out of my price range... maybe one day... great review Ralfy...
Have you shown what we might have available commercially but for the SWA rules ? They would discourage the blend you made because of the proportions.
Both bottles are from the same distillery, therefore the Ralfyladdie blend would still be a single malt.
If offered commercially, Ralfyladdie would be bottled and marketed as a 10yo. Blending proportions don't come into the equation.
Hey Ralfy,
I'm definitely a self-described "purist" :P
...I *might* just have to try this with my favorite distillery (Bunnahabhain 12 + 18 :O)
Would Ralfy happen to be a painter? His in-frame logos appear to be paint sample cards from a fandex!
Hi Ralfy, have you ever tried the Ancien Regime? Is it worth buying at £74?
I put a dash of Monkey Shoulder in my glass of Riazul Anejo this past weekend and it was incredible. I likely would have never experienced that if it weren't for your blasphemous blending habits, Ralfy.
Good experimenting!
You gave the Bruichladdich 10yo-91, the Bruichladdich 22yo-87 and the Bruichladdich Experiment 10yo-89. So, if I read between the lines-get the 10yo unless I can get the 22 at bargain.
. . . correct.
No you should buy the 10 year old AND the 22 year old and then blend them together ;)
Max Steel yes if you want to go broke
Good call
Ralfy, I've always wondered how your marks scale. Is a blend mark equal to a malt mark? Do you rate relative to price or irrespective of? I understand the main 'meat' of the review is spread across the 15+ minute descriptions of nose and taste, but as far as decision making on bottle purchases go the marks weigh quite heavily.
. . . different spirits need different bench-marks.
Hi Ralfy, Love your integral reviews. I would love to tour scotland distilleries but don't know where to start. Any recommendations?
. . . Springbank for seeing the whole operation of production and for a lovely west coast drive either by car or on a bus.
Thanks Ralfy! Keep up the good work mate!
Well done laddie. heehee. Loved that one.
Hey ralfy, I'm new to drinking whisky so far I've only tried Jack Daniels, Tullamore Dew and JW Red, but I want to buy some more expensive whiskies. I think I'm going to go for Glenfiddich 15 year old, should I go for it? Do you have other recommendations?
Big Smoke
hi..he might not get time to reply but i have about 4 years experience in serious single malt dronking...if you have never tasted a single malt,you should start from 10or 12years and then go upwards..and start from lighter style..
..buy glenkinchie 10 or auchentoshan valinch(lowland region).then go to glenfidich 12,balvenie 12doublewood (speyside region)then glenmorangie (highland region) then highland park 12 (island region) then caol ila12,then lagavulin 16 and then laphroaig 10 cask
strength( smoky and phenolic from islay region)........after these fpllow ralfyscores and buy older ones
. . . start modest and consolidate your experience with younger age-stated malts across the range before spending too much on older stuff ! Good luck.
Thanks for the answers mates!
23:30 I call it mentholated oak
Should we be concerned that the 10 & 22 year olds are the same colour? Especially as it only states 'natural colour' ?
. . . no, natural colour is generally a narrow range of shade with a few very light or dark extremes.
Nice review
So good Ralfy!
I just received the book 'The Billionaire's Vinegar'. Thanks for the recommendation,it's brilliant!atb.snack.
. . . enjoy the read !
what is this miniature daleks? explain! explain! explain !
Jim Beam isn't alone, you fail to mention that many Scotch producers don't care about fine details. Heaven Hill and George Dickle are massive distilleries. Evan Williams Black Label has the second-highest sales of any bourbon. I don't know why you think either distillery has different casks.
jura 21 next please....:))
prety sure the laddie was owned by W&M before they closed.
. . . W&M were owned by JBB Brands at the time.
fair play
Malt malt baby... maybe??
Why aren't you a fan of Jim Beam?
sour Bruichladdich, wow
Hi Ralfy, it's nice to see you blend, experiment, but you can do that kind of blending because you are rich (in whisky terms). I think you are risking wasting some of the 22 years old if you do not know exactly what you are doing. There are professional blenders who spend alot of energy trying to do good blends. As you know what you get is a bruichladich 10 and lose a 22, so if the 22 is really better (and at least you paid alot more for it so it is by definition more valuable to you) then you are losing whisky value by blending "to try". Of course if you don't like the 22 and hope to improve it then that's ok. Well I think you are an expert so it's good for you to try new things, but for us who do not have so many opportunities to drink a 22 year old I think it's better to enjoy them as much as possible without risking some amount of them. Anyway it's a great review.
. . . there's only one way to learn about blending, just do it ! It is rarely a waste of time or money !
Well I may try it actually, on your prodding. :) Thanks alot for the advice. What kind of blends would you recommend for a start? What have been some of your best results -with whiskies or 1 whisky + 1 other spirit?
Ralfy, Heaven Hill is the second biggest bourbon producer, not far behind leader Jim Beam, so they are just as much of a "volume producer" as Jim Beam, and both distilleries have their cheap-selling big volume brands as well as their pricier, super premium brands that I'm sure at either distillery come out of the best casks. In other words, I think the distinction you are drawing is flawed, and is probably driven by your often-articulated anti-corporate politics. Heaven Hill is privately owned and family managed, so big volume or not, they get your seal of approval, while Jim Beam (and Jack Daniel's) you have some kind of vendetta against as corporations that has nothing to do with intrinsic quality, which, as in the case of Heaven Hill, varies widely across their product ranges (and you even admitted once in passing that Jack Daniel's Single Barrel is good, but you said you wouldn't review it because "it's Jack Daniel's"). No wonder whisky tasting is ideally supposed to be done "blind."
He also said that Dickel has coveted casks, Dickel is owned by Diageo. Diageo is the largest spirits corporation in the world. I will defend Ralfy on this point.
Old No.7 I used to adore but it went from 90 to 86 to 80 proof. It is not what it used to be. The Jack Daniel's single barrel is one fine dram and is worthy of a Ralfy review.
Diageo is known to treat the George Dickel distillery with "benign neglect," neither interfering with it nor investing any money in it, so the distillery is about as old-fashioned and hands-on as it is possible for a non-craft distillery to be nowadays. Traditionalists, and anti-Jack Daniel's folk, like that. I doubt that George Dickel casks are any better than Jack Daniel's casks. Brown-Forman -- the company that owns Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, and Woodford Reserve (which Ralfy has also denigrated) -- makes its own casks at its own cooperage which I understand is highly regarded in the Scotch whisky industry. I believe Glenmorangie gets their used bourbon casks from Brown-Forman. I doubt Glenmorangie's Bill Lumsden would tolerate second-rate casks.
. . . I have never said I would not review Single Barrel because it is "Jack Daniels" . . . got to say malt-mate, fake quote ! and as an "anti-corporate" reviewer, I appear to feature (and give good malt-marks) to Corporate products so fake-discrimination. Now pour a dram and chill-out.
Ralfy reviewed Gentleman Jack in whisky review #159. Just get your facts straight.
I have to say I have the most respect for Heaven Hill. They have consistent products, wide variety for great cost/value. I like Old Forrester but Jack Daniels is a mega brand that most people buy for what they think it represents. There are great versions of single barrel. I loved thier rye, even though many people didn't. Jim Beam has good brands but what they did with Bookers and Knob Creek, along with almost discontinuing OGD114, lets just say they'll see less money from me this year. Anyways, I think Heaven Hills shows a different approach to what customers want.
1st! (x10^1)
so tenth then :D
ya way to ruin it.
first
.
. . . Verified as First !
.
lol
Don't think I will like it from hearing these notes.
what about the new 10? sounds kind of the same.
first