Heart Cut Barley

Heart Cut Barley

The Heart Cut
Blended malt
Amber, hints of red
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cinnamon, new plastic, strawberry jam, cream, vanilla, raspberries, hints of nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Strawberry jam, raspberries, cinnamon, orange peel, orange blossom, vanilla, black pepper. 
Finish: Short. Black pepper, orange blossom, raspberries, honey, strawberry jam. 

Comments: 

An English blend, and like anything from the Heart Cut, very flavour forward and intense. Lots of jammy notes, but also floral orange blossom and black pepper. Quite delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Pulteney 11yo

Pulteney 11yo

Cask and Crust, Cask Trade
Single malt - North Highlands
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, sour cream, lemon zest, yoghurt, white pepper, ginseng. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, oily, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Wet stones, petrichor, lemon zest, white pepper, gentian, coffee, hints of sour cream. 
Finish: Medium. Gentian, coffee, petrichor, vanilla, hints of wet stones. 

Comments: 

Cask 504182. Lots of coastal minerally notes, with an earthy after-the-rain top note. It’s rather light and airy with a lactic tang at the end. Quite bitter.

Verdict:

I like this.

Blair Athol 25yo 1975/2000

Blair Athol 25yo 1975/2000

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Central Highlands
Pale orange gold
49.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, wet stones, ink, molasses, lemon zest, orange peel, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Molasses, wet stones, orange peel, lemon zest, cream, iron filings, hints of mangoes. 
Finish: Long. Molasses, cream, gentian, wet stones, hints of iron filings. 

Comments: 

Quite lactic, with minerally notes all throughout. But there’s also oranges and lemjns and hints of tropical fruit. The finish is surprisingly bitter and minerally, with a burnt sugar sweetness.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Blair Athol 29yo 1989/2019

Blair Athol 29yo 1989/2019

Cask Strength Collection, Signatory Vintage
Single malt - Central Highlands
Pale gold, hints of pink
50.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, mangoes, white pepper, wet stones, creamy lemon zest, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Malted grains, wet stones, lemon zesty ginseng, cream, white pepper, coffee. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, cream, gentian, white pepper, mangoes. 

Comments: 

Cask 3427. A beautiful fruity and minerally nose, but on the tongue, it’s surprisingly bitter and peppery. Lots of herbal bitterness that lingers onto the finish, alongside gentle peppery spice.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Cooley 17yo Batch 1

Cooley 17yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Leinster
Straw
48.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, white wine, sour cream, white grapes, ink, nail varnish, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, cool, oily. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Yoghurt, sour cream, white grapes, raisins, mangoes, nail varnish, malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Malted grains, coffee, molasses, nail varnish, yoghurt. 

Comments: 

Quite lactic, with tropical fruit and plenty of maltiness. Even on the tongue the lactic note persists. The finish is quite short but intense, with a bitter, watery edge.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kentucky 6yo Brandy Finish

Kentucky 6yo Brandy Finish

Fragrant Drops, Keeble Cask Company
Single bourbon - Kentucky 
Amber gold
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Aluminium foil, corn syrup, vanilla, sea salt, popcorn, ink, hints of white pepper. With water, popcorn, ink, corn syrup. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Blackcurrant cordial, vanilla, white grapes, white pepper, prunes, popcorn. With water, blackcurrant cordial, ink, aluminium foil. 
Finish: Medium. Blackcurrant cordial, raisins, white pepper, aluminium foil, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Quite metallic and sweet. Some of this is the corn in the mash bill of course. On the tongue, it’s quite jammy and fruity, with a hint of white pepper. Water brings out that slightly metallic character again. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Four Gate Whiskey 7yo Ruby Port-Rum Casks

Four Gate Whiskey 7yo Ruby Port-Rum Casks

Four Gate Whiskey Company
Single rye - Indiana
Amber red 
56.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Desiccated coconut, honey, burnt sugar, black pepper, nail varnish, vanilla, lemon zest. With water, vanilla, black pepper, damson jam. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Honey, nail varnish, butter, burnt sugar, brown paper, lemon zest, strawberry jam. With water, butter, black pepper, honey. 
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, lemon zest, nail varnish, brown paper, vanilla. 

Comments: 

MGP rye, and for a contract distiller they’re occasionally rather good. This one is quite decent, lots of the usual rye spiciness, but also a sweet, fruity butteriness, as well as strawberry jam.

Verdict:

I like this.

Dingle Grianstad an Tsamraidh

Dingle Grianstad am Tsamraidh

Official bottling
Single malt - Munster
Dark gold
52.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Plums, white grapes, vanilla, strawberry jam, cloves, cinnamon, prunes. With water, damson jam, cloves, white grapes, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, hot, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Black tea, black pepper, prunes, strawberry jam, cloves. With water, gooseberries, strawberry jam, cloves, black pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, plums, strawberry jam, black pepper, brown paper. 

Comments: 

Quite fruity, lots of estery notes, but the whisky isn’t as funky as a pot still. Lots of winey notes too, and water brings out some of the cloves and pepper even more. Interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Teeling 15yo Single Grain Sauvignon Blanc Cask

Teeling 15yo Single Grain Sauvignon Blanc Cask

Teeling bottler
Single malt
Pale copper
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: White wine, vanilla, popcorn, golden syrup, photocopy paper, nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Pear drops, vanilla, popcorn, nutmeg, white grapes, white wine, hints of cinnamon. 
Finish: Short. Pear drops, vanilla, popcorn, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Sweet sour, lots of estery notes, with fruit and grain. Quite well spiced, cinnamon and nutmeg abound. The white wine cask is quite prominent. I don’t think this is from Teeling distillery itself, it’s just a little too old.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022 Open Day 2022

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022 Open Day 2022

Official bottling
Single malt - Kyushu
Dark amber red
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, figs, sandalwood, malted grains, cherries, black tea, golden syrup, damson jam. With water, golden syrup, raisins, cherries. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, cola nuts, sandalwood, fresh baked bread, golden syrup, damson jam. With water, black tea, golden syrup, cherries, hints of marzipan. 
Finish: Long. Sandalwood, lohan fruit, black tea, raisins, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Cask 19462. Sweet and luscious, as is nearly every Kanosuke I’ve ever tried. But this one also has golden syrup and bread notes, probably from the bourbon cask. Very rich and intense.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.