Glenfarclas 2007 Marriage of Casks

Glenfarclas 2007 Marriage of Casks

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Dark amber
51.1% ABV
Tiny taste

Nose: Raisins, black tea, vanilla, white pepper, sponge cake. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, loosens slightly, oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Honey, vanilla, chocolate, sponge cake, hints of blackberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Vanilla sponge, black berry jam, chocolate, hints of coffee. 

Comments: 

Many thanks, Andrea, for a taste of this Glenfarclas, an exclusive bottling for the Whisky Exchange. It's jammy and sweet, heaps of chocolate, and eggy sponge. Classic sherried 'farclas, but with a little bit of tannins and spice on the nose. It's lovely whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Chichibu the Peated 2018 10th Anniversary

Chichibu the Peated 2018 10th Anniversary

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, leather, raisins, honey, marmalade, dried pears, applesauce, hints of fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, volatile, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peanuts, peat, dried apples, honey, cinnamon, white pepper, hints of sandalwood. 
Finish: Short. White pepper, leather, cinnamon, hints of sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Fruity, leathery and smoky, this Chichibu dram is highly complex despite its young age. There's a layer of herbal savouriness, with plenty of spice, white and even pink peppercorns. I love this, it's really impressive whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Bunnahabhain 10yo 2009/2019

Bunnahabhain 10yo 2009/2019

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Islay
Mahogany
59.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, honey, brown butter, plums, magic marker, fresh baked bread, hints of pears. With water, buttered toast, raisins, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black tea, ginseng, caramel, raisins, pears, winter melon, toast. With water, fresh baked bread, butter, honey, plums. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, winter melon, ginseng, raisins, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Gloriously sherried, unpeated Bunnahabhain! This one is fruity, with some saline notes, but has herbal melony flavours that I identify as winter melon. It's highly complex for a 10 year old, and has surprising strength.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Probably Orkney's Finest 16yo 2003/2019

Probably Orkney's Finest 16yo 2003/2019

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Islands
Amber
48.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bitter orange peel, raisins, malted grains, oolong tea, hints of jasmine, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, syrupy, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Bitter orange peel, lemon curd, oolong tea, ginseng, smoke, hints of jasmine. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, oolong tea, marmalade, smoke. 

Comments: 

DL Cask 13371. This is a fruity, orangey, floral Highland Park, surprisingly very gentle. It lacks the robustness of the other Highland Parks that I've had, but it has a layer of bitter smoke under the surface. Quite the dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Akashi Red Blended Whisky

Akashi Red Blended Whisky

Official bottling
Single blend - West Honshu
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, green tea, smoked almonds, dried peaches, hints of leather, hints of tobacco leaf. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slightly sticky, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Dried peaches, fresh baked bread, raisins, tobacco leaf, mint, vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Mint, tobacco leaf, white grapes, hints of oats. 

Comments: 

Eigashima whiskies are always light and sweet, but over the years they've been getting more complex. This one has lots of cereal in addition to the fruity notes, and some alluring tobacco as well. Quite tasty and refreshing, especially with ice.

Verdict:

I like this.

Millburn 1972 (bottled 2006)

Millburn 1972 (bottled 2006)

Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Pale gold
46% ABV
Half dram

Nose: Peanuts, peat, honey, lemon juice, apple sauce, sea salt, raisins, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, sticky, viscous. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peat, leather, black tea, ginseng, honey, lemon sweets, sea salt, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, black tea, sea salt, honey, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Another example of whisky that they don't make any more, and I'm not just referring to the distillery. This one has a bitter-sweet-salty combination, together with a syrupy mouthfeel, that is just irresistible. The herbal bitterness goes well with the leather and sea salt. Just heavenly.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenury Royal 37yo 1973/2011

Glenury Royal 37yo 1973/2011

Nectar, The Whisky Agency
Single malt - East Highlands
Amber
43% ABV
Half dram

Nose: Black tea, honey, coffee, apples, lanolin, chocolate, raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, oily, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, chocolate, lanolin, plums, coffee, apples, hints of green olives. 
Finish: Long. Apples, coffee, chocolate, honey, black tea, hints of peaches. 

Comments: 

Now that I look at my tasting note, it seems a bit sparse. But that wasn't what the whisky was like at all. It was a surprising combination of sweet, bitter, herbal and... farmyard? Yes, definitely a hand cream note, from when people used to put wool oil into the stuff. And a long glorious finish, with a little tang of peaches at the end to lift a dense, bitter sweet aftertaste.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Brora 19yo 1982/2001

Brora 19yo 1982/2001

Special Bottling, Silver Seal
Single malt - North Highlands
Bronze gold
50% ABV
Half dram

Nose: Papaya, peat, lemon zest, sea salt, honey, hints of smoke, hints of petrol exhaust. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, turns watery, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour. Papaya, dried sour cherries, smoke, sea salt, fresh baked bread, hints of petrol exhaust. 
Finish: Long. Dried sour cherries, lemon zest, coriander, oranges, hints of sea salt. 

Comments: 

Never put water into Brora. Sage advice given to me by a fellow whisky drunk... er, nerd, in a bar a long time ago. I followed it with this one. It's unusual - there's the usual lemony smoke, but there's also papaya and sour cherries, and something like petrol exhaust (Springbank? Are you there?), fading into a herbal, slightly soapy finish. Lovely.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Convalmore 36yo 1977/2013

Convalmore 36yo 1977/2013

Small Batch, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
58.2% ABV
Half dram

Nose: Chocolate, honey, cloves, strawberry jam, pomegranate molasses,black tea, vanilla custard. With water, more strawberry jam, dried blueberries, prunes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Cloves, mangoes, honey, chocolate, black tea, pomegranate molasses, hints of chocolate. With water, vanilla, strawberry jam, black tea, lavender. 
Finish: Medium. Pomegranate molasses, chocolate, cloves, black tea, hints of lavender. 

Comments: 

Another old find, this one a luscious, sticky, Convalmore. Very high strength, needs more than a little water. Before water, it's floral and fruity, with heaps of spice. After water, it opens up, turning even more floral and slightly tannic. There's something jammy and floral about Convalmore, the tasting notes are remarkably consistent.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenflagler 8yo (bottled 1970s)

Glenflagler 8yo (bottled 1970s)

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright gold
40% ABV
Half dram

Nose: Raisins, iron filings, damson jam, marmalade, vanilla, orange blossom. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, volatile, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Croissants, orange blossom, marmalade, raisins, vanilla, black tea, hints of pear drops. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, vanilla, black tea, damson jam, hints of pear drops. 

Comments: 

Malt spirit from the old Moffat grain distillery, only produced over a period of about 20 years. The distillery has, of course, been closed for yonks. I've been chasing this bottle for a while, and I was very lucky to be able to get a teensy sip. It's light and fruity, very bright flavours, but melded together, not a great deal of clarity. However, it was rather intense despite it's long age, and not much old bottle effect. Lovely buttery, orange and pear drop notes all throughout. I enjoyed this with enormous satisfaction.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.