Yo Boozehounds,
FIrst off, much apologies for the long delay between Rounds 1 and 2. A co-worker infected me with a cold which hung around for a very long time in my head making it impossible to smell properly and detect the aromas arising from the spirits other than alcohol, which made continuing the Mortal Kombat Spirits Tournament a moot point.
I’ve finally gotten over it and now it’s time for Round 2, featuring two amazing whiskies – the Balvenie PortWood 21 Year Old vs the Glenlivet Archive 21 Year Old. Ready? FIGHT!
BALVENIE PORTWOOD 21 YEAR OLD: At the time I grabbed this, I didn’t realize it was the last bottle left in all of Ontario. Good find. Reddish brown color. A bit opaque. Surprisingly alcoholic nose despite being a “normal” 40% ABV that was giving me a bit of a burn, requiring me to raise and pull my glass away a number of times to really get the aromas.
Once they come up, they are aromas of cherry, buckwheat honey, and vanilla. It takes quite a long while for that heat to settle down from the nose which surprised me.
In the mouth, an incredibly smooth and even delicate mouthfeel. Tastes of dried plums, barley, honey and black pepper on the finish. Surprisingly strong heat on the finish. I am really starting to wonder now if the ABV is mislabelled and this is actually 43 - 46% ABV. It sure feels like it on the finish with the extended warmth on the end. Delicious stuff. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
GLENLIVET 21 YEAR OLD ARCHIVE: Reddish brown color, more translucent than the Balvenie. Much gentler and warmer nose, allowing me to fully stick my nose in the glass to pick up aromas of caramel – and I mean real creamy caramel made with fresh butter and cream, not burnt sugar toffee – vanilla, milk chocolate and dried sultana raisins. I’d actually describe this nose as perfumey. It’s pleasantly and sweetly floral. You know what? Ever had a nut and raisin chocolate bar? This smells like a sweeter version of that.
In the mouth, incredibly silky smoothness which allows you to easily taste the honey, barley, milk chocolate, caramel and vanilla flavors. There is warmth on the long finish but nowhere near the burn of the Balvenie. Finish has a touch of nutmeg and cloves in it, but really not as spicy as the Balvenie. This is actually quite sweet and creamy for a whisky. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
WINNER: THE GLENLIVET ARCHIVE 21 via KO
Both of these whiskies are incredibly smooth and really make it hard to go back to any whisky with less than 21 years of age on them. This was close. Really, really close.
Both are sweet, complex and aided greatly by their cask finishes. Anyone who doesn’t believe cask finishing for 2 years or less can’t really influence a whisky that strongly should taste these two side by side.
If you’re a Speyside non-peated whisky lover, you can’t go wrong with either one of these.
However, since I must choose a winner I have to give it to the Glenlivet Archive. It really came down to a much smoother and more pleasant finish that put it over the top.
So to recap:
CHABOT 1982 ARMAGNAC vs BOWEN XO COGNAC: Bowen XO via Fatality
BALVENIE PORTWOOD 21 vs THE GLENLIVET ARCHIVE 21: Glenlivet Archive via KO
Onto the next match.