Best whisky 2006

What a tasting year !! WSMS has set a new record during 2006 with 84 new tasted singlemalts. This has given us a opportunity to raise some medal amongst the 84 singlemalts from 2006. To be able to distinguish the whisky from each other, the exactly average score is between the brackets. The Lagavulin from SWS (SWS000) was the overall best singlemalt 2006.

GOLD MEDAL
Lagavulin  10y, 52% 1994, SWS000 Sherry Cask	95  (94,50)
Ardbeg 1990, 55%	94  (94,00)
Laphroaig 13y, 58,8% Cask 228, Feis Ile 2005	94  (94,00)
Port Ellen 24y, 59,35% 1978, "2nd release"	94  (94,00)
Port Ellen 24y, 57,3% 1979 "3rd release"	94  (93,67)
SILVER MEDAL
Port Ellen 25y, 57,4% 1979, "5th release"	93  (93,00)
Laphroaig 30y, 40%	93  (92,67)
Convalmore 22y, 50% 1978, Old Malt Cask	93  (92,50)
Ardbeg 28y, 50% 1972, Old Malt Cask	92  (92,00)
Ardbeg 27y, 50% 1973, Old Malt Cask	92  (92,00)
Ardbeg 31y, 49,3% 1973, Cask 1143 (216 bottles)	92  (92,00)
Port Ellen 25y, 56,2% 1978, "4th release"	92  (92,00)
Highland Park 30y, 48,1%	92  (92,00)
Lagavulin 30y, 52,6% 2006	92  (91,67)
Springbank 7y, 1999-2006, First fill Sherry Cask (Cask nr344)	92  (91,50)
BRONZE MEDAL
Inverleven 27y, 51% 1977	91  (91,00)
Laphroaig 17y, 55,2% Feis Ile 2004	91  (91,00)
Hanyu 56,3% 1988-2006, (cask nr9204)	91  (90,80)
St Magdalene 19y, 63,8% 1979, Rare Malts	91  (90.50)
Ardbeg 16y, 46% 1990-2006 "Airigh Nam Beist"	90  (90,17)
Talisker 20y, 62% 1981-2002, sherry cask	90  (90,00)
Ardbeg 54,2% Uigedail	90  (89,67)
Ardbeg 40,9% 1975, Cask 4699 (121 bottles)	90  (89.50)
Ardbeg 6y, 58,3% Very Young, 1998-2004	90  (89,50)
Glenesk 46,6% 1971, PNA (Part Nan Angelen) one of 662	90  (89,50)
Port Ellen 27y, 54,2% 1978, "6th release"	90  (89,50)

Last tasting 2006

As usual WSMS had a tasting during the Christmas holidays. This time 8 new bottles was tasted and judged.

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below:

	JA	NC	ML	MS	TM	WSMS
Port Charlotte 5y, 63,5% 2001-2006, PC5	90	85	88	81	85	86
Caol Ila 15y, 58,8% 1991-2005, (cask nr100)	92	91	83	86	88	88
Ardmore 15y, 58,6% 1990-2005, (cask nr30013)	89	86	86	87	87	87
Hanyu 56,3% 1988-2006, (cask nr9204)	92	92	90	87	93	91
Nikka 10y, 45% Miyagikyou	84	85	87	80	87	85
Glenfiddich 21y, 40% Grand Reserva	81	80	82	83	84	82
Glenfiddich 12y, 40% Caoran Reserve	81	79	84	81	85	82
Macallan 12y, 40%	77	77	81	82	83	80

Look here for the tasting notes.

Port Ellen tasting.

Jörgen and Niklas performed a Port Ellen tasting. All the present OB bottlings from nr 1 to nr 6 was tasted and as a final a 30 year old Ayshire was up for tasting.

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below:

	JA	NC	WSMS
Ayshire 30y,48,9% 1975-2005	82	84	83
Port Ellen 27y, 54,2% 1978, "6th release"	90	89	90
Port Ellen 25y, 57,4% 1979, "5th release"	93	93	93
Port Ellen 25y, 56,2% 1978, "4th release"	92	92	92
Port Ellen 24y, 57,3% 1979 "3rd release"	-	-	-
Port Ellen 24y, 59,35% 1978, "2nd release"	94	94	94
Port Ellen 22y, 56,2% 1979, "1st release"	-	-	-

Look here for the tasting notes.

All members together.

For the first time all six members was gathered for a tasting. Nine bottles was up for judgment on the 10th tasting event for the year. Among the bottles was the new Ardbeg 'Airigh Nam Beist', the curious name is pronounced “Arry nam Baysht” and is the second loch down from Uigeadail. It therefore performs a balancing role in supplying the water from Loch Uigeadail required by the distillery. In the ancient Gaelic language it means “place, or shelter of the beast or animals” …and a very ghostly place it is too!

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below:

	JA	NC	ML	MS	TS	TM	WSMS
Ardbeg 16y, 46% 1990-2006 "Airigh Nam Beist"	91	93	92	86	91	88	90
Bowmore 21y, 43%	88	92	90	86	87	88	89
Ardbeg 40% 1995-2005, Connoissers Choice	83	79	85	81	84	85	83
Caol Ila 8y, 59,8% "Unpeated"	84	84	84	83	82	86	84
Hazelburn 8y, 58,7% 1998-2006, "Springbank society"	85	83	85	82	83	86	84
Bladnoch 16y, 50% 1988-2005, Old Malt Cask	85	86	82	84	86	85	85
Longmorn 15y, 45%	82	85	85	85	85	84	84
Tamnavulin 12y, 40%	78	77	76	78	77	80	78
Royal Lochnagar 12y, 40%	77	81	82	80	81	77	80

Look here for the tasting notes.

9 new bottles up for tasting.

Despite a upcoming tasting event 13/10 some of the members held a "little" tasting of nine new bottles. The thrill of the evening was the new 30 years old bottling from Lagavulin. The question was how it should stand against it's "younger" sisters/brothers, the 16 and 25. The answer as you can se below is that according to WSMS, Lagavulin has it's peak around 25 year, but still, the 30 years old whisky are a great experience witch scored 92 points.

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below:

	JA	NC	TM	WSMS
Lagavulin 30y, 52,6% 2006 OB	90	92	93	92
Ardbeg 8y, 56,2% Still Young 1998-2006 OB	90	90	88	89
Caol Ila 43% 1993-2006, Moscatel Finished OB	83	87	85	85
Macallan 30y, 45,3% 1976-2006 Adelphi	78	80	77	78
Mortlach 20y, 62,2% 1978, Rare Malts, OB, Diageo	86	88	88	87
Clynelish 10y, 58,5% 1995-2006 Signatory	84	84	85	84
Benriach 28y, 57,1% 1975-2004, Signatory	87	86	86	86
Mackmyra 54,2% Preludium 02 OB	77	80	78	78
Deanston 17y, 40% OB	76	75	73	75

Look here for the tasting notes.

Stuart Thomson leaves Ardbeg !

This is a sad news for all Ardbeg and Stuart friends. WSMS wishes Stuart all the best in the future, and we waiting with expectations for what he will do next.

This is what Stuart says (from Ardbeg's site)

Dear Committee Members and friends,

As your Chairman for the last five and a half years I have thoroughly enjoyed watching our beloved Ardbeg grow from a whisky known by a few to a malt increasingly recognised across the world.

Who would have believed this could have happened when I arrived in 1997 with the backing of The Glenmorangie Company to breathe new life into a Distillery that by all measures was nearly lost forever. The transformation in those 9 years has been quite extraordinary, extremely exciting and yes, from time to time a little scary... especially when the roof of the Old Kiln blew off in the hurricane of January 1999!

The passion and enthusiasm you have shown for Ardbeg and indeed the support you have given me and the team at the Distillery has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Many of you have made the arduous journey to Islay to wonder along with myself at the remarkable renaissance of this proud Distillery.

In no small measure this is down to you, the Committee, who have spread the word about Ardbeg and its indomitable spirit to the four corners of the globe to the extent that the Committee now numbers some 35,000 members in 112 countries!

So it is with great regret that this note announces my departure from Ardbeg. I have been considering this for some time not because of any dimming of my passion for The Ultimate Islay Malt - more because there comes a time in life when it's quite simply time for a change.

I shall be leaving Ardbeg soon to go off to pastures new, but one thing I will always carry with me are memories of all the conversations, e-mails, tastings, discussions, debates and comradeship we have had over the years. My admiration for Ardbeg under Glenmorangie’s stewardship remains as strong as ever.

I wish my successor well and go off to my next adventure bolstered with pride in all that I and the team at the Distillery and Old Kiln have achieved together. I, of course, remain a member of the Committee and look forward to keeping in touch.

Slainte

Stuart Thomson

New bottles (again) from Highland Park

Highland Park will change the design of the bottle and here is the new one.

The redesign – the first for four years – comprises the complete range, including new expressions released in the past 12 months, 15, 16 and 30-year-olds. It showcases the brand's Orkney heritage with inspiration taken from the island's Scandic roots as well as Highland Park's archived bottles.
The new bottle and pack's distinct oval shape is designed to set it apart from competitors, differentiating it from 95% of the malt market. It also features detailed information on the single malt, with educational notes.

Hunting for not tasted distilleries

1/9 WSMS was on a hunt for new, not yet tasted, distilleries to improve our record over tasted distilleries. The tasting was performed by NC, JA and our new member TM (Tony Martinsson).

It was 8 bottles in the line up, and 4 of them was from a "not yet tasted" distillery. Amongst them was a 30 year old Laphroaig (OB) and a 30 years old Highland Park (OB).

Bye the way, this was tasting number 9 this year, and the total number of tasted whisky for 2006 is now up to 53.

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below:

	JA	NC	TM	WSMS
Laphroaig 30y, 40% OB	93	94	91	93
Highland Park 30y, 48,1% OB	92	92	92	92
Talisker 45,8% 175 Anniversary OB	85	88	85	86
Tormore 15y, 43% 1989-2004, Signatory	83	86	81	83
Balblair 16y, 43% OB	82	84	80	82
Glenburgie 10y, 40% G&M	79	77	77	78
Aberfeldy 11y, 43% 1991-2002, Signatory	81	76	77	78
Glen Scotia 13y, 40% 1990-2003, G&M Collection	77	75	78	77

Look here for the tasting notes.

Late Online Tasting

20/8 participated JA and NC in a "late" online tasting with a line of whisky from Lowland. WSMS had bought a set of tasting whisky's from Whiskyforum, but unfortunately the time for the online tasting didn't fit in the calendars. So, some weeks late the whisky was tasted and some notes and scores was given.

It was all through a "high quality" tasting with really nice bottles from the Lowlands, the score got from 82 to 91. All bottles was blind tasted. Further more WSMS had a taste of a Laggavulin bottled by SWS (Swedish Whisky Society), and what a ace, it scored 95 points and got a place amongst the highest rated.

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below:

	Jörgen	Niklas	WSMS
Lagavulin  10y, 52% 1994, SWS000 Sherry Cask	94	95	95
St Magdalene 19y, 63,8% 1979, Rare Malts	90	91	91
Linlithgow 30y, 47,7% 1975, Cask nr 96/3/39	89	86	88
Inverleven 27y, 51% 1977	91	91	91
Bladnoch 23y, 53,6% 1977, Rare Malts	88	87	88
Rosebank 27y, 56,7% 1976	86	84	85
Littlemill 21y, 61,1% 1984	84	80	82

Look here for the tasting notes.

Midsummer day (before football).

WSMS was gathered for a new tasting event on the midsummer day just before the Swedish football team was up against the Germany team.

We had a better time than the Swedish football team had. 6 bottlings was up for a taste. Two demolished distilleries, Dallas Dhu and Glenury Royal was among them, but the surprise of the evening come from the Laphroaig witch scored 90 points.

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below, Tony's result (witch not is included in the total) is between the brackets:

	Jörgen	Niklas	Tony M	WSMS
Linkwood F&F	78	80	(78)	79
Highland Park 16y OB	84	86	(77)	85
Glenury Royal RM 1971	86	85	(87)	86
Dallas Dhu "The Union of the Crowns"	86	89	(86)	88
Laphroaig 12y Chieftains	88	92	(86)	90
Ardbeg Uigedail	91	90	(88)	91

Look here for the tasting notes.

High performance in Varberg.

Two of the members had a "small" tasting event with some fine whiskies up for the evening.

Two bottlings from the Swedish "Vin & Sprit", called Part Nan Angelen (PNA) with Glen Scotia and Glen Esk, one bottle from Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask (OMC) with Convalmore. Another bottling for Sweden from Highland Park, a bottling from Bowmore and Talisker and finely two bollings from Ardbeg. WSMS managed to get our hands on one bottling from 1975 (one of 121) witch was sold out fast at Ardbeg.

As you can se on the result we had a pleasant evening with 5 bottlings over 90 points and as the lowest score we got 83. It will be hard to top this in the future.....

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below:

	Jörgen	Niklas	WSMS
Glen Scotia PNA	82	84	83
Glenesk PNA	88	91	90
Convalmore OMC	92	93	93
Highland Park 15y single cask OB	84	85	85
Bowmore 16y Lim Ed.	84	84	84
Talisker 20y sherry cask	90	90	90
Ardbeg 1990 OB	94	94	94
Ardbeg 1975 cask OB	91	88	90

Look here for the tasting notes.

Strong opening of year 2006.

WSMS has had three tasting events already and it's not even summer. This promises a new record this year if you counting the number of tasted whisky. The figure for the year is growing fast an is now 19.

This time we tasted 6 new bottles, the first Swedish single Malt made by Mackmyra, called Preludium 01 (the first of 6 releases), Macallan Fine Oak 12y, Oban Destiller Edition 1991, The new Springbank 10y, Port Ellen 3rd release and finally the very young Ardbeg. We also tasted Port Ellen 1st release as a reference whisky.
Port Ellen was victories for the evening and made it to the "top ten".

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below, you have our guest Tony's result (witch not is included in the total) between the brackets:

	Jörgen	Mattias L	Niklas	(Tony)	WSMS
Mackmyra 01	74	75	72	(74)	74
Macallan 12y	77	80	81	(82)	79
Oban DE	83	84	85	(83)	84
Springbank 10y	84	87	87	(86)	86
Port Ellen 24y	95	94	93	(94)	94
Ardbeg VY	90	90	90	(88)	90

Look here for the tasting notes.

  2006-04-30

 

Almost spring in Varberg !

Three members was gathered together with a guest to carry out a tasting of 6 bottles single malt. This time the whisky was more or less smoky ones and we was very exited to taste the two Laphroaig against each other. It was a close race between them and the Talisker and Caol Ila tried to catch some score on the Laphroaig's. Finally the Laphroaig Quarter Cask won the title for the evening.

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below, you have our guest Tony's result (witch not is included in the total) between the brackets:

	Jörgen	Mattias L	Niklas	(Tony)	WSMS
Clynelish 14y	83	84	84	(82)	84
Talisker 18y	86	90	88	(80)	88
Longrow Tokaji	83	81	83	(83)	83
Caol Ila Cask	87	87	87	(88)	87
Laphroaig QC	88	88	90	(86)	89
Laphroaig Cask	90	86	87	(89)	88

Look here for the tasting notes.

New year and a new tasting event.

We hade a short break for a tasting of tree bottles. Up for our judgment was a Ardbeg from 1973 (high exceptions of this one), the new Hazelburn and a 40 years old Glenfarclas.

To get some reference we also hade Port Ellen (first edition) and a Longrow (Tokaji).

The scores was also judged individual and you can see them below:

	Jörgen	Niklas	WSMS
Glenfarclas 40	81	81	81
Ardbeg 1973	92	92	92
Hazelburn 8	83	84	84

Look here for the tasting notes.