Single Malt Lover!

Date: Apr. 22, 2007



綽號Pit的Peter Krause是德國當地品飲團體Regensburger Whisky-Club的領導人，去年在Limburg就參加過他辦的品飲，今年他正式成為Maniacs的一員了，當然更要去捧場，週日一早，有點宿醉頭痛的我，本來想慢慢晃去，結果發現其他的Maniacs也不急, 大家就在旅館門口開始分贓, 原來Serge的旅行車正停在大門口, 打開行李廂, 滿滿的都是老酒, 大家於是拿了sample瓶就開始裝, 一直裝到集合時間前的五分鐘來依依不捨的開始跑向會場!



Pit是老酒的支持者,這次也不例外的找了一大堆的老威士忌, 品飲會舉辦的廠所是未來Mara新開的威士忌酒吧酒窖, 離展場大約100公尺而已, 大家約在展場外的噴水池碰面,還真的都是老朋友了! 來自各地的社團酒友們熱情的打招呼,其實就是這麼奇妙, 明明就不是展覽的正式活動, 但是大家就是知道, 品酒界的圈子還真是小.



Pit準備的酒就放在兩支罕見的Magnum威士忌中, 一開始就吸引了大家的注意! Pit準備這個主題當然也是經過深思熟慮的, 主要的就是希望在早上不要給大家太多的負擔,以酒精度低的酒開始以避免之後在會場口感的混淆, 當然他的另外一個想法也是希望能夠藉此找尋出老酒的經典味道。



一開始他就先傳了支不在酒單上的老貝爾讓我們漱漱口, 之後就開始了今日的品飲!

Bell's Blend Whisky (40%, OB, Old Tall Bottle, 70's)
C: Brown. 
N: 發霉, 老房子, 魚腥味, 玻璃.
P: malty sweet. finished well.warm
C: 73 points.  Finished the best, but can't stand the nose.  國內很少見到Bell's, 一般來說我們見過的Bell's幾乎都是鐘狀陶瓶, 國外收藏的人很多, 都是衝著美麗的瓶身而來, 其中尤以每年聖誕節時的特別款最搶手. 這支酒是70年代罕見的普通高瓶, 應該也算是收藏級的吧! 不過我真的很不喜歡這種外國酒友形容的老瓶味! 讓我想到鄉下的老房子。

Glen Dronach NAS (43%, OB, 75cl. Teacher's Old Green dumpy bottle, Ruffino-Import, late 70's)
C: Gold. 明顯殘渣(不是凝結物).
N: Malty, old grain feel. very simple. quite grassy.
P: Medium light body. finished short. a little bit too old and gone. Not powerful enought. however, finished long.
C: 78 points.  感覺比之前的Bell's 好, 但是真的很簡單的酒, 不比目前的標準裝瓶好多少, 感覺還很沒力, 跟印象中差別很大, 像是保存不好的紅酒. 喝這支酒的時候覺得之前用的杯子似乎沒洗乾淨, 魚腥味也許來自於杯子, 換了杯子就好了.

Milton-Duff 13yo (43%, OB, Ballantine's bottle shape, screw cap. Salengo Import, late 70's)
C: Brownish, quite oil.
N: Very malty. a little bit sherry influence. some grain-cookie feel.
P: Quite sweet in palate. dry and medium finish.
C: 84 points. much better than previous drams. but still not that impressive. 感覺僅是正常的Milton-duff, 也許稍好一些吧!

Strathisla 21yo (40%, G&M,  Sestante Import. Special individual sherry cask, 75cl. screw cap. 70's)
C: Brown, clear.
N: Chocolate, sugar, malty. some grass and flower feel. 
P: Very weak finish. weak body. another gone malt.
C: 79 points. It seems the body just gone.  Not able to carry the aroma. Dilute get a little bit tropical fruit. seems better. Yet Nice palate(舌下)!另一支感覺保存不好的酒, 雖然似乎有層次存在, 但是酒體無法帶出這些層次, 相當可惜! (註: 照片中放在Strathisla 與Macallan之間的還有一支目前裝瓶的Glen Elgin 12yo OB, 主要是讓大家做比較, 我沒喝!)

Macallan-Glenlivet 15yo (no proof indicate on the label. OB, red and gold label, 75cl.)
C: Dark brown. 
N: 烏梅, very sweet. lot's caramel. heavilly sherried. Lot's prum. a little bit grain comes out later.
P: Mouth coating. dilute get more citrus.
C: 85 points. Nice Macallan at it's age. but that's it.  表現出應有的水準, 但是並沒有超出預期!

Laphroaig 16yo 1968 Ship Label (40%, Pimerolo Import. 75cl. Screw cap.)
C: Gold. 
N: Malty with beautiful peaty earth feel. a little bit sulfer with some smoky feel. very fruity with lot's of apple,pear and orange.
P: Layered. sweet, medium body. medium finish. Lot's Iodine at the end. Not so sweet yet clear sherry influence.
C: 90 points. Very enjoyable and really wake me up. rally good stuff. 一整個早上都有點沒力, 宿醉, 很冷的酒窖, 不喜歡的老酒味, 爛酒廠, 終於喝了這支酒讓我醒過來, (老實說我覺得大家都一樣) Pit 是Slowdrink的支持者, 但是品飲會的步調真的很慢! 另外一個感想: 好的老酒其實不真的需要高酒精度與高年份, 還是會很棒!

Springbank 30yo 1965/1995 (43%, Hart Brother's finest collection)
C: Yellow.
N: Very nice fruity fell. very complex. some flower feel. Honey with yellow flower.
P: Good and matured. Medium body. Medium-long finish. sweet mouth coating.
C: 90 points. Nose the best. Good ending. Pit 特別說明他將這支酒放在Laphroaig後面是經過深思熟慮的, 主要還是這是一支很好的老酒(高酒齡), 但是於之前那些「年輕」的老酒有相當的不同，我個人還蠻欣賞這樣的排列，完全沒有受到前面那支Laphroaig的影響, 而且有一個溫暖的結尾!

P.S. Slow Drink是好事, 但是在週日早上又有點陰冷的酒窖中喝著霉霉的老酒, 真的讓我有點沒力! 不過沒力的不只是我, 我回國後通E-MAIL才發現原來另外一對荷蘭的Maniac --Michel 夫婦在經過Slow Drinks後, 跟我一樣沒力, 於是連會場也沒進去, 吃完中餐後兩人同意打道回府, 參加Limburg的活動不只要有體力, 還有有驚人的意志力才行!