Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 18
Title: Fable Hound - Chapter Five, Mannochmore (12 Years, 2009/2021)
Bottler: Pendulum Spirits Limited, Stirling, Scotland
Distillery: Mannochmore
The Mannochmore distillery lies just south of Elgin in Morayshire, at the heart of Speyside.
Mannochmore is a relatively recent addition to the area and the collection. Built on the site of the Glenlossie distillery in 1971, it draws its water from the Bardon Burn – whose ancient beds and banks contribute to the whisky’s direct personality. Mannochmore is one of the manifestations of the confidence of the 1960s – a situation which is currently being repeated. It was built by DCL (Distillers company limited ) in 1971 to cope with increasing demand internationally for blends.
It was managed by John Haig and Co. It was only comparatively recently - in 1992 - that single malt Scotch whisky was released from Mannochmore; for many years it had been a blending component and was a constituent of Haig blends.
Established: 1971
Place, region, country: Thomshill (Morayshire), Speyside, Scotland
Master Distiller: -
Variety: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged: 12 years
Alcoholcontent: 55.5 %
Cask: 5434 Bottle: 220 of 252 (Limited Edition)
Information of the Distillery / Bottler:
The first fable instalment delves into the legend of ‘The Ghost Piper of Clanyard Bay’, a story hailing from the South West Coast of Scotland, close to Stranraer. We collaborated with artist Hugo Cuellar to create an enchanted world, from which label illustrations highlighting characters and scenes form a set of eleven Chapters.
'Chapter Five - Hound' is symbolic of the gray dog that accompanies the brave flute player on his journey of discovery. The 12-year-old bottling comes from a hogshead from the Mannochmore distillery and was bottled at cask strength. The design agency gpstudio took on the design of the bottle labels.
Colour: yellow (without colouring)
Chill filtered: no
Nose: Quite a bit of spice in the form of nutmeg, vanilla pudding and then there is also nut involved.
Taste: Quite sweet with vanilla and sugars, juicy and rounded, with the spice adding a nice touch, pepper and cinnamon complete the experience. Hints of bananas, orange and lemon.
Finish: The finish is very long and more spicy than sweet (ginger, toasty oak).
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 6 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 11/December/2021

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 17
Title: Bowmore (15 Years – Aston Martin Edition)
Distillery: Bowmore
Bowmore is Islay’s oldest distillery, and home to the world’s oldest whisky maturation warehouse, the No. 1 Vaults. It’s in this legendary warehouse that Bowmore whisky has been meticulously matured by the master distillers for nearly 240 years.
Established: 1779
Place, region, country: Bowmore, Islay, Scotland
Master Distiller: David Turner (Distillery Manager)
Variety: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged: 15 years
Alcohol content: 43 %
Information of the Distillery: Celebrating the iconic Aston Martin Atom, the elegant and beautifully refined Bowmore 15 Years Old captures a definitive moment in time and pays homage to each of the respective craftsmen’s creative flair and passion. This single malt, like the Atom, is a truly defining work of art. The whisky crafted from exquisite first fill bourbon casks and hogsheads reveals a refreshingly uplifting and stylish character, whilst the Atom is the epitome of beauty and period styling, disruptive and elegantly strong eye-catching concept.
Colour: Dark amber
Chill filtered: Not specified
Nose: Lemon with honey sweetness, very little smoke
Taste: Silky citrus, sweet vanilla and honeycomb
Finish: Some peat smoke, sweet almond and lingering lemon (medium length)
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 7 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 17/October/2021

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 16

Title:  Kilchoman Genesis Harvest Statge 1

Distillery:  Kilchoman

Established:  2005 - When Kilchoman distillery was built, it was the first newly opened distillery on Islay in 124 years. The distillery is the most westerly distillery in Scotland. The distillery was founded with the particular ambition to be a completely independent distillery and company. The distillery was built in 2005, with the first raw spirit being distilled in the same year.

Place, region, country:  Rockside Farm - Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay, Scotland

Master Distiller : Anthony Wills (Founder), Robin Bignal (Distillery Production Manager)

Variety:  Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Aged:  -

Alcohol content:  48,6 %

Information of the Distillery:  The Kilchoman Genesis Harvest Stage 1 is a limited special bottling of the Kilchoman distillery for the year 2020. Kilchoman Genesis Harvest describes the 1,130 day journey from harvesting the barley to bottling. Two types of barley were used for the whiskey: Publican and Concerto barley, which was grown in the mainland. After distillation, the smoky Islay malt matured in Bourbon barrels and in Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry barrels (70% Bourbon,10% Oloroso, 20% Pedro Ximénez).

Limited to 3,600 bottles

Colour: light bronze (without colouring)

Chill filtered:  no

Nose: Smoke embedded in floral and dark fruity notes, as well as citrus.

Taste:  Malty sweet with barley, sweet tobacco (smoky) and a slightly sweet fruit mix.

Finish:  Medium-long finish with a good balance of fruit (slightly sweet) and smoke.

Peat Level: ca. 20 ppm (parts per million)

Rating of Joerg Yoki:   8 of 10 stars

Date of rating:  11/September/2021

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 15
Title: MacKinlay's Shackleton
Distillery / Blender: Chas. Mackinlay & Co Blenders & Distillers
Established: For over 140 years Charles Mackinlay & Company remained a family firm, with five generations involved in the business of blending and distilling. Established in 1815 as a wine merchant in Leith, Charles Mackinlay first became agent for Macfarlane’s whisky and then introduced his own proprietary brands, the first of which was Mackinlay’s Vatted Old Ben Vorlich.
In 1847 The Original Mackinlay was registered and became the bedrock brand for the company. Two further brand extensions – ML (Mackinlay Legacy) and V.O.B (Very Old Blended) were introduced in the early 20th century and widely advertised from the 1920s to ‘60s with the tagline: ’There’s no use talking… taste it!’
In 1892 Mackinlays was involved in building Glen Mhor distillery in Inverness, after which it adopted ‘Leith & Inverness’ on its labelling.
Charles Mackinlay & Co’s family ownership eventually ended in 1961, when the company was sold to Scottish Newcastle Breweries Ltd and subsequently became part of Waverley Vintners Ltd. The company was later picked up by Invergordon Distillers and is now part of Whyte & Mackay.
Place, region, country: Glasgow, Scotland
Master Distiller - Master Blender : Richard Paterson
Variety: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (based on an antique blend)
Aged: -
Alcohol content: 40 %
Information of the Distillery: It's a limited blend malt Scotch Whisky with an interesting story. Mackinlay’s most enduring tale is most certainly one of adventure and perseverance. In 1907 polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton took 25 cases of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt (a single malt from Glen Mhor), along with 18 further cases of brandy and port, on the Nimrod expedition to the South Pole. The journey was later abandoned – Shackleton was within 97 miles of reaching the South Pole when he took the decision to turn back, saving the lives of his men. Around 100 years later, three Mackinlay’s crates containing 11 intact bottles were discovered by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust, frozen in the ice underneath Shackleton’s base camp at Cape Royds.
In 2011, Whyte & Mackay master blender Richard Paterson secured three of the bottles for analysis, which lead to the recreation of the original whisky as a blended malt.
A second recreation followed in 2013 to mark the Epic Expedition, the first genuine recreation of Shackleton’s 1914-17 Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
The whisky journey is not over yet, in 2019 a new re-edition of the Mackinlay Shackleton Blended Malt was launched (which was tasted here). Another aromatic homage to the original from Mackinlay’s Rare Old, but not as limited as the first two replicas and cheaper.
Colour: Dark yellow (colored)
Chill filtered: -
Nose: Slightly smoky and fruity with vanilla.
Taste: Intense and soft with honey.
Finish: Medium length and a little sweet.
Peat Level: -
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 5 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 30/ May /2021 

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 14
Title: Glen Garioch Renaissance 3rd Chapter (17 years)
Distillery: Glen Garioch Distillery
Established: 1797 - One of the oldest operating distilleries in Scotland – and its most easterly – Glen Garioch (pronounced Geery in the ancient Doric dialect still spoken in these parts) has been making its mighty malt in the quaint and historic market town of Oldmeldrum, near Aberdeen in North East Scotland, ever since 1797. The founders of the distillery were John & Alexander Manson.
Place, region, country: Distillery Road, Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Master Distiller : Kwanele Mdluli (Distillery Manager)
Variety: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged: 17 years
Alcohol content: 50.8 %
Information of the Distillery: Glen Garioch draws its water from the beautiful little stream Percock Hills, which flows in Aberdeenshire. The brook is particularly rich in minerals that contribute to the diversity of the taste in whisky. The Glen Garioch Renaissance series presents the different facets of the distillery in four parts. The third bottling, '3rd Chapter', matured in bourbon and sherry barrels for 17 years and is slightly milder in alcohol than its predecessor.
Colour: Dark bronze
Chill filtered: -
Nose: Fruity and spicy followed by butterscotch and green apples as well as malt
Taste: Caramel (creamy Highland toffee), rich honeyed toast and baked apricots
Finish: Long with caramel and orange jam
Peat Level: -
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 7 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 24/ May /2021 

Joerg Yoki's Whisk(e)y Tasting - Part 13
On Wednesday it was Saint Patrick's Day, so it is time to try an Irish Whiskey.
Title: Connemara (12 Years)
Distillery: Cooley Distillery
Established: 1987 - Cooley Distillery is an Irish Whiskey distillery on the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth, Ireland. The distillery was converted in 1987 from an older potato alcohol plant by entrepreneur John Teeling.
Place, region, country: Dundalk, Louth, Ireland
Master Distiller : Noel Sweeney (1989 – 2017)
Variety: Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Aged: 12 years
Alcohol content: 40 %
Information of the Distillery: 12 year old Connemara is a complex, silky smooth whiskey with a peated smoke aroma. The Connemara is one of the few smoky Irish single malts. Connemara harmoniously combines peat smoke with sweet fruits and vanilla. With your eyes blindfolded, you feel transported to the neighboring Scottish islands.
Colour: light yellow
Chill filtered: not specified
Nose: Full and intense with a lot of malt and light peated smoke.
Taste: Soft, sweet and round. A harmonious balance of ripe fruit and some peat smoke.
Finish: Medium-long and very sweet with a little peat smoke.
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 6 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 20/March/2021 

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 12
Title: Kilchoman Sanaig
Distillery: Kilchoman
Established: 2005 - When Kilchoman distillery was built, it was the first newly opened distillery on Islay in 124 years. The distillery is the most westerly distillery in Scotland. The distillery was founded with the particular ambition to be a completely independent distillery and company. The distillery was built in 2005, with the first raw spirit being distilled in the same year.
Place, region, country: Rockside Farm - Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay, Scotland
Master Distiller : Anthony Wills (Founder), Robin Bignal (Distillery Production Manager)
Variety: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged: -
Alcohol content: 46 %
Information of the Distillery: SANAIG - Named after an inlet on Islay’s rugged Atlantic coast, Sanaig is a vatting of both sherry and bourbon casks.
Colour: Copper - dark amber (without colouring)
Chill filtered: no
Nose: Intense with heather, raisins, pears and orange peel. Stone fruits in combination with mixed spices and rich peat smoke.
Taste: Ripe plums, red cherries and a hint of citrus, followed by intense peat smoke, caramel candies, oak and dark chocolate.
Finish: Full bodied and fruity with caramel, cinnamon and clove. In addition, brown sugar, spices, peat smoke and a lingering sweetness.
Peat Level: 50 ppm (parts per million)
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 7 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 07/ February /2021 

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 11
Title: Knockando Master Reserve (21 Years)
Distillery: Knockando
Established: 1898 - Knockando Distillery was built by John Tytler Thomson in 1898, and is named after the village in which it stands. The name derives from Scottish Gaelic ‘Cnoc-an-dhu’ meaning ‘little black hill’,
Place, region, country: Knockando, Speyside, Scotland
Master Distiller : Duncan Tait (Distillery Manager)
Variety: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged: 21 years (Distilled 1994)
Alcohol content: 43 %
Information of the Distillery: Knockando Master Reserve is the oldest regularly available vintage bottling from the Speyside distillery. Special barrels (Sherry and Bourbon) with smaller quantities are used for this. Maturing for 21 years leads to an exceptionally deep and smooth single malt.
Colour: Dark Bronze
Chill filtered: Not specified
Nose: Warming and complex-fruity with vanilla and oak.
Taste: Soft Sherry note and rich with oak and almonds as well as a hint of ripe strawberries and other sweet fruits.
Finish: Long, slightly fruity, sweet and very slightly smoky with an oak note
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 8 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 09/January /2021

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 10
Title: Glenfarclas (21 Years)
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Established: 1836 - There is evidence that the distillery first started operations sometime before 1791. The distillery was first granted a licence in 1836 when it was run by Robert Hay. On 8 June 1865 it was bought by John Grant and is still owned and run by his descendants, making it truly independent.
Place, region, country: Ballindalloch, Speyside, Scotland
Master Distiller : Callum Fraser (Distillery Manager)
Variety: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged: 21 years
Alcohol content: 43 %
Information of the Distillery: The 21 year old Glenfarclas is a very successful single malt whisky from this traditional distillery, which is one of the last remaining independent distilleries in Scotland. Due to the long maturation time in sherry barrels, this whisky has an extremely appealing taste profile that optimally embodies its origin from the Speyside region.
Colour: Golden (natural colour)
Chill filtered: Not specified
Nose: Intense sherry, fruits, slightly nutty with a hint of citrus.
Taste: Full body with fruits, vanilla, spices and very little smoke.
Finish: Medium-long, very slightly smoky and later with a hint of sweet chocolate.
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 8 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 22/November/2020

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 9
Title: ROYAL SALUTE - The Lost Blend (21 Years)
Distillery (Blender): The Royal Salute - The smoky and non-smoky malt whiskies come from the demolished Imperial and Caperdonich distilleries. Another part is a grain whisky from Dumbarton, a distillery that had also been demolished.
Established: 1953 - Created in as a tribute to the British monarchy. The Royal Salute brand's home is Strathisla Distillery (founded as the Milltown Distillery by George Taylor and Alexander Milne in 1786)
Place, region, country: Keith, Speyside, Scotland
Master Distiller (Master Blender) : Sandy Hyslop
Variety: Blended Scotch Whisky
Aged: 21 years
Alcohol content: 40 %
Information of the Distillery: The Royal Salute 21 Year Old Lost Blend was meticulously crafted combining scarce whiskies from distilleries no longer in production, together with a selection of exceptional malt and grain Scotch whiskies. These closed distilleries are often referred to as ‘lost distilleries’ and Royal Salute’s Master Blender Sandy Hyslop hand-selected only the most compelling liquids from his collection of casks to create this rare expression. Housed in a beautifully crafted porcelain flagon, the irreplaceable blend features the ’lost’ Imperial Distillery at its heart. Named in honour of the British monarchy, the distillery was created in the same year as Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and was topped with a gilded cast.
This Whisky is bottled in porcelain flagon, produced by Wade porcelain.
Colour: Dark bronze
Chill filtered: Not specified
Nose: Balanced and complex with notes of sweet orange and peaches intermingled perfectly with smouldering bonfire embers.
Taste: Juicy sweet pears, fresh hazelnuts, charred orange rind completed perfectly with aromatic smoky peat.
Finish: Strong and long, later sweet
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 8 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 11/October/2020

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 8
Title: Bowmore (15 Years)
Distillery: Bowmore
Established: 1779
Place, region, country: Bowmore, Islay, Scotland
Master Distiller: David Turner (Distillery Manager)
Variety: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged: 15 years
Alcohol content: 43 %
Information of the Distillery: Bowmore is Islay’s oldest distillery, and home to the world’s oldest whisky maturation warehouse, the No. 1 Vaults. It’s in this legendary warehouse that Bowmore whisky has been meticulously matured by the master distillers for nearly 240 years.
Matured first in bourbon barrels then Oloroso casks, there's no finer example of a sherry cask finish than this 15 Year Old. It's the final three years spent in Oloroso sherry casks that gives Bowmore 15 Year Old the rich, deep colour and robust warming finish.
Colour: Dark Bronze / Copper (with colorant - Farven justeret med caramel E-150a)
Chill filtered: Not specified
Nose: Dark chocolate, sun-dried fruits and a hint of the classic Bowmore smokiness.
Taste: Wonderful cedar wood and rich treacle toffee flavours
Finish: Strong and complex with a light sherry- and toffee flavour.
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 7 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 20/September/2020

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 7
Title: TOMATIN (18 Years)
Distillery: Tomatin
Established: 1897
.Place, region, country: Tomatin, Inverness-shire (Highlands), Scotland
Master Distiller: Graham Eunson (Distillery Operations Director)
Variety: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged: 18 years
Alcohol content: 46 %
Information of the Distillery: The origins of whisky production in Tomatin are hard to be precise about - the formal distillery which operates today was established in 1897 but there is reason to believe that whisky production, albeit illegal, has been an important part of life in the area around Tomatin since the 1700s.
The Tomatin 18 Year Old is a truly luxurious world class malt. Matured in traditional oak casks and first fill Oloroso Sherry butts (ca. 2.5 years)
Colour: Gold-Bronze (natural colour)
Chill filtered: no
Nose: Wonderfully sweet sherry with notes of apples, cinnamon and vanilla. In addition with fine smoke.
Taste: Dried apricot, nougat and distinctive nutty flavours develop into bursts of tropical fruit with mellow undertones
Finish: Long, sweet and dry (dark chocolate).
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 8 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 02/August/2020

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 6
Title: Caledonia Edradour (12 Years)
Distillery: Edradour
Established: 1825
With the Excise Act of 1823 encouraging licencing and reducing duty paid on spirit, it became more attractive to move away from the illicit stills to a legal entity. As a result Edradour was duly founded in 1825 as a cooperative of local farmers.
Place, region, country: Pitlochry (Baile Chloichridh), Perthshire (Highlands), Scotland
Master Distiller: Andrew Symington (Owner and Master Of The Quaich)
Variety: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Aged: 12 years
Alcohol content: 46 %
Information of the Distillery: Caledonia Edradour is a special single cask release, selected by songwriter Dougie Maclean and named after his famous song, Caledonia. This handmade single malt is a small batch bottling. At a strength of 46% ABV and unchillfiltered, Caledonia retains maximum flavour with great depth and body. Initial maturation in Bourbon casks followed by an Oloroso Finish of 4-5 years. An old fashioned whisky for those looking for how whisky used to be made.
Colour: Bronze to copper (natural colour)
Chill filtered: no
Nose: Pleasant, fruity and slightly spicy with vanilla, sultanas and figs balanced with honey . Lovely and complex.
Taste: Sweet and strong with spices and a hint of oak. Liquid Christmas cake, toasted almonds and just a hint of orange spice. Just a little water opens up the depth and complexity as the fruitiness and Oloroso sherried wood comes to the fore. The result of traditional, time tested distillation processes rolls over the tongue like syrup.
Finish: Gently warming, spicy, more oak and dry sweet fruit.
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 7 of 10 stars
Date of rating: 12/July/2020

Joerg Yoki's Whisky Tasting - Part 5
Title: The Caskhound - Cameronbridge Single Grain (36 Years)
Bottler / manufacturer: The Caskhound, Kuchen, Germany, Owner: Tilo Schnabel,
Distillery: Cameronbridge
Established: 1824
The distillery was founded in 1824 by John Haig near the town of Windygates on the Leven River to produce grain whisky. It was the first distillery to distilling grain whisky exclusively and on a larger scale.
Place, region, country: Windygates, Fife (Lowlands), Scotland
Master Distiller: -
Variety: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Aged: 36 years
Alcohol content: 53,7%
Information of the Bottler / Distillery: This excellent 36-year-old Single Grain Scotch Whisky from the Caskhound was distilled, matured and bottled at the Cameronbridge distillery. The Grain Whisky was fully matured in a fine Bourbon cask. This whisky was distilled in February 1982 and bottled in August 2018. The single cask number was 8279 and this rare Whisky is limited of only 59 bottles
Colour: Golden bronze (natural colour)
Chill filtered: no
Nose: Caramel, vanilla and ripe fruit
Taste: Coconut water, pleasant oak, vanilla, milk chocolate, ripe banana, nice sweet
Finish: Strong and medium length, dried fruit, almonds, cocoa and vanilla
Rating of Joerg Yoki: 8 of 10 stars (plus 1 extra star for the Scottish Deerhound on the lable)
Date of rating: 05/July/2020