Old Pulteney 25yo

Old Pulteney 25yo

Official bottling
Single malt - North Highlands
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sea salt, apple juice, soy sauce, orange peel, lemon zest, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, turns watery, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apple juice, prunes, sea salt, dried apples, orange peel, hints of soy sauce. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, honey, malted grains, soy sauce. 

Comments: 

Very decent and complex whisky on the nose, but didn't vary much on the tongue. Somewhat odd in that sense, although it's got a nice classic Old Pulteney profile. Still, I enjoyed it.

Verdict:

I like this.

Adnams Triple Malt Whiskey

Adnams Triple Malt Whiskey

Official bottling
Single blend - East Anglia
Bright gold
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cinnamon, bananas, green tea, peaches, hints of papayas. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, slippery, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Brown paper, papayas, magic marker, honey, bananas, hints of green tea. 
Finish: Medium. Green tea, bananas, cinnamon, pears. 

Comments: 

A blend of wheat, barley and oat spirit. It's not quite as spicy and lively as rye, but it's got huge fruit notes, with some tannic hints that make all the difference. Not your usual grain, not your usual blend either.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glengoyne 12yo

Glengoyne 12yo

Official bottling
Single malt - South Highlands
Light gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, milk chocolate, malted grains, apple juice, hints of fig jam. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, static, chewy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Milk chocolate, raisins, prunes, dried figs, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Short. Cola nuts, coffee, red grapes, milk chocolate. 

Comments: 

Same old Glengoyne, chocolatey and raisiny, but this time with additional fruit and even a hint of tartness. I really enjoyed this, such a wonderful trip down memory lane.

Verdict:

I like this.

Hazelburn 13yo 2004/2018

Hazelburn 13yo 2004/2018

Official bottling
Single malt - Campbeltown
Dark amber
47.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Black tea, honey, red grapes, malted grains, molasses. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, turns watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, red grapes, molasses, sea salt, hints of fish sauce. 
Finish: Long. Molasses, black tea, red grapes, sea salt, hints of fish sauce. 

Comments: 

It's been a while since I had one of these. It's classic Springbank savoury, but the sherry cask finish has imbued it with tannic and grapey notes. It's very tasty indeed, and as good as any other savoury-sweet whisky I've had this evening.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glendronach 24yo 1993/2018

Glendronach 24yo 1993/2018

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany red
57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, sea salt, leather, orange juice, red grapes, hints of pears. With water, malted grains, more salty, dried figs. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, volatile, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Pears, leather, magic marker, lemon juice, hints of apples. With water, red grapes, honey, sea salt, dried figs. 
Finish: Long. Red grapes, leather, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Cask 656, 556 bottles. Oh, this is good. It's jammy and grapey, yet slightly salty and savoury at the same time. It opens up beautifully with water, becoming more subtle yet more complex. Excellent stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenglassaugh Peated Port Wood

Glenglassaugh Peated Port Wood

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany red
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, peat, soy sauce, sea salt, apple juice, driftwood smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, oily, slippery. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, apple juice, pears, peat, hints of driftwood smoke. 
Finish: Medium. Apple juice, raisins, rhubarb and custard sweets, hints of soy sauce. 

Comments: 

Port and peat don't always mix, but here they do! This whisky is luscious and complex, lots of savoury notes offset those sweet fruity estery flavours that come from the port. It's a wine bomb whisky with a difference.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

West Cork 12yo Rum Cask

West Cork 12yo Rum Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Southern Ireland
Golden
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Fresh baked bread, cream, marzipan, lemon juice, grass. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Fresh baked bread, cream, lemon juice, vanilla, custard. 
Finish: Medium. Orange juice, cream, custard, hints of grass. 

Comments: 

This is strange, and reinforces that, to me, rum cask finishes can be a bit hit and miss. The underlying whisky is good, I've had a number of West Corks and enjoyed them. The rum cask has imparted notes of fresh baked bread and cream, which jars a bit on my palate.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Paul John 6yo 2008/2015

Paul John 6yo 2008/2015

Single Cask Series, Master of Malt
Single malt - Goa
Teakwood
59.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black tea, honey, sandalwood, hints of haw flakes. With water, red grapes, haw, hints of magic marker. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, tingly, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Black tea, prunes, blackcurrant cordial, honey, hints of leather, hints of smoke. With water, sweet salty, leather, malted grains, hints of soy sauce. 
Finish: Long. Leather, smoke, honey, hints of soy sauce. 

Comments: 

This is more complex than any 6 yo whisky has the right to be! There's plenty of fruit of course, but there are also savoury notes of leather and soy sauce, especially after adding some water. It's very good whisky indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Spirit of Hven Seven Stars No 3 Phecda

Spirit of Hven Seven Stars No 3 Phecda

Official bottling
Single malt - Scania 
Amber
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cream, vanilla, sandalwood, malted grains, hints of cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, slippery, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Cloves, raisins, sandalwood, ginseng, leather, hints of pine resin. 
Finish: Medium. Ginseng, pine resin, sandalwood, cloves. 

Comments: 

The next in a series of quirky bottlings by Hven. This one is as idiosyncratic as its siblings. It's got plenty of sweet notes, yet is herbal and bitter on the tongue. Very spicy too. Unusual experience.

Verdict:

I like this.

Tamdhu 8yo

Tamdhu 8yo

Macphail's Collection, Gordon and Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Buttermilk
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, lemon juice, fresh cut grass, apple juice, hints of brass polish. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon juice, marzipan, cream, apple juice, fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Short. Cola nuts, apple juice, hay, hints of raisins. 

Comments: 

This is a less recent bottling, around 2008 or so. It's tart and herbal whisky, not your average Speyside. It's fresh and palate cleansing, with notes of cream in the background. Great indie.

Verdict:

I like this.