一款蘇格蘭艾娜島的單一麥芽威士忌的招紙上，竟然大刺刺的印上"勁爆泥煤"這四個以剛勁書法揮毫的中文字，再配上一個暗黑系造型的老虎頭像，九成九是台灣包桶，但再細看招紙下發現是由英國老牌酒商 BBR, Berry Brothers & Rudd 裝瓶，的確是….神奇! 卓越! 有趣!

Bunnahabhain 1987/2016 C# 2491

這款酒的確是台灣包桶，看到那虎頭和粗獷佬味的"勁爆泥煤"四個大字，相信不用問也猜到是台灣酒業名人虎哥黃敏恭先生的傑作吧! 這是虎哥虎之選的一個系列，這系列的選酒，很明顯是以重泥煤為特色吧。重還不夠，更要勁爆。真的有這麼勁那麼爆嗎? 喝喝看哦!

Bunnahabhain 1987/2016, C# 2491, BBR, 700 ml, 59.6%
Bottling: 虎之選 勁爆泥煤 4
Distilled: 16 November 1987
Bottled: October 2016

氣味: 新鮮蜜糖，紙灰，瓦通紙，香料，花香
口味: 鹽花，蜜糖，丁香，咖啡，柑橘皮，蜂蠟，拖肥，多士
餘蘊: 悠長，海水，八角，焦炭，拖肥
評價: 氣味有些封閉，亦不是那麼重泥煤，較乾的氣味如紙灰紙皮，但亦有甜潤的蜜糖中和，未後一些香料，放久了有花香滲出。酒體強橫有力，入口稍鹹和有辛辣的香料，其後豐富的味道慢慢呈現。悠長的餘蘊是海水，香料及煙醺味，未後有一末帶甜的拖肥。對一瓶二十八年的老酒來說，氣味的表現稍遜，間單和平面，老實說我已犯了達人"別傻了　喝威士忌別再搖杯子了"的禁忌，雖則犯了禁忌後氣味開放了些，隨時間過去亦有些微改善，但未達我個人對老酒的較高期望。話雖如此，酒液入口就不得了，豐富具層次，酒體雖然強強橫，但不過火，仍然喝到其老酒應有細緻的一面，餘蘊方面亦甚佳，舒適耐嚼。雖然氣味表現和預計上有落差，但口味和餘蘊的表現甚佳，整體來說也是一款好酒。那….泥煤勁爆嗎? 是泥煤，但不算勁爆吧。有說泥煤威士忌的泥煤味道會隨陳年的時間減退而豐富了其他味道，那是耶非耶? 我再喝多些老泥煤威士忌再說吧! (富貴老友，你要識做呢~ XDDD)

後記: 不知為甚麼，我看著這酒標，我的腦中便會響起"愛拼才會贏"這首歌。

Bunnahabhain 1987/2016 C# 2491

The Bowmore which I now introduce is rather uncommon in OB past series, namely, vintage, cask strength and wine wine cask aged. According to the information from Internet, this 1992 distilled whisky was firstly aged in Bourbon cask for six years and removed to limousin cask which previously held Bordeaux wine for further 10 years. Ten years’ secondary ageing cannot be said a “finish" and therefore it was termed “Wine Cask Matured".

Let’s tasting this wine cask matured vintage Bowmore.

Bowmore 16 year, 1992, Wine Cask Matured, 700 ml, 53.5%

Nose: Pepper, fortified wines, licorice gum, sea salt, caramel, toffee
Palate: Pepper, licorice, caramel, smoked fish, charcoal, dark chocolate
Aftertaste:Medium length, charcoal, roast fish, spices
Comment: Pepper alike spices in the first wave on nose, followed by sweet fortified wine and licorice gum, then island character sea salt appeared, salty favored caramel stuffed toffee bar followed. Full body, taste followed by aromas, medium length aftertaste, trended to toasty. Not very ocean at the beginning, wine favor as the name suggested. Aftertaste it is an islander, sea flavor cannot be concealed. Very good balancing, rich, layered, an excellent whisky.

Bowmore 1992, Wine Cask Matured

Just a simple tasting note about a young Bowmore bottled by The Whisky Agency (TWA)

Bowmore 11 years, 2001/2012, TWA, 700 ml, 53.6%

Nose: Sea breeze, ash, smoked fish, toffee, clove
Palate: Sea water, clove, toffee, barbecue fish, coffee grounds
Aftertaste: Medium length, char coal, tea waste
Comment: Very ocean note, somehow at BBQ stall by the coast. Firm body, oily, inhere elements from nose, not complex but clear and straight forward. Toasty taste also plays an important role, especially at later stage. A good whisky indeed.

Bowmore 11 years, 2001/2012, TWA

Before I introduce this Bowmore whisky, let’s talking about the “proof" at first.

Nowadays, Alcohol By Volume (ABV) is commonly using for indicating the strength of alcohol contents in alcoholic drinks. ABV is measured by the volume ratio of pure alcohol in a liquid at 20 degrees Celsius, e.g. ABV 40% that 40% of pure alcohol in a certain portion of liquid.

You may see some old bottle of whiskies with label showing proof for indicating the alcohol strength as the photo below.

Old label showing proof

In fact there are two proof systems, namely UK and US. The example shown above is a Scotland whisky which eventually applied UK proof. The conversion between ABV and UK proof is quite simple, UK proof/1.75 = ABV %. By using above example, 75 degree proof is equivalent to ABV 42.8%. However, UK has been using ABV to display alcohol strength since 1 January 1980.

US always uses ABV to determine and indicate alcohol strength on drinks but there is a proof system for US. The conversion with ABV is different from UK proof. It is simply divided the degree figures by two. Some whiskey producers show ABV on label in compliance with regulations as well as US proof at the same time. The photo below is an example of showing both ABV and US proof on label.

New label showing both ABV and US proof

Back to a foundation question – where was proof" from? It was rumored that in the 16 – 17 th century the seamen were allocated to rum while they were sailing on the sea. In such a dangerous yet boring journal, hard liquor became a necessity to seamen, especially in such an old days. Yes, we said hard liquor, that the liquor must be hard enough. Some ship owners might dilute the rum with water to save costs but the seamen obviously disagreed. Some people discover a simple method to determine the alcohol strength, that was pouring alcohol onto the subjected liquor and passed if it was able to ignite. The marginal point is so-called 100 proof. Oh! What a manhood story!

Yes, it was a manhood story, nothing more than a story. The truth of establishing proof system was to determine the tax level over the alcoholic drink, the higher the strength the higher the tax being imposed.

The bedtime story is over and now back to this Bowmore 100 Degree Proof which is available at duty free channels.

Bowmore 100 Degrees Proof, 700 ml, 57.1%

Nose: Honey, sea water, straw ash, hay, clove
Palate: Nectar, sea water, smoked fish, ash
Aftertaste: Medium length, smoked fish, ash, spices
Comment: Light honey at front, then weaves rolled, accompanying with ash and hay, scent like wildfire aftermath, touch of clove adding layer. Though high alcohol strength, not overwhelming alcohol on palate, still honeyed smoked seafood. Medium length aftertaste, smoky and spices. Rather flat on nose while rich and solid in mouth, so as to aftertaste. A clear peaty and maritime dram, heavy but easy to drink, a good whisky.

Bowmore 100 Degree Proof

Bowmore 100 Degree Proof

繼續是 Bowmore 的簡單酒評。我現在要介紹的這款酒，是當時 Bowmore OB 中較少見的記年 vintage 還要是疑似桶裝濃度 cask strength 的酒款，特別的還有是用紅酒桶陳年的。就網上一些未經證實資料所得，這款一九九二年蒸餾的酒，先陳年於美帝波本桶 Bourbon cask 六年，再轉到波爾多紅酒桶 Bordeaux wine limousin cask 陳年十載，十年的話不止過桶了吧，所以酒標是印上 Wine Cask Matured。

來，喝渴看這紅酒桶陳的 Bowmore 是怎樣的吧。忘了說，這樣本是近兩年喝的了，這算是舊酒評。樣本來自酒友 Ginger 的老 Tung。

Bowmore 16 year, 1992, Wine Cask Matured, 700 ml, 53.5%

氣味: 胡椒，強化酒，甘草糖，海鹽，焦糖，拖肥
口味: 胡椒，甘草，焦糖，燻魚，木炭，黑朱古力
餘蘊: 中等長度，焦炭，烤魚，香料
結論: 充鼻而來的是類似胡椒的辛香料，一輪帶甜的強化酒和甘草軟糖過後，代表性的海鹽才猶抱琵琶半遮面的出現，之後鹹香持續，香甜的焦糖拖肥接續。酒體豐厚，口味繼承氣味，中等長度的餘蘊，焦香為主。氣味起初不是很海島，很葡萄酒桶陳的風味，當然，島民始終是島民，大海氣息是掩蓋不住的。甚佳的平衡，豐富，層次佳，正斗之作。

Bowmore 1992, Wine Cask Matured

一個間單的小酒評，由 The Whisky Agency (TWA) 裝瓶的 Bowmore 年輕酒款。

Bowmore 11 years, 2001/2012, TWA, 700 ml, 53.6%

氣味: 海風，煙灰，燻魚，拖肥，丁香
口味: 海水，丁香，拖肥，烤魚，咖啡渣
餘蘊: 中等長度，焦炭，茶葉渣
結論: 很海洋的氣味，有點像在海邊的燒烤小食攤檔。酒體結實，油潤，延續氣味，整體不複雜，但清晰直接，除海島元素外，亦重焦香味道，尤以後期發展更重，清脆易飲，飲得過。

很簡單，對吧。沒有甚麼大故事，直接到位就行。對自己要有信心，不用左抄一段右抄一遍，以無關痛癢的文字去填滿空間，去顯得好像很豐富懂很多似的。真的沒有信心?不打緊，世上甚麼事也需要學習的，就算 XXOO 也要觀摩多點愛情動作片學一招半式吧。自己認真好好打穩根基，學到的永遠是屬於自己的。時興說甚麼"識人好過識字"，為參麼不自己好好學字識字，待那些喜歡"識人好過識字"的人來巴結你呢?

有志者共勉之。

Bowmore 11 years, 2001/2012, TWA

簡單酒評，這次介紹的，是 Bowmore 的 100 Degree Proof。談酒之前先說 proof。

現時酒類飲品的酒精濃度一般是以 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)，即酒精於該液體於攝氏二十度時含有的比例，以體積百分比來表示，如 ABV 40% 即是純酒精計佔該液體四成。

如你遇到一些舊瓶裝的威士忌，其酒標有機會是以 proof 顯示酒精度，如下圖所示。

Old label showing proof

值得留意的是，proof 有分英制和美制，如上圖所示的是蘇格蘭威士忌，很明顯是用英制的了，與 ABV 的換算為將 proof 度數除以 1.75，以上圖 75 degree proof 的例子，其換算後的 ABV 就是 42.8%。英國自一九八零年一月一日起已轉用 ABV 標準去量度酒精度的了。

美國方面是用 ABV 標準去量度及標示酒精度的，但美國也有 Proof 標準，與ABV 的換算和英制的不同，將 proof 度數除以二就是 ABV 酒精度。就算到了現在，美國的威士忌除了按法規以 ABV 標示酒精度外，有時也會同時以 US proof 雙行標示的，如下圖的例子所示，ABV 40% 相等於 80 proof。

New label showing both ABV and US proof

說 proof 了那麼多，其實 proof 從何來? 傳說以前大航海時代，海員是會有冧酒(蘭姆酒) Rum 配給飲用的，要知道當年科技未發達，在漫長無趣但又充滿危機的航程上，喝點烈酒是很必須的吧。對了，是烈酒哦，烈酒一定要夠烈的。有些船公司或船主，有可能為了減省成本，會在 Rum 酒中兌水。這些不夠烈的烈酒對海員來說當然不收貨，在約十六至十七世紀時，當年流行一種既簡單且切合當年環境的量度方法，就是將酒到到火藥粉末中，引火點得起的，便算及格，臨界點的為 100 proof，海員接受這度數。其實，測量酒精度，真正用意是用來徵稅的，酒精度高的酒，徵稅也多些。你喜歡大航海男人的浪漫，還是相信徵稅的市儈的現實，適隨尊便。

水能滅火，但酒精卻能助燃，兌水太多的冧酒於火藥會點不起火，酒精夠烈的才點得起火。對了，各位好奇寶寶可不要去弄火藥來嘗試，一方面危險另一方面私藏火藥是犯法的哦。酒精比重計由數十元的簡易版到上百上千元的精密版也有賣的，有興趣的可"淘"來玩玩。

還是說回這款於二零一二年推出，最初於免稅店發售的 Bowmore 100 Degree Proof 吧。

Bowmore 100 Degrees Proof, 700 ml, 57.1%

氣味: 蜜糖，海水，草灰，乾草，丁香
口味: 花蜜，海水，燻魚，煙蠔，煙灰
餘蘊: 中等長度，燻魚，煙灰，香料
結論: 起首為輕輕的蜜糖，海水隨即湧上，伴有草灰和乾草，有點山火後的感覺，後一抹丁香，添加層次。酒清度雖高，但酒體不算強橫，口味上是蜜糖煙燻海鮮。中等長度的餘蘊，以煙燻和香料為主。這款酒稍平面，氣味較平淡，但口味頗豐富，亦結實，餘蘊亦甘苦耐嚼，整體上是海洋泥煤得來清脆，一款重身但易飲的海島威士忌，飲得過。

Bowmore 100 Degree Proof

Bowmore 100 Degree Proof

夜雪紛飛, 路人怱怱趕路. 這樣的寒冬最好是躲入道旁的小酒館, 喝杯威士忌和吃點熱東西!

走進一間外表古舊的小酒館, 昏黃的燈光下, 幾枱老人只顧呷着酒, 談天或吃着食物, 對這樣的趕路人見怪怪! 剛坐下, 中年侍者問喝什麽, 來到英國古城, 叫杯地道的 Guinness 或 Boddingtons 是很正常的. 點酒後, 侍者卻微笑地搖搖頭, 對面的大鬍子也在搖搖頭! 什麽, 英式小館沒啤酒買? 侍者這時卻說 “今天最好來點威士忌", 心裡想着今天是大特價還是你想劏客? 大鬍子似是看穿我心事, 大叫"Burn’s Night! Burn’s Night!".

噢, 今夜是一月廿五日, 紀念英國, 不, 應是蘇格蘭詩人 Robert Burns 的晚上. Robert Burns是十八世紀初蘇格蘭的有名詩人 (網上有他的生評, 這裏從略), 也是蘇格蘭人們的愛國象徵. 因為他寫了很多關於 haggis 的詩, 而他也熱愛喝飲蘇格蘭威士忌, 所以蘇格蘭人在這天晚上都會吃 haggis 和飲威士忌(還有讀詩和唱歌, 著名的 Auld Lang Sync 就出自他的手筆). 當明白後, 自然要點威士忌, 於是要了大路旳 Bell’s 12年 (蘇格蘭人愛在喜慶日或出遠門飲用的或必備的威士忌). 想着侍者必然心服於我的選擇, 可惜卻又換來搖頭微笑. 既然不給我選, 於是叫他給意見, 這時他即大師上身, 笑着說"Islay 好麼? 如果未飲過 Islay, 可點 Caol Ila 12年試試, 清爽, 有甘橘類香味, …(下删五百字), 還有來份 Haggis, OK?"

在假民主的點餐後, 大鬍子乘着酒興過來問長問短, 當知道身邊那人來自香港, 更滔滔不絕地問香港九七如何, 有無人種米等等問題. 幸好這時傳來酒香肉香. 當侍者放下酒和 Haggis 時, 他一支箭的將酒搶來, 將半杯酒倒入 Haggis 中, 跟着拍拍我的膊頭說 “這是我們的傳統吃法!" 跟着回位舉杯向我說聲 “Cheers"! 食物好, 但酒更好, 不知不覺又多要兩杯 Caol Ila, 一杯請大鬍子喝. 邊談邊笑邊喝, 隔膜就溶化於酒精中, 他和幾個朋友又請我飲啤酒(又話最好要威士忌?) 說着笑着, 差點忘了還要坐夜車回倫敦!

有些人和酒, 可遇不可求, 經過 DFS, 把Caol Ila 12年帶回家, 數年後的今天又快到一月二十五日晚, 寒夜回憶, 開支 Caol Ila 12年來慶祝那遙遠飄雪的 Burn’s Night!

Caol Ila

顏色: 稻草黃

聞香: 香草, 煙燻, 煙草. 燻火腿, 檸檬皮, 青蘋果, 小許碘酒, 海草, 泥煤味

口感: 煙火腿, 煙燻, 香草, 太妃糖, 蘋果, 西洋梨, 小許堅果, 海藻, 泥煤味

總結: 屬於清淡類型, 入口清爽芳醇, 中等餘韻, 泥煤味中帶點絲絲鹹味, 12年是 Caol Ila 旳入門酒, 也是 Islay 入門之選.

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

English Version at page bottom

Uigeadail 是 Ardbeg 酒款中物值甚高的一款酒，我喝過一個批次，但當時沒有留意是那一批次，那酒是 2011 年中免稅店買入的，應該會是 L10 或 L11 吧。相關酒評見 Ardbeg Uigeadail。

這款酒雖則是無陳年標示的標準版，但不同批次間應該總會有點分別，聞說 L5 版，即是 2005 年推出的版本，是其中一個上佳的批次。這 L5 的樣本是代書兄托老友雲尼從台灣送來的，多謝兩位。

Ardbeg Uigeadail, L5, 700 ml, 54.2%

氣味: 煙灰，煙蠔，海水，拖肥，花粉
口味: 朱古力，燻魚，焦木，海鹽，丁香，香葉
餘蘊: 中等長度，燻魚，焦炭，咖啡渣
結論: 氣味上也是煙灰和海產為主，和以些花粉和甜甜的拖肥，和之前喝的差不多。口味方面，也是煙燻油份重的魚，但沒有上一次喝的那麼油，較煙灰，亦沒有那無濃重，較平衡，喝起來較柔和。可能沒有那麼油和黏，餘蘊沒有之前的那麼長，但也是豐富的。兩個批次也好喝，一個濃郁較油，令一個豐富爽淨，對我來說，兩者不分軒輊吧。

English Version of Tasting Note

Uigeadail is one of the best value Ardbeg. I had tasted this whisky before but not noticed which batch was it. I bought it in 2011 from duty free shop that supposed batch L10 or 11.

Though this whisky is a NAS standard bottling, taste may  vary from batch to batch. Heard that L5, i.e. 2005 release is one of the best batches. This sample is a gift from Mr. Kenny Hsu and brought from Taiwan by Winnie. Thank you my friends.

Ardbeg Uigeadail, L5, 700 ml, 54.2%

Nose: Ash, smoked oyster, brine, toffee, bee pollen
Palate: Chocolate, smoked fish, charred wood, sea salt, clove, bay leaf
Aftertaste: Medium length, smoked fish, char coal, coffee grounds
Comment: Nose dominated ashy and seafood, seasoned by bee pollen and candy, similar to previous batch. Still smoked oily fish at palate but lesser grease then previous batch, a bit ashy, lighter, balanced and smoother. Medium length aftertaste, rich. Both batches are very good, one more heavy and oily while another rich and fresh. Two drams drew, I said.

Ardbeg Uigeadail L5

Ardbeg Uigeadail L5

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

English version at page bottom

酒評不一定要長篇大論的，一些酒款的背景之前介紹過了，之後同款不同批次不同年期的酒，那作簡簡單單的酒評就可以了。

Lagavulin 12 years, Bottled 2013, 700 ml, 55.1%

之前介紹過同款 2011 年裝瓶的版本，且喝喝這 2013 裝瓶的有沒有大分別吧。

氣味: 煙燻，花蜜，煙蠔，拖肥，檸檬皮，甘草
口味: 煙灰，柑橘皮，黑朱古力，咖啡，烤炙橡木，多士
餘蘊: 中等長度，咖啡渣，香料
結論: 這版本喝起來和之前喝的有分別，2011 年版有明顯海洋風味和蜜甜，但這 2013 年版卻是較焦香。氣味濃而不烈，清脆細緻，酒體結實有層次，餘蘊焦香中見爽凈，整體表現上佳。這有可能是我個人口味上的變化造成差異，但單一麥芽威士忌，就是好玩在不同批次上總有變化，每次喝都會有驚喜呢。

English Version of Tasting Note

To those different batches and bottlings of the whisky in same expression, and which background had been introduced previously, a simple tasting note is just fine.

Lagavulin 12 years, Bottled 2013, 700 ml, 55.1%

I had introduced its previous batch of 2011 bottled in my previous article (sorry that no English version). Let’s taste this 2013 bottling to see any differences.

Nose: Smoking, nectar, smoked oyster, toffee, lemon peel, licorice
Palate: Ash, citrus peel, dark chocolate, coffee, roasted oak, toast
Aftertaste: Medium length, coffee grounds, spicy
Conclusion: This 2013 version is quite different from my previous tasted 2011 version. The later has more ocean elements while the former is tended to toasty and smoky.Rich on nose but not harsh, crisp and details, solid body and layered, firm and roasted aftertaste, very good performance. The taste differences may be resulted from my personal judgment deviation but the fact that certain favors’ difference exists in individual batch of the same single malt whisky and it is the fun that every bottle of whisky brings you surprise.

Lagavulin 12 year 2013 Release