我喝威士忌的經驗尚淺，Ben Nevis 對我來說是很陌生，我第一次喝這酒廠的威士忌是近三年前，到目前為止只喝過三款。

Ben Nevis 據說於 1825 年由綽號 “Long John" 的John McDonald 所建立，那 “Long John" 亦即是現時市場上同名的調合威士忌。John McDonald 為甚麼叫 “Long John"，據說是他很高大，long 是指他的體長，其他的你自由發揮。(既然是高大，為甚麼不叫作 “Tall John" 呢….)

Ben Nevis 是山名，位於蘇格蘭西部，山高海拔 1,345 米，是英國(大不列顛，OK?)最高的山，酒廠座落於其山腳，以其地為名。一如大多數的蘇格蘭酒廠，通常都會有多次轉換老闆的經歷。對 Ben Nevis 來說，其中一次的賣豬仔值得一提，就是於 1955 年被 Ben Nevis Distillery (Fort William) Ltd. 收購，隨後在廠內添置了連續式蒸餾器用來生產穀物威士忌，這些穀物威士忌在以後的一段日子，調合了同廠的麥芽威士忌，成就了很罕見的 Single Blended Whisky，即是自家廠同時生產穀物威士忌和麥芽威士忌，並自家調合。Ben Nevis 的穀物威士忌於 1971 年便停止生產，所以市場上的 Ben Nevis single blended whisky 是很珍貴的了。現時同一酒廠同時生產穀物威士忌和麥芽威士忌，亦有生產 single blended whisky 的，還有 Loch Lomond。

Ben Nevis 於 1986 年閉廠，尤幸於 1989 年被日本的 Nikka 收購，於1991 年重新投產，一直至今。

“抄考"完酒廠歷史後，是時候介紹一款 Ben Nevis 的威士忌，是其入門版的十年陳。

Ben Nevis 10 years, 700 ml, 46%

氣味: 蜂蜜，黑棗，橙皮果醬，拖肥，舊木頭，茶葉
口味: 蜜餞，熟透的櫻桃，黃萁，黑朱古力，舊木頭，黑茶
餘蘊: 中等長度，黑朱古力，啡糖
結論: 很甜的香氣，那蜜糖的香氣很特別，對了，像蘆卡蜂蜜，舊木頭及茶葉的草本氣味有助平衡甜味。中等酒體，沒有氣味上的甜，黑朱古力的甘苦味道和草本味道較明確。中等長度的餘蘊，較簡單，但甘苦適度。入門版的酒款但以 ABV 46% 裝瓶，有誠意，雖說誠意不能當飯食，總比好些名廠千方百計省成本，如降低酒精度和大出特出無陳年標示 NAS，當然價錢方面呢….無証無據不評論了吧。說會這款酒，雖然只是十年陳的酒，但整體上沒有新酒的感覺，結實，平衡，亦有點特色，飲得過之選。

Ben Nevis 10 years

前文介紹了 Antiquary 的入門版和主打的十二年陳，現在一跳直接跳到二十一年陳。這系列不像大多數的其他品牌那樣，是沒有中間的十七或十八年陳的酒款，全線就只有三款酒，很精簡。這二十一年陳是 Antiquary 的最高級酒款，算是旗艦級吧，那就喝喝這鑽石瓶的旗艦酒款吧。

Antiquary 21 years, 700 ml, 43%

氣味: 菠蘿，橙皮果醬，檀木，綿花糖，香草
口味: 柑橘皮，烤木頭，咖啡渣，冰糖，香料
餘蘊: 中等長度，柑橘皮，木材
評語: 淡淡的香氣，衝鼻而來是菠蘿，繼而是香甜的果醬和棉花糖，幽香的檀木氣味沁出，伴以點點香草。中等酒體，柔順，清甜但又有焦香的味道，清香的柑橘皮和以一點香料。中等長度的餘蘊，仍然是有柑橘皮的味道，再加些木材的微苦。氣味上頗淡，需要用心去分辮當中的各種氣味，酒體很柔軟亦輕清，可嘗到多種味道但卻是點到即止。以二十一年陳的老酒來說，我會有較多的期望，雖則這方面未能做到老酒的架勢，不過整體上做到主調連貫，柔和平衡，好的調和威士忌所必須的要求，喝起來亦令人十分舒適，適合忙碌過後輕鬆一番的威士忌，飲得過。

Antiquary 21 years

前文簡單介紹過 Antiquary 這品牌的威士忌，亦分享了其入門版的酒評，那現再說說這品牌威士忌的一二事。

按網上資料所知，Antiquary  的配方中，麥芽和穀物威士忌原酒來自約三十家酒廠，麥芽原酒所佔的比例算高，有約 50% 前後。

又說，麥芽威士忌來自斯貝塞 Speyside，高地 Highlands，低地 Lowlands 和 島嶼區。

核心麥芽威士忌有來自斯貝塞 Speyside 的 Cragganmore，Linkwood，Benrinnes，Mortloch 和 Glenrothes 等，給予平衡細緻的特性和果味。至於高地 Highlands，則是 Tomatin，Royal Lochnagar 和 Clynelish 等，加強複雜度和另整體更豐富。低地 Lowlands 的 Glenkinchie 以柔和及果味去平衡高地的硬朗，再加些海島區如 Bowmore 輕輕添些煙熏泥煤豐富整體表現。穀物威士忌 Grain whiskies 方面，是來自 Camaronbridge 和 Port Dundas，賦予清新和活躍的風格。以上，云云。

好了，說了那麼多酒廠，混在一起也分不出的吧，調和威士忌就是喝調配的藝術。不過呢，那些專業品飲家的品味酒標 label tasting，一面看資料一面"品"，可能"品"得出有包含那些酒廠，大鳴大吹的跟你分析的吧。我呢，還是省點，認認真真的，踏踏實實的去喝那調配的藝術吧。

Antiquary 12 years Blended Whisky, 700 ml, 40%

氣味: 乾棗，拖肥，橙花軟糖，牛油糖
口味: 黑咖啡，焦糖，多士，柑橘皮，蜜糖
餘蘊: 中等長度，咖啡渣，乾果皮
評語: 甜甜的乾棗，奶製品的糖果，花果的香氣，很甜。酒體柔順，焦糖咖啡，下了兩滴柑橘精油，香濃醒神，配上一片多士，那就是一頓下午茶。 中等長度的餘蘊，輕軟的咖啡和乾果皮苦味。輕輕軟軟的香氣和酒體，連餘韻也一樣，不複雜但平衡易飲， 尤其喜愛那柑橘的主調，不錯的輕鬆酒款。

Antiquary 12 years

前文介紹了一系列的 Tomatin 威士忌，原來除了自家的單一麥芽威士忌之外，Tomatin 名下還有一個調和威士忌的系列，於 1995 年從 United Distillers 收購回來的 J & W Hardie Ltd. 旗下的 Antiquary 是也。Tomatin 的香港代理 T’z Limited 也有引進 Antiquary 系列的其中三款威士忌。

Antiquary 這品牌對我來說確實陌生，不過其鑽石切割造型的樽身設計的確特別，就好像 Glenfiddich 的三角樽一樣，容易令人留下印象。Antiquary 的樽身的確又得過些甚麼設計獎的，除了好看外，亦於運輸和貨架展示是較省空間，云云。不過呢，酒是要來喝的，任憑你包括華麗名貴驚天地泣鬼神，內裡的不好喝的話你回家鄉食蕉好了。

先簡單說說 Antiquary 的來由，John 和 William Hardie 最先於 1857 年於愛丁堡 Edinburgh 的 Greenside Place 合作業務，Antiquary 這款威士忌則於 1888 年首創，Antiquary 的名字取材自一本據說很著名，由 Sir Walter Scott 所寫，於 1816 年出版的同名哥德式 Gothic 小說 The Antiquary。很明顯，我這老粗是完全不曉得甚麼是哥德式小說，亦不可能知道 Sir Walter Scott 是甚麼人，我在網上"抄考"的罷了，這本書的其他資料可問全能的谷歌大神。

好了，還是不再研究甚麼哥德式或傳教士式了，先喝第一款的 Antiquary。

Antiquary Blended Whisky, 700 ml, 40%

這是 Antiquary 系列的入門版，按官方資料得知，這款酒的原酒是使用北美橡木桶 North American Oak 陳年，調合後裝回橡木桶中再作四至六個月的熟成才進行裝瓶。

氣味: 乾棗，啡糖，蜜炙藥材，牛油(黃油)，曲奇餅
口味: 黑咖啡，焦糖，過火多士，塑膠
餘蘊: 中等長度，燒焦木材，西藥藥粉
評語: 氣味濃郁，香甜的乾棗和啡糖，微苦帶甜的藥材，甘美油閏的牛油曲奇。柔軟輕怡的酒體，輕軟中亦見骨袈，調子轉向焦香和草本，餘蘊更甚。氣味馥郁香甜，不複雜但平衡，甚佳。但口味和餘蘊較偏鋒，燒焦木材和藥材的苦味較突兀，餘蘊中的西藥藥粉尤甚。氣味甚佳但口味和餘蘊未能配合，但以入門版酒款來說，也算及格，尤其是那美好的香氣。

Antiquary Blended Whisky

我曾經介紹過數款 Tomatin 的威士忌，亦報導過我參與過的一場Tomatin 威士忌品飲會的盛況。我曾經提及，Tomatin 及 Antiquary 的港澳代理 T’z 團隊很有熱誠，他們早已提議安排一場 Sipping Malt “窮酒L分贓會“的會員專屬的品飲會，但又是我人窮事忙一直未能成事，直到昨晚，這醞釀了多時的品飲會終於完滿舉行，不是一場，而是兩場，連同友會"窮L無恥酒會“的會員共六十人參與，非常熱鬧。

由於時間未能配合，品牌大使未能來港主持，正所謂池中無魚蝦自大，昨晚的品飲會就由我舢舨充砲艇當導賞員主講。品飲會分為兩場，第一場的主題為"我們的第一杯威士忌"，對象為初次接觸威士忌的人士，透過投影片文字和圖片，導賞員的講解，品味數款精選的 Tomatin 和 Antiquary 威士忌，希望令參加者對威士忌有初步的了解，進而愛上威士忌，令威士忌世界增添新的國民。

至於第二場則名為"威士忌導賞團"，對象為對 Tomatin 和 Antiquary 威士忌有興趣人士，參與者都是老酒鬼，那就用 Tomatin 和 Antiquary 的威士忌來一場盲品 blind tasting 吧! 我不是達人大師或甚麼資深品飲家，我那有資格玩盲品 blind tasting，只是想透過盲品，希望令參與者打破單一麥芽威士忌 Single Malt Whisky 和調合威士忌 Blended Whisky 之間的世俗固有觀念。話雖如此，我們的會員果然是老酒鬼，真的四款也猜得中。 盲完後開眼重見光明，再喝多數款有特色的威士忌，會員們還即場合資買了瓶單桶原酒分了來喝，充分貫徹分贓精神，大家在一片夾雜粗口的歡笑聲中享受這場品飲會。

“參加這樣的一場品飲會，要多少錢哦?"

傻豬來的，費用全免的哦!

這真的要多謝 T’z Limited (Facebook 專頁 Tomatin, tz@tzgroup.com.hk, tel.: 852-23108644) 的全面贊助, Peggy 和 Carmen 及其團隊的安排，出酒出力。當然，他們亦會賣酒，推廣還推廣，這也是要做生意的，同時亦要多謝 TKP Conference Centre Central 提供場地。

先此聲明，我沒有收取任何一方的活動費用，即場或之後的買賣租賃任亦不會有任何佣金收。我只向 T’z 要求少量樣本，以了解酒款特性作當日活動講解之用。T’z 很大方的說每款酒送我一整瓶，我也拒絕了，只要求每款數十毫升份量的樣本便足夠。我只是本著欣賞他們的熱誠和為會員謀福利的基礎下才接受這任務的。但完場後他們送了份禮物給我，受之有愧。有需要公開這些麼?其實是不用的，但光明磊落，怕甚麼，透明些，免遭小人口實，要知道這世界甚麼人也有的。

當然亦要多謝 Sipping Malt 御用攝影師龔振宇(暢銷書"意粉料理101″作者 東主有喜)拍攝寫真，他也是義務的。還有要多謝"窮L無恥酒會“人稱所長的 ERB  僱員再培訓局餐飲課程導師 Johnny 的協調。最重要的是多謝各位會員的賞面參與，對因滿座未能參與的會員，也要多謝支持。

多謝完了沒? 呀對了，有寫真? 好，去片!

開課了

Blind Tasting

泥煤

即夾即買即開即分即飲

導賞團大合照

T’z 專業團隊

更多的活動圖片

Sipping Malt & T’z Limited Tasting Event

Sipping Malt & T’z Limited Tasting Event

Sipping Malt & T’z Limited Tasting Event

Sipping Malt & T’z Limited Tasting Event

Sipping Malt & T’z Limited Tasting Event

Sipping Malt & T’z Limited Tasting Event

Sipping Malt & T’z Limited Tasting Event

Sipping Malt & T’z Limited Tasting Event

祈望下一次活動再聚。

環球美酒盡在 Sipping Malt 微醺之醉 www.sippingmalt.com

English Version at page bottom

芝華士(起瓦士)威士忌真的是無人不曉，它和 JW 黑牌可說是 K 場劈場雙雄，但對部份"達人"級飲家和型格人士來說，芝華士是提不得的禁忌之酒。我喝過芝華士十八年陳，這絕對是好酒來的，真不明白為何那麼多飲家對芝華士有負面的印象。或許我應該要嘗一嘗入們版的十二年陳，我手上有一瓶 200 ml 裝的，找個機會喝喝看吧。

我現在要介紹的一款芝華士威士忌，是頗為有趣的一款特別版，是進行了日本水楢過桶。水楢是日本特有的橡木，水楢桶陳威士忌更是日本創造的獨有風味，產量甚少價錢亦貴，如讀者對水楢桶陳威士忌有興趣可參閱"山崎水楢桶威士忌“一文。

話說芝華士的調酒師 master blender Mr. Colin Scott 在一次的日本之旅期間，忽然靈光一動，想創造出一款摻合日本風適合日本市場的芝華士威士忌，於是調節原有配方，加入了日本獨有的水楢元素，將部份原酒以水楢桶進行過桶，成為了第一款水楢風味的蘇格蘭威士忌，於二零一三年十月一日於日本市場推出。

非常有趣的芝華士威士忌，絕對值得一試。這款酒香港是沒有行貨(正式代理貨)的，有酒友給了我一份樣本，多謝。這款酒其實是去年年初喝的，但現在才能刊出酒評，我自己也覺得有點過份。

Chivas Regal 12 years Mizunara Special Edition, 700 ml, 40%

氣味: 花蜜，香薰，提子糖，塑膠，青草
口味: 焦糖，咖啡，糖果，香料，胡椒
餘蘊: 中等長度，焦木，胡椒
結論: 氣味香甜清新，一抹香燻增添雅致感，丁點塑膠但不礙事，時間久了出現青草，簡單但不單調。酒體稍薄，偏向焦香，有明顯的香料，末段有辛辣感。中等長度的餘蘊，同樣的焦香和辛辣感。氣味上的甜有點人工化，口味稍單調，餘蘊可以，整體上都算飲得過。至於設想中水楢帶來的日本風味，我猜想那一抹的香薰算是交了功課吧。各位，雖則是打著水楢的幌子，但這只是大眾消費市場級別的普羅酒款，可不要和精品級的水楢桶陳威士忌直接比較吧。

English Version of Tasting Note

Chivas Regal whisky is a famous whisky brand name. It is popular in most Karaoke and bars in Hong Kong. However, some whisky “experts" and stylish people dislike this whisky. I have no idea why these “connoisseurs" give it negative comments as I have tasted Chivas Regal 18 years and it is definite a good whisky. Perhaps I should have a try on its basic bottling 12 years old.

I am now introducing a special version of Chivas Regal whisky. It is a mizunara finish Chivas Regal. Mizunara is an oak indigenous to Japan. Mizunara oak brings unique “Japanese  favour" to whisky. Since the supply is very limited, the price of mizunara oaked whisky is expensive. Please refer to the article “Yamazaki Mizunara Cask Whisky" for story about this kind of whisky.

The story of this special Chivas Regal has begun from a Japan trip of the master blender  Mr. Colin Scott. He came across an idea that he intended to create a whisky with Japanese favour for Japanese market. He then blended some mizunara oak finish whiskies to the receipt that created the first mizunara favour Scotch blended whisky and launched to Japan Market on 1 October 2013.

A very interesting whisky and worthy to have a try. This whisky is unavaiable in Hong Kong market. Thank to a friend of mine he gave me a sample of this last year. Yes, this tasting note was written in last year but I am too lazy to manage it.

Chivas Regal 12 years Mizunara Special Edition, 700 ml, 40%

Note: Nectar,essential oil, grape favor gummy, plastic, grass
Palate: Caramel, coffee, candy, pepper, spicy
Aftertaste: Medium length, roasted wood, pepper
Conclusion: Fresh and sweet note, refined essential old, little bit plastic but not offensive, grass appearing over time, simple but not dull. Light body, trends to toasty, quite spicy and a bit hot at the end. Medium length aftertaste, still toasty and hot spicy. Somehow artificial sweetness on nose, a bit simple at palate, fair aftertaste, fair in overall performance. Regarding to expected Japan favor brought by mizunara oak, I think it represented by that fragrance oil alike smell. Don’t having unrealistic expectation to this so-called mizunara featured whisky which it is nothing more than a whisky for consumer markets.

Chivas Regal Mizunara Special Edition

Chivas Regal Mizunara Special Edition

環球美酒, 盡在 Sipping Malt 微醺之醉 www.sippingmalt.com

English version at page bottom

Dewar’s 這威士忌品牌的中文名字, 我一直不明白為甚麼會叫作帝王. 還是算了吧, 這還不是有不在雲頂的 Springbank, 沒有騎士的 Highland Park….

Dewar’s 我只喝過一款古董級的白牌和較舊版本的十二年陳, 酒質不錯的, 現在喝其十八年陳, 看看又如何. 值得一提的是, Dewar’s 威士忌的 Double Aged, 即是在原酒在大酒桶調合後, 會陳年多一段時間後才進行裝瓶工序, 旨在令調合更和諧.

Dewar’s 18 years, 750 ml, 43%

氣味: 蜜糖，烘焙穀物，拖肥，忌廉，香草，香料
口味: 蜜芽糖，咖啡，奶油，甜煎餅，多士，甘草
餘蘊: 中等長度，黑咖啡，烘焙穀物，橡木
結論: 非常香軟柔順的一款酒，甘甜平衡，柔滑軟熟，非常易飲，但又不流於平鋪直述，喝起來很舒服，令人一杯一杯的接下去喝，這便是成功的調合威士忌。不求高深推敲，要求平易近人，令人暢快，但亦留有細味的空間。好喝，好酒，正斗。

English Version of Tasting Note

I  don’t understand why the name in Chinese of the whisky brand Derwar’s is called “Emperor". Whatever, Springbank is not on “Cloud Top", there is no “Knight" in Highland Park….

Back to the Dewar’s whisky, I did have tried an “antique" White Label and old version of 12 years old. Let’s try their 18 years bottling. It is noted that the Double Aged of Dewar’s whiskies. It means that the ingredient whiskies blended and age in vat for an extended period to purport for harmony blending.

Dewar’s 18 years, 750 ml, 43%

Nose: Honey, baked cereal, toffee, cream, vanilla, spicy
Palate: Maltose, coffee, butter, sweet pancake, toast, licorice
Aftertaste: Medium length, black coffee, baked cereal, oak
Conclusion: Very soft and smooth, balanced sweet, easy to drink but not mean flat and plain, seducing you glass after another . It is a successful blend whisky, not profound yet detailing, approachable and pleasureful, very good whisky.

Dewar’s 18 years

Dewar’s 18 years

Dewar’s 18 years

Dewar’s 18 years

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Great King Street 是一款調和威士忌 blended whisky, 是其生產的廠家 Compass  Box  公司所在 New Town of Edinburgh 的街道名字.  Compass Box 是由來自美帝的 John Glaser 於 2000 年創立, 他的理念是要令蘇格蘭威士忌更平易近人和連繫人們. Compass Box 的出品有別於其他同業的風格, 並不以陳年和酒廠為主打, 主要是調合麥芽, 調合穀物和調和威士忌, 以風味和格調來命名酒款, 如最輕柔的 Asyla, 調出香料風味的 Spice Tree, 重泥媒的 The Peat Monster 和穀物威士忌的 Hedonism.  有業界人士稱 John Glaser 為藝術家.

Great King Street 是 Compass Box 的重點之作, 為了這一系列還開設了一個獨立的網站. John Glaser 認為飲家近來過於重視麥芽威士忌, 忽略了過去流行了百多年的蘇格蘭威士忌主流的調合威士忌 – 調合平衡了充滿風味的麥芽原酒和纖細柔順的穀物原酒. John Glaser 以 Compass Box 發源地來命名這款調合威士忌, 希望飲家可以以新的角度去欣賞調和威士忌的美味.

我個人對所有威士忌都是一視同仁, 沒有對那一國家, 甚麼類型, 那些風格有偏好或討厭. 對一個忠實的威士忌國民來說, 喝威士忌, 是要放開懷抱, 以赤子的好奇之心, 去探索威士忌的廣大世界. 就好像人生, 是好是醜, 甜酸苦辣, 要嘗遍了, 這才算是完滿, “酒"而無憾.

來這 Great King Street, 走過人生中少少的其中一段吧.

Great King Street, 500 ml, 43%

氣味: 蜜糖，紅蘋果，橙花軟糖，忌廉，香草，白胡椒，黨參類中藥
口味: 橙皮果醬，朱古力，綠茶，忌廉，香草
餘蘊: 中等長度，柑橘皮，軟糖，木質單寧
結論: 非常香甜，柔和，和以胡椒及中藥，平衡甜膩感，甚佳。酒身柔軟順滑，加入了甘苦的朱古力及綠茶，口味上比氣味簡單。中等長度的餘蘊，稍重的柑橘皮及單寧，有軟糖的微甜調節。這是一款頗為不錯的調和威士忌，香甜甘苦平衡，柔順易飲，唯稍欠力度，有點鬆軟感覺，氣味的表現比口味為佳，味道層次簡單了點，但整體上是飲得過的。

English Version of Tasting Note

Great King Street is a blended whisky, named under the street of office of the producer Compass Box situated at New Town of Edinburgh. Compass Box is founded in 2000 by an American ex-pat Mr. John Glaser. The rational of the business is aimed at making Scotch whisky more approachable and relevant to people’s daily life. The bottlings of Compass Box are quite different from most of its counterparts. Compass Box bottlings are not classified by age or distilleries but by taste and style. Here are some examples, lighty and softy Asyla, spice Spicy Tree, peaty The Peat Monster and grain whisky Hedonism. Most Compass Box bottlings are mainly blended malts, blended grain and the Scotch. John Glaser himself is called Artist by the sector’s participants.

Great King Street is the spotlight of Compass Box and an individual website has been established for it. John Glaser opinioned that most connoisseurs now emphasize too much on malt whisky and overlook the blended whisk ywhich has been the mainstream of Scotch whisky over the past century – the drams well balancing by favored malts and smooth grains. John Glaser endorses this series of whisky with the origin of Compass Box and wishes that the connoisseurs can appreciate blended whisky at different angles.

I have no preference on any whiskies, that no matter which country, what the type, how the style, I am pleased to try any as long as they are “whiskies". A true Whisky Nation citizen should appreciate any whiskies with an open mind, as if a child with curious heart to explore his unknown world. We have to experience good and bad, sweet and sour, all sorts of joys and sorrows, that’s life.

Come to walke on the Great King Street, dust of time on path of life.

Great King Street, 500 ml, 43%

Nose: Honey, red apple, orange blossom favour gummy, cream, vanilia, white pepper, Chinese herb
Palate: Orange marmalade, chocolate, green tea, cream, vanilia
Aftertaste: Medium length, mandarin peel, gummy, woody tannic
Conclusion: Very sweet nosing, soft, balanced the sweetness by pepper and heab, very good. Soft and smooth body, adding bitterness of chocolate and green tea, but simpler than nose. Medium length aftertaste, a bit overly bitterness of mandarin peel and tannic, seasoned by sweet gummy. This whisky is well balancing between sweetness and bitterness, soft and smooth, very “approachable" but lack of complexity and strength, loose in structure on palate, but however the nose is excellent, good dram.

Great King Street

Great King Street

Great King Street

Great King Street

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所謂的香料之路 The Spice Road，是 Johnnie Walker 於 2012 年尾推出新系列的第一炮。這系列名為 Explorers’ Club Collection，聽聞之下又會細分多條副線，第一條副線為 Trade Routes，目前有三款酒，於免稅市場發售，按價錢由低至高分別是 The Spice Road，The Gold Route 和 The Royal Route。

這系列的由來，是說紀念十九世紀的開發歐美非亞商業貿易路線的探索時代，當然事實是順手開展侵占殖民及戰爭。 JW 家族當年亦有參與前者，開發了不少商機，這系列就是其致敬之作。我現在介紹的 The Spice Road 說是靈感來自當年充滿色彩香料和活力發展蓬勃的遠東航線，云云。我實在對甚麼致敬甚麼啟發的理由很厭倦了。

Johnnie Walker The Spice Road, 1 ltr., 40%

氣味: 乾棗，冬蜜，拖肥，香桃軟糖，黃萁類中藥
口味: 乾花，花蜜，拖肥，黃萁類中藥，咖啡，香料
餘蘊: 中等長度，焦糖，黑咖啡，甘草
結論: 很好的氣味，有乾果及蜜糖的甜潤，也有各式糖果，點點的中藥平衡甜膩。酒身柔軟，順滑，也是香甜，但多了咖啡作平衡。中等長度的餘蘊，甘苦適度。氣味雖然香甜，但過於單一，就是甜，口味上平衡很多，酒身十分柔順，雖則不算複雜，但作為中價的調和威士忌，絕對交足功課。

English Version of Tasting Note

“The Spice Road" is one of Johnnie Walker New Explorers’ Club Collection and was launch in the late 2012. There will be few series under The Explorers’ Club and the first series is “‘Trade Routes" for duty free market. There are currently three bottlings under this series, listing by order from the lowest price, namly, The Spice Road, The Gold Route and The Royal Route.

This series is said to tribute to the trading routes exploration for trade and business in 1800s and accordingly, the exploration of wars and colonization. JW family joined the trading routes exploration at that time and got many business opportunities. JW claimed that The Spice Road is inspired by the vibrant, colorful and spicy thriving Far East market. In fact I feel quite boring to such so-called tribute and inspiration.

Johnnie Walker The Spice Road, 1 ltr., 40%

Nose: Dried date, winter honey, toffee, peach flavored gummy candy, Chinese herb.
Palate: Dried flower. nectar, toffee, Chinese herb, coffee, spice
Aftertaste: Medium length, caramel, dark coffee, liquorice
Conclusion: Good note, sweety dried fruit, honey and candies, sweetness balanced by touch of herb. Soft and smooth body, still sweety, but further balanced by dark coffee. Medium length aftertaste, adequate sweetness and bitterness. Attractive aroma but one dimension of sweetness, better balance on palate, very soft body but barely complexity. Nevertheless, The Spice Road is doing very well with such a price tag at duty free shops.

Johnnie Walker The Spice Road (圖片來自網絡，只供參考)

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Johnnie Walker XR 說是以 Sir Alexander Walker 當年的親筆配方手稿為靈感，向其致敬之作。Sir Alexander Walker 可說是 Johnnie Walker 家族的傳奇人物，其祖父 John Walker 開創 了 JW 的傳奇，Sir Alexander Walker 則對 JW 的發展和成功有莫大的貢獻。有關其個人履歷，有興趣的讀者可到  JW 的官方網站細看，我不打算將這些網上較易取得的資訊於此黏貼了。

Johnnie Walker XR 於 2010 年首先於免稅市場推出，現時拓展至部份地區的零售市場。Johnnie Walker XR 是一款二十一年陳的調合威士忌。JW 說 XR 內含一些來自閉廠的罕有的桶藏如 Brora，其 XR 就是 Extra Rare 的意思。

JW XR 的包裝實在華麗，典雅和皇室的設計，以金色為主調，硬身厚紙盒，沉重厚玻璃的樽身，就外觀而言，毫無疑問是送禮佳品。

包裝的確是華麗，但喝起來如何呢？

Johnnie Walker XR 21 years, 700 ml, 40%

氣味: 花蜜，淡煙燻，乾木頭，乾花，乾草，松香，香料
口味: 蜜餞，似有還無的輕泥煤，淡煙燻，黑咖啡，丁香
餘蘊: 中等長度，多士，橡木，咖啡渣
結論: 氣味偏重木質草本，木頭及松香稍重，但也是可以的，乾花及乾草的氣美很清香，令人舒暢。酒身非常柔順軟滑，以黑咖啡為主調，調入蜜餞中和，丁點的泥煤煙燻提供深度，全部也是輕柔適度，極佳的平衡，但稍欠力度。餘蘊也是輕軟柔和，有點水感。如果要以一些人或物去形式這款酒，我會認為是一位灑上雅淡花露水，輕聲耳語，令人酥軟的蘇州姑娘。這款酒是一款成功的調和威士忌，柔順易飲，令人喝得輕快愉悅，以免稅價及加上那華美包裝和高貴水精樽，絕對是物有所值。

English Version of Tasting Note

The creation of Johnnie Walker XR was inspired by the handwriting blending notes  of   Sir Alexander Walker and is purposed for salutation to him. Sir Alexander Walker is the grandson of the legendary Johnnie Walker, and indeed, Sir Alexander himself is  a legend in JW family too. He played a key role in JW’s development and success. For biography of Sir Alexander Walker, please refer to the official website of Johnnie Walker. I do not intend to copy and paste such easily available Internet information here.

John Walker XR was firstly launched on travel/duty free shops in late 2010 and is now available in retail markets of some districts. Johnnie Walker XR is a blended whisky with barrel aged for 21 years old. JW claimed that XR consists of some rare stocks including closed distillery of Brora, as to XR means Extra Rare.

The bottle and package of JW XR are luxury, golden color main themed thick carton box and heavy thick bottle in elegant and regal look design. By its presentation, it is without a doubt a good choice for gift.

Impressive presentation but how does it taste?

Johnnie Walker XR 21 years, 700 ml, 40%

Nose: Nectar, light smoke, woody, dried flower, hay, rosin, spicy
Palate: Preserved fruit, hints of peat, light smoke, dark coffee,clove
Aftertaste: Medium length, toast, oaky, coffee grounds
Conclusion: The note trends to grass herb, a bit overly in wood and rosin but still acceptable, fresh dried flower and hay, pleasurable. Very soft and smooth body, dominated by black coffee, stirred in sweety preserved fruit for balancing, deepening by lightly peat, smoke and spicy, very good balance despite of lacking strength. Medium length aftertaste, soft and smooth but a bit watery. To describe this dram by personification, I would say a softy whispering flossy woman in light make-up exhaling fragrance . This is a successful blended whisky that is smooth, pleasurable and easy to drink. JW XR is value for money for both self consumption and gift by taking the luxury presentation and duty free price into account.

Johnnie Walker XR 21 years

Johnnie Walker XR 21 years

Johnnie Walker XR 21 years

Johnnie Walker XR 21 years

Johnnie Walker XR 21 years

Johnnie Walker XR 21 years