The Whisky Exchange, a London and online spirit retailer, hosts a panel tasting annually to determine their Whisky of the Year with a blind tasting.
And for the first time I was able to get tickets and participate in the panel last night – and I have to say that I really loved the format, the whiskies and the experience. For those who are not in London they also do an online blind tasting as well so there are other ways to get involved in future years! It sounds like there may even be an ambition to make it even bigger next year.
Want to know more about Whisky of the Year? The Whisky Exchange have created a page where they’ve included last year’s contestants and previous year’s winners:
Learn more about Whisky of the Year
At the tasting we found out the Top 2 whiskies based on the votes, but the winner will be announced on Dec 4 on The Whisky Exchange’s social media pages. So stay tuned:
The Whisky Exchange on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhiskyexchange
The Whisky Exchange on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskyexchange/
I should preface this in saying that I am, by no means, an expert whisky taster. I always struggle to identify specific notes and flavors but I am passionate about whisky. And on those terms I felt I qualified to take part in this wonderful event. Therefore take my notes below with a grain of salt and an understanding that the tasting notes were collected from the wider room, and not my own observations. Those would have been flat and singular per whisky where as with these I was able to capture a wider variety of opinions.
The Criteria
The Whisky Exchange have a set criteria for the bottles that can be nominated to become Whisky of the Year.
- Not Cask Strength
- Ongoing Release
- Cost less than ยฃ65
Pretty straight forward requirements – and a point to clarify: it’s not only for malt whisky because the 2019 winner was a sour mash whiskey.
In previous years the winners have been:
- 2019: Michters US*1 Original Sour Mash Whiskey
- 2018: Bowmore 15 Year Old
- 2017: Kilchoman Machir Bay
- 2016: Talisker 2003 Distillers Edition
- 2015: Glendronach 15 Year Old Revival Sherry Cask
- 2014: Glenfarclas 15 Year Old
The Tasting
Dawn, the head buyer for the Whisky Exchange, walked us through the blind tasting of the various whiskies.
She introduced us to a new approach of nosing the whisky that she learned from the main Nikka brand ambassador. Instead of nosing and tasting a single glass at once, we nosed all 6 glasses initially and then returned to taste them. This gave us an initial impression of the whisky.
She encouraged us to think of the tasting notes not in terms of “vanilla, fruit, etc.” but on a more emotional level. Mapping scents to memories or feelings that could help us link those emotions to the more traditional flavor notes. For example one of the whiskies for me tasted like “fresh rain in the forest” and we traced this back to the concepts of woody, grassy, etc. On another tasted like “bonefire night” which could be traced back to toffee, leaves, etc.
During the tasting I ranked the whiskies on a 1-10 scale based on my preferences, and used this to influence the vote I put in at the end of the tasting. Some of my own ratings seriously surprised me.
WHISKY 1 | Kavalan
This was my favorite of the whiskies overall – I found it delightfully delicate and smooth with a mix of wood and fruit flavors. During the blind tasting I couldn’t place which whisky this was but when it was revealed to be Kavalan I was not surprised. I’d had it a few times before and always appreciated it. I think with the approach of the blind tasting there was something even more special about it to me, and I have every intention of visiting the Whisky Exchange this week to pick up a bottle to enjoy at home.
Tasting Notes & Scores:
NOSE: 9 / 10
Autumn, peach, fruit, sweetness, werther’s original
PALATE: 9 / 10
Peach, decliate, burnt wood
FINISH: 8 / 10
Surprisingly long, light, fruity, freshing menthol
WHISKY 2 | Balvenie Carribean Cask
When this whisky was revealed at the end of the night I was shocked. This whisky has been a stalwart and favorite in my personal collection for 5 years. Each time I’ve finished a bottle it’s been almost immediately replaced and I long ago lost count of how many I had bought over the years. It’s one I use often as an introduction whisky to friends due to the complexity and easy-drink-ability.
Last night this one fell in the middle to bottom of the pack for me. I still will be picking up a new bottle when my current one finishes and I don’t think it will leave my collection any time soon. And a part of me feels like I betrayed a best friend in not voting for this beautiful whisky, but in a blind taste test it was forgettable.
Tasting Notes & Scores:
NOSE: 7 / 10
Honey, pear, marzipan, fresh cut grass.
PALATE: 5 / 10
Nutmeg/Spices, Dry and Silky
FINISH: 4 / 10
Gingerbread, shorter finish
WHISKY 3 | GlenAllachie 12 Year Old
GlenAllachie is a relatively new distillery, built in 1967, which has historically sold their whisky to be blended into Chivas. Over the years it’s been through a few owners but was recently restarted once again in 2017. For me the whisky was cloyingly sweet – I referred to as “candy corn” or “fondant” in my tasting notes because it was overpowering in a single flavor, and the finish on it was extremely short. I think under different circumstances I could have enjoyed the whisky a good deal more but it struggled to stand on it’s own in this particular grouping. I’ll certainly be looking to try what other offerings GlenAllachie has now that the distillery is on my radar.
Tasting Notes & Scores:
NOSE: 6 / 10
Dried apple, winter, vanilla bean
PALATE: 5 / 10
Sweet like Candy Corn or Fondant
FINISH: 4 / 10
Cloying, very textured, short.
WHISKY 4 | Benromach 15 Year Old
This whisky was one of the popular ones at the table during the tasting. The complexity of the flavors and, in particular, the finish definitely had captured some fans as we discused the tasting notes. While I did enjoy this whisky (along with almost all of the others) I felt that the nose and palate were too similar and that the flavors I didn’t like in the nose really hit the tongue aggressively on the palate. This was a bit punchier than I would have preferred my whisky, but I will admit that the finish was surprisingly lovely, dynamic and long.
Tasting Notes & Scores:
NOSE: 6 / 10
Petrol, Salty, Woody, Heather, Pine Needles.
PALATE: 5 / 10
Smoked heather, leather, medicinal.
FINISH: 8 / 10
Long, spicy, and hits in waves rather than a continuous smoothness.
WHISKY 5 | Askaig 8 Year Old
While looking through the Whisky Exchange’s website in order to cross my Ts and dot my Is in this blog article I noticed that Askaig was the Runner Up in 2019. Interestingly it was the least favorite of many of those at my table. One gentlemen even commented that he wouldn’t ever buy it, given the opportunity.
I personally felt the taste was closer to some Mezcal that I’ve had in the past than whisky. It was an unusual whisky that I’ve not had before but feel I should try it again and see if, once separated from the competition, it can stand out on it’s own as something other than “odd”.
Tasting Notes & Scores:
NOSE: 5 / 10
Fresh rain, wet wood, grassy, green.
PALATE: 6 / 10
Forest after the rain, Mezcal, Lightly Smoked Agave.
FINISH: 7 / 10
Grassy, Dry, Savory.
WHISKY 6 | Lagavulin 16 Year Old
One of my favorites was on the list without me knowing and I failed to vote for it. On the ot her hand a whisky I thought I didn’t love was on the list and I did vote for it, and it was the delicately smoky Lagavulin 16. It was the last whisky of the blind tasting and it very much caught my attention and imagination. I was expecting something peaty to make the list but this particular distillery didn’t cross my mind when it came to it. I was thinking Kilchoman or one of the other Islay distilleries, and this left me pleasantly surprised.
Even more surprising was that I voted for this as my second place choice in the judging of the blind tasting. Though I would not drink a lot of this in a single setting I really appreciated the flavors that I picked up during the blind tasting and the true complexity of the spirit. Learning later that it was Lagavulin really has made me rethink some of my preconceptions of the brand and I will be drinking more of it after this tasting.
Tasting Notes & Scores:
NOSE: 7 / 10
Cracker jacks, savory fruit, heather, salted nuts
PALATE: 8 / 10
Bonfire night, autumn, toffee, leaves.
FINISH: 8 / 10
Black tea, light smoke, long finish.
Special Release Tastings
We were in for a treat last night at the tasting. After the votes were collected for the favorites one of the co-owners of the Whisky Exchange introduced two special releases – one Christmas and one special edition of Elements of Islay.
BONUS WHISKY | Christmas Malt 2019
Each year the Whisky Exchange releases a special edition Christmas Malt that they’ve cask finished themselves and then bottled. This year it was from the Linkwood Distillery, where they finished together 4 Hogshead casks and 1 Sherry Butt cask. By the time we had tasted it the whisky had only spent 3 weeks in the bottle, and it was just about to hit the shelves at the Whisky Exchange.
It was a really pleasant blend that showed the characteristic rich notes and color of the sherry influence, and it carried the fruity notes well.
BONUS WHISKY | Elements of Islay Sherry and Peat
The Whisky Exchange partnered with Elements of Islay to release this bottle as their 30th Anniversary edition, and it’s not yet hit the shelves in their store as of last night. It was unique and truly wonderful. I’ve had Elements of Islay before at a tasting at the Whisky Exchange and they have a spectacular range of whisky. I already own their “Peat” whisky and this had all the best characteristics of Islay – beautiful smoke and salty undertones – while also paying tribute to the sherry cask as well.
The Results
Curious to know which whisky won the title of Whisky of the Year 200? Me too.
At the end of the evening the Whisky Exchange did share with us who the finalists were – the top 2 voted and ranked whiskies.
The winner will be announced December 4th on their social media pages, so make sure you visit! I am extremely curious to know who won.
The Finalists Were…
Kavalan & Benromach
Having tasted both I am backing Kavalan for Whisky of the Year 2020, and am waiting to hear what the results will be on Dec 4!
Tastings at the Whisky Exchange
Don’t worry – you don’t need to wait an entire year to enjoy tastings at the Whisky Exchange.
They host them semi regularly on premises or in a private room at Browns and I’ve never been let down by the experience. They have a great mailing list that you can subscribe to in order to hear about future tastings. It’s not a spam list and they’ll only email you when there’s a new tasting to announce so take my advice and join!
Join the Whisky Exchange’s Tasting Mailing List
