Anohka This Is Not Whisky Cask #63
Canadian Single Malt Spirit | 55.6% ABV
Score: 7/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
A shot across the bows of Islay
Recharged and Reloaded
I’m excited about whisky and writing again. For a minute there, I was bored. Uninspired to write. It was a weird slump that I’ve never experienced.
Good thing it only lasted three weeks. Phew. I know some suffer with a creative block, writers block, or other forms of lacking inspiration, but it’s something I’ve usually not lacked. It’s never happened before and it was weird. Out of body even.
With the move behind me and all my whisky unpacked onto shelves in the new place, I’d stare at the venerable collection in grainy black and white, even though it could be the envy of many others. Nothing spoke out to me. No story springing forward from my fingertips. It was a weird slump for me.
But good news, I’m invigorated again. The sun is shining. This little nugget is part of the turnaround, the about-face if you will.
Some bottles I’ve been saving to open, waiting for the right moment or just the overall “open” bottle count to drop enough to warrant cracking another. Some bottles were open but were just meh, both in the liquid form and their inability to inspire anything in me. Others were just drinking bottles, the ones poured without thought or care if it got left unfinished at the end of the night. These bottles were just zombies. Lifeless. Adrift. No spark.
Then things changed, but what sparked the fire that chased away the veil of darkness, I have no idea. I think it might have been a few ‘eff it’ bottle openings that led to this change, such as a beautifully drinkable James Eadie Mannochmore that I wished I’d bought more of, or the 2022 Compass Box Flaming heart with its cinnamon heart peatiness, a Laphroaig Cairdeas 2024 10 yo, and this little gem of course.
Ever since those bottles, I’m invigorated to spend some time writing again, and taking pictures too; stay tuned, another whisky-inspired cosmic event picture is coming your way.
So for those of you who aren’t familiar with Anohka, I’ve previously reviewed an earlier batch here, including some backstory on the distillery. While I’ve yet to make the trip to visit Gurpreet and Anohka to flush things out further, I’ve been receiving nothing but glowing praise about the distillery from other key whisky people in Alberta that I trust. They are on the right track, and fast forwarding another five months (in whisky time) with another ex-bourbon cask, we find ourselves looking at a two year old peated “whisky” here today.
Review
Anohka This Is Not Whisky, Canadian Single Malt Spirit, Heavy Peated, Cask #63, ex-bourbon, Barrel Filled 10-02-23, 2 years old, 362 bottles (375 mL), 55.6% ABV
CAD$55 paid (£30)
Score: 7/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
A shot across the bows of Islay
Nose
Dense, syrupy and sweet. Dark honey. Light caramel. Vanilla is here but is trending towards a vanilla cake rather than vanilla extract. Do I detect small pieces of peaches dotting this vanilla cake? Why yes I do believe there are some fruity aspects popping up here. Dry wood smoke accompanies these sweeter flavours, never aggressive and just synchronised with the overall flavours.
Palate
Such a luscious and velvety entrance that belies the strength and youth. While the nose was trending towards dense flavours, the palate is bright, fizzy, and sparkly. Lemon cake drizzled with white icing or icing sugar. Dry wood smoke. Dash of cinnamon. Effervescent like a grapefruit soda water, making you take another sip. Moreish if there ever was one.
Magical really.
The Dregs
Age is but a number, an old adage often used to describe people, but in this case, perfectly fits this whisky. This whisky fires a double-barrel barrage across the bow of HMS Islay, warning them. Warning them that others are doing “their thing” better than them, and faster and younger to boot too. Diageo Special releases of Lagavulin and Talisker, at absolutely disgusting sticker prices? Ya nah. Shelled below the waterline, sunk before they even popped my wallet or the bottles cork.
If Port Charlotte 10 might be your vibe, then this 2 year old stomps it. In my previous review of a younger Anohka spirit (1.5 yrs, cask #52), I likened this to Port Charlotte 10, but in my opinion the PC10 just eeked out the win. Fast forward circa 6 months and a different ex-bourbon cask, and this particular 2 year old manhandles one of the ubiquitous Islay peated malts. Pouring the PC10 after this 2 yo and I’m immediately thinking I drank lightly flavoured water. Yup, I said it. This Anohka is a heavy-hitting, dense and nimble flavour-bomb. Like a sleek corvette, sidling up alongside before unloading a barrage that leaves you refilling your glass before you can utter ‘depth charge’. Team Canada FTW!
Note: while I gave the previous release a 7, this is more like a 7.4-7.5/10 but being the gentleman that I am, I’m rounding down to a 7/10. But make no mistake, the trajectory of these spirits is straight up. Given the semi-frequent releases from Anohka, I’m sure you’ll be hearing more from them (and me) in a few more months.
Score: 7/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. BB
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