[youtube height=”720″ width=”1280″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufNy9UodBa8&list=PL36O7QkNnc2MzmBPqoF80uezxARJRVgaJ&index=6[/youtube]
Rating
Price:
Circa £50
In a Nutshell:
Well, definitely an impressive first go for a premium whisky – and at a very impressive pricepoint for a 25 year. Nice, rich gold colour, and some cool branding – though it obviously lacks the rich history and heritage that most of the older distilleries possess
Not hugely mindblowing but well balanced and very drinkable indeed – though lacking anything particularly memorable, tastewise.
Certainly one of those whiskies that’s a bit too morish for its own (or your own) good. Tasgall been going down like water at my tastings.
Booze from ‘The Cauldron Of The Gods’/ASDA
So, the mighty ASDA have turned their considerable resources to the art of whisky production, with the launch of their Extra Special Tasgall range of whiskies. £50 for a 25 year (even if it is a blend) is pretty impressive, and based on the what I tried with a nuked palette at ASDA’s press tasting a few months back, it’s rather good.
They also offer a 30 year for £60 which I would quite like to get my hands on and compare this one with.
As I understand it the word ’Tasgall’ has its origins in Norse mythology, meaning “cauldron of the gods” – the T on the logo looks quite similar to an inverted Thor’s Hammer (but might not be). An excellent motif for a dram, for sure – but will the flavour match up…?
We Drink It, Stuff Happens
Nose:
Butterscotch and caramel really lead here – you can already tell that this is going to be one rich and creamy motherfuckin’ whisky! There’s also a little honey and if you leave it you get a bit of leather and a tiny bit of smoke (not peat smoke). Then the butterscotch flavours almost turn to butter.
I swear I get a tiny bit of ‘smoky bacon’ after leaving my nose in there for probably too long…
Palette:
Classic Highland/Speyside flavour profile – some vanilla, a little bit of caramel, honey and hazelnuts. That said, there’s really much more body than sweetness – it’s a big, smooth well rounded thing (*insert another off colour joke here*).
Very smooth, though not entirely so – not so smooth that there’s no rough edges or character to it, but hard to pick out anything really memorable. Warm, not fiery – ain’t no dragon breath here!
Finish:
Long and languid. The burn turns to butter and butterscotch on the back of your throat – with a crackling sensation that sits on your tongue almost like embers on a fire. These flavours then disappear into a fine, warming sensation, plus a little lingering smoke and some spice (perhaps allspice or cinnamon…).
And then you want another hit…
Verdict
Extra special? I dunno about that. Super drinkable? Certainly. Is it worth the price? I’d say so. Will it face opposition for being an ‘own brand?’ Probably! (but not from Tasting Britain).
Definitely one I’d try on people resistant to whisky (can I call it a ‘gateway whisky’?)
So, if this is the 25, where’s the 30 at?
More Info
http://groceries.asda.com/asda-webstore/landing/home.shtml#/product/910001696236