Acla Open Day, 31 August, Wallisellen, Switzerland
The Open Day of Acla Da Fans, the swiss retailer and independent bottler, is my first whisky event after the summer break.
For the Photo gallery, please click here
Located in the Doktorhaus im Walliselen, this events allow the visitors to taste over 200 whiskies sold by them. The entry price of 37 CHF includes all whiskies up to the price of 180 CHF per bottle and for the more expensive, you can buy them by the glass, for a very reasonable price.
The event takes place at walking distance from the stain station, in a welcomed rather spacious air-conditioned (AC) room. As it was over 30°C during the day, the AC was more than welcomed to taste whiskies.
Note: As always, these were my impressions during the event. Most of these whiskies will be tasted again in standard conditions.
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| Most of whiskies available for tasting during the event |
My first whisky was a recent expression from Nc’Nean the Cask Strength edition, a nice light and smooth whisky, rather malty, bold and on vanilla, which shows a good maturity of its age. The Jura Islanders’ expression 2024 The collection 3 Cabernet Sauvignon was nice, fruity to very fruity Isle of Jura, on dried fruits, strawberries, some malty flavours and red berries, as well as some sea brine. Pleasant, rather juicy and easy drinking. It was followed by the Benromach Vintage 2014 Batch 2, a rather sweet and spicy expression of that distillery, on oak spices, dried fruits, light floral and malty flavours, as well as some berries. Round. The Jack Daniels Single Malt Oloroso sherry cask is a very sweet whiskey, with lots of dried fruits and a fair amount of charcoal, as well as some spices. Although it is a single malt, it shares a strong personality with the standard Jack Daniels. Not sure if the charcoal flavours are coming from the charred casks or from the charcoal filtration.
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| The bottles were spread over 4 different stand. Most of the selection at my first stand. |
The Glenfarclas 1998 Family Cask bottled in 2021 had a nice mild sherry influence, rather spicy and some fresh rubbery flavours. The 2002 Family cask from 29222 was more elegant and subtle, with a nice round influence from the Port wine cask, without being too sweet or sugary. The Starward in Collaboration with Lagavulin distillery is an Australian single malt matured in red wine casks and finished in ex-Lagavulin casks. The result is a winey smooth and malty whisky mixed with a maritime peat smoke. The combination could be interesting, but in this case, the winey and peaty flavours are separate and no integrated, resulting in an unbalanced whisky. Eden Mill, the St-Andrews single malt has repackaged its bottles. The Sherry Cask is a vatting of ex-oloroso and Pedro Ximenez European sherry casks. The result is a rather light, simple and malty whisky, with some dried fruits, while the Bourbon cask was rather oaky and on vanilla. The Glenlivet Cask Makers is a new expression from the distillery, with a mixture of ex-charred European sherry casks. This whisky was sweet, malty, slightly spicy, with round dried fruits flavours (mainly sultanas and orange peel). This single malt is rather easy drinking, but not overly complex. The Longmorn 18 YO Double cask matured was a nice, spicy, oaky, floral and rather complex whisky, with a mixture of vanilla, spices and dried fruits. Rather intense. The Bunnhahabhain Feis Ile 2023 12 YO Sherry Cask Strength is a nice nutty, bold expression of this Islay single malt, on sea brine, oaky spices, sultanas and toffee. A good value whisky. The Ryelaw is a single malt from Fife in Scotland, with nice round grainy flavours, orange peel, cinnamon and some round malty flavours. Not very complex, but smooth and easy drinking. The Kavalan Solist Port Cask for TWA was a very nice smooth, malty and round malt, elegant, with a round Port wine influence. Very good. The Kavalan Solist Oloroso Sherry Cask for TWA was on the other hand rather rubbery, slightly bitter and tannic. Not really my type of whisky. The Amrut Neidhal was a lovely Indian peated single malt, with a lovely complex and rather medicinal peat smoke, a nice maturity and complexity. Very enjoyable!
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| The selection of Gordon MacPhails, The Whisky Agency and The Perfect Dram |
The Glen Keith 1994 from The Whisky Agency (TWA) Blocks was a delicious, complex and intense single malt, very fruity, on peach, apricots, vanilla and juicy grassy flavours, with a long fruity and complex finish. Delicious. The Ben Nevis 1996 from TWA was a rather light and fresh expression of that distillery, with light orchards and grassy flavours, and some vanilla. The cask influence is discreet, which allows to taste the subtleties of the distillate. The Secret Islay 2010 TWA is very intense, medicinal and peaty single malt distilled at Laphroaig, with seaweeds, iodine and charred wood. It seems like the cask was heavily charred with its notes of chalk, charred wood and graphite. Very good.
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| The stand of the sample bottles, available for purchase at a fair price. Within 1 hour, the selection dwindled quickly |
The Wolfburn Silent Night distillery edition was a very nice single malt, moderately aromatic, with a light, subtle and elegant peat smoke, some aromatic herbs and various spices. The Glenfarclas 1992/2021 Family cask is a lovely rich, spicy and complex Glenfarclas, with a moderate sherry influence, light aromatic and grassy flavours, as well as sultanas and other dried fruits. Very good. The Macduff 2011 TWA might not be an easy whisky, but I enjoyed this one very much, with a rich grassy and old style of sherry, some old dried sherry, honey and a touch of aromatic herbs. The Aultmore 2007 TWA was a light, floral whisky, with nice fresh honey and elderberries flowers. The Glen Grant 1998 TWA was a mellow, floral whisky, with round fruity flavours, soft spices, some dried fruits and a touch of honey. The Invergordon 1990 31 YO Liquid Treasure was a mellow grain whisky, rather spicy, on cooked cereals and cinnamon.
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| Most of the selection of Sansibar, North Star and Liquid Treasures |
From Sansibar, I tasted the High Coast bottled for Finest Whisky Berlin, a good bold and aromatic Swedish single malt, on woodlands, some smoke, fudge, aromatic herbs and bold grassy notes. A good one. The Secret Speyside 1991 is a nice matured, complex and rather elegant Glenlivet, slightly spicy, aromatic and floral, with a very pleasant mouthfeel and some ripe tropical fruits.
From Liquid Treasures, I tasted a very elegant Tobermory 1995, bold, creamy, with some malty and grassy flavours, some sea brine, mild exotic fruity flavours as well as some toffee. The Ledaig 2007 was a rather mellow peated whisky, with a nice and complex maritime peat smoke, a lovely round sherry influence on sultanas, dates, orange peel and other dried fruits. The Caperdonich 1997 was remarkably complex, grassy, with some aromatic herbs, green-grassy flavours, spices, light floral flavours, vanilla and toffee. With a long and complex finish. In the rarities section, I tasted an excellent Glenburgie 1975 from Signatory, a matured and complex whisky, mixing nice fruity flavours, some bold grassy flavours, some smoke and dried fruits.
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| Some of the rarities available for tasting |
To close the day, I tasted the Irish Single Malt 2002 for Acla Da Fans open day, a delicious single malt from Cooley, fresh, complex, with lovely orchards fruits, light grassy and malty flavours, as well as some vanilla and tropical fruits. Excellent!
With that, it was time to take the train home and when I worked in the evening on this report, I realized that I missed tasting the Clynelish 1990 from Signatory.
In any case, I had an excellent time at this open time, with a very selection of whiskies in a charming atmosphere and with a very knowledgeable staff.
Since the number of participants was rather on the lower side, one had the time to taste a very fair amount of whiskies in a relax atmosphere, without being squeezed or waiting 15 min in order to get a dram.
Keep an eye on their website for the next year if you missed that event,
Slainte
Patrick
Patrick, 06 Feb 2023.